After
providing reimagined takes on “Snow White” and “Hansel & Gretel” with
varying amounts of success, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood
decided to update “Jack and the Beanstalk.”
Toughening up the title hero and surrounding him with larger-than-life
adversaries and a talented supporting cast seemed like an appropriate way to
introduce the first true post-winter blockbuster, but would audiences respond
to yet another fairy tale adaptation?
Nicholas Hoult has been on my radar since X-men: First Class, and he enjoyed more widespread exposure after
last month’s Warm Bodies, but
marketing efforts made little attempt to identify the presence of other
crowd-pleasers like Stanley Tucci and Ewan McGregor. With a near-$200 million production budget, Jack the Giant Slayer represented a
massive gamble for Warner Bros. Pictures, one contingent on audiences across
numerous demographics seeing this newest release as THE next cinematic event. Questionable marketing tactics aside, Jack the Giant Slayer still had the
potential to offer a pleasantly entertaining surprise at the theater, one that
would transport us all back to the type of wonder and adventure that saturated
childhood imagination.
Though it
starts-off rather hokey, Jack the Giant
Slayer eventually finds a narrative and tonal balance that helps deliver an
entertaining and surprisingly exciting adventure that many considered
impossible with this kind of source material.
The first half of the film focuses on re-introducing the basics of the
fairy tale and building the character dynamics, but aside from Nicholas Hoult’s
likable turn as Jack, everything feels clichéd and a little boring. Don’t worry, energy and quality receive a
significant boost once the giants are introduced, thanks largely to the special
effects and Bill Nighy’s performance, and by the time the battles start, you
will find yourself thoroughly charmed. I
was disappointed to see some of the acting talent within the cast underused,
but as I mentioned, most criticisms can be forgiven in light of the narrative’s
second half and the pleasantly clever ending.
Uneven quality may weaken Jack the
Giant Slayer, but if you enjoyed the original tale, you cannot go wrong
with this newest update.
