Review of The BFG (2016) by Stuart F — 15 Dec 2016

BFG review. This wasn't a movie I was super keen to see, but the generally positive reviews online and the fact that it is the holidays just made it happen. And the result is watching a movie that I can't quite decide how I exactly feel about it.

I will immediately clarify that by saying I enjoyed the film and I do recommend it, but it left me feeling strange and uncertain as to what the movie was all about. And at the heart of that feeling seems to be that I am used to a certain style of modern children's movie.

Firstly this film really takes its time. It allows scenes to very deliberately drag or just meander through its visuals and conversations. Some of that seems a bit disjointed (like the child actor possibly didn't know who or what she was talking to in her green screen room) but most of it is actually refreshing.

This is definitely not an Ice Age 4 or Minions movie with fast paced, fast talking characters with snappy fast visuals. And that may be something you need to think about with your own child. Do they want to be entertained every second or can they just sit and wait for moments to develop? Secondly this movie doesn't do what Disney / Pixar are so good at, which is making a point.

At the end of Inside Out you learn to manage your feelings, Wall E do anything for love and take care of the environment, Frozen love heals and family comes first. With BFG it really is just the story of a girl and a giant being friends and doing stuff.

I haven't read the book in a long time but I think that this movie does a decent job of adapting the book to screen. And being so close to the original Roald Dahl source material is what makes this story both interesting and unique.