Review of Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) by Kevin L — 09 Jan 2014

Despite its relatively serious tone, this is not a film that takes itself seriously and neither should you. The story is straightforward and simple, with a style comparable to something out of the Disney animated canon, just with a lot more action.

The characters are pretty thin, serving largely just to progress the plot, and their motives are sometimes iffy while their allegiances can change rather abruptly. But this isn't a movie looking to reinvent the wheel, it's a movie looking to provide a fun adventure, and in this sense Jack the Giant Slayer is successful enough.

It's performed with enthusiasm, and directed in a way that gives us a clear sense of the wonder and danger that this adventure (as silly as it may be) would in fact provide. It's really just a fun adventure film, and if you go in with that expectation, you should have a fun time.