The BFG

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Young orphan Sophie (newcomer Ruby Barnhill) stays awake most nights, reading from a book. One night, she accidentally spots the titular BFG, or Big Friendly Giant (played by Mark Rylance). He is forced to take her with him to “Giant Country,” which is where he lives. From there, misadventures begin to happen. Sophie is nearly eaten by the bigger, more cannibalistic giants on multiple occasions. They have to visit the queen of England at some point as well. The fantasy, suspense, and comedy actually do manage to blend together, better than I could’ve possibly thought. Granted, there are some stumbling points that don’t work as well as I think they could’ve. I do think it helps that this movie is directed by Steven Spielberg, a man who clearly understands how to make these genres blend together. Rylance is fantastic as the BFG. He brings the character’s mix of childish innocence  and worldly wisdom to life perfectly. Ruby Barnhill should also be complimented for her performance. After all, it isn’t easy to go toe to toe with an Oscar winner and, for the most part, hold your own. The visual effects on the film should also be commended. Admittedly, they are a bit cartoony at times, but this is a Roald Dahl story, and it isn’t necessarily easy to make giants look like they are actually there on screen. The flow of the thing also has its occasional issues where it does drag a little bit. Despite these fairly minor flaws, The BFG is still a fun fantasy adventure film that should not be overlooked.

8 / 10