Directed by Steven Spielberg
Country: USA
The BFG, which stands for Big Friendly Giant, is the latest adventure from the acclaimed director Steven Spielberg, who also produced it. Melissa Mathison worked on the screenplay, having Roald Dahl’s 1982 novel of the same name as a source.
Mark Rylance, who previously worked with Spielberg on “Bridge of Spies”, stars as a giant who, despite inoffensive, kidnaps the little Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) from the London orphanage where she lives, to take her to Giant Country with him. All this because she saw him, and now he’s afraid she might unfold the secret that giants really exist.
After the initial mistrust, a friendship starts between the good-hearted giant and the self-confident girl. However, there are other bigger, unfriendly, and man-eating giants inhabiting the place. Besides being a serious threat to the girl, they bully the sweet BFG.
The two good friends embark on a big adventure, catching colored flying dreams, and never giving up on hope to make the world a better and safe place.
Believe it or not, priceless help arrives from Elizabeth II, the Queen of the United Kingdom, who decides to hunt down the bad giants after being informed that the creatures in her nightmares are real.
Before accomplishing the mission, our heroes are invited to the Buckingham Palace, in the most comedic scene of the film.
Surprisingly sparse in thrills, “The BFG” still had the merit to catch my attention since I followed the story with some apathy but no tedium.
The film actually made me laugh, especially in its final part, and also presented technical rigor and visual accuracy as important parts of its conception.
Rayleigh, who suffered a tremendous physical transformation through digital manipulation, has here a lengthened but less demanding role than in “Bridge of Spies”, while the young Barnhill was the ideal choice to play Sophie.
Mr. Spielberg's first Walt Disney fantasy is acceptable, not outstanding.
