By Colm McCall
The name Steven Spielberg has been synonymous with movies ever since he broke onto the scene with the very first ever summer blockbuster Jaws (1975). Since then he has brought us so many memorable classics that his involvement with many productions automatically legitimises it. Well, at least that used to be the case. In recent years, his stock has fallen dramatically and if box office takings are anything to go by, audiences aren't overly enamoured by the director's efforts anymore. Roald Dahl's stories have been beloved by kids young and old for generations. However, cinematic interpretations of his work have not always done justice to the original material. Major props however must go to Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). That movie was imagination personified and I will love it forever. In fact, I'm still sucking on my everlasting gobstopper. Slugworth ain't getting near it! Back to the present however, and this weekend saw me hit the cinema for the new Disney release The BFG.
Many people still bear a fondness for the 1989 animated version starring David Jason and who could blame them? Del Boy as a giant- what's not to like?! Unlike its predecessor, this picture is shot in the real world incorporating stop-motion and CGI. The story as a whole is quite thin and simplistic, even for a family movie. It follows Sophie (Ruby Barnhill), an orphan insomniac, as she stumbles upon the towering man (Mark Rylan, Bridge of Spies 2015) from Giant Country. It isn't long before Sophie discovers that her and the big friendly giant aren't all that dissimilar. Like her, the BFG is an outcast among his peers due to the fact he refuses to eat human beings. The other giants, who are intellectually lacking in comparison, ridicule the BFG for being nothing more than a 'runt'. He won't give into their neanderthal ways though, preferring to occupy his time collecting dreams in the real world.
First and foremost, Ruby Barnhill as Sophie absolutely knocks it out of the park. Without a doubt she is the best thing about this flick. Spielberg has a knack for getting the most out of his child stars. Empire of the Sun (1987) and E.T (1982) are as good examples as any in regards optimising adolescent talent. Rylance voices the giant very well and comes across as extremely likable. I think the relationship between the two will resonate with anybody who was ever close to their grandparents. Aside from those two characters and the dynamic between them, I can't say much else positive about the plot of this film.
Indeed it looks great, even in 2D, but the substance was scarce. The opening act was somewhat intriguing and the ending is quite heartwarming but the middle was such a boring lull. I felt my eyes drooping at this time. I wasn't the only one, as during this Saturday afternoon showing many children in attendance were growing uneasy. Whether your Steven Spielberg or Tim Burton, these kinds of movies aimed at kids ought to be capped at ninety minutes. A half hour could have been easily cut out of the overall running time. On a postive note however, John Williams returns with a lovely score which is evocative of the music from Hook (1991). I was at a live presentation of his music in Glasgow a couple of years ago and it is undeniable that the is an absolute music genius of composition.
The two main protagonists were great as individuals and as a pairing. One could easily empathise with the dynamic between them. But overall, the plot is spread thinner than butter on the toast of a strict dietician! There was very little there; barely enough to keep me awake, never mind retain the interest of kids. The jokes, which were quite rare, weren't funny in the slightest. Once again I must reiterate my thought that filmmakers cannot get by on spectacle alone, there has to be something more. The antagonists must be matching of the protagonists or else there is going to be a definite story imbalance. That certainly is the case here. It looks good, the two main characters are wonderful and the music is breathtaking. The story is really boring and uninteresting.
The BFG scores 5/10 on the MACmeter.
