Let’s talk about The BFG.
The BFG by Disney Studios will be released in theaters on July 1st. My two oldest boys and I got to see the movie last night in a special preview. I want to tell you what we thought.
Let me just start out by saying I thought this movie was going to be too scary for me. I actually wanted to take ear plugs to the theater in case it got to be too much. I’m a little sensitive that way – I kid you not. I knew however, that if done well it would be right up my boys’ alley.
So I took a deep breath and entered the theater sans ear plugs. Just to clear the air, I will say that this movie is not the scariest PG Disney movie I’ve ever seen. (The Little Mermaid still holds that spot of honor and also remains one of my favorites at the same time!) Nor was it scary enough that I wanted to leave or even scary enough that I didn’t want to watch. I (pretty much) kept my eyes open the entire time.
So here’s what my boys had to say about The BFG:
Caleb (age 10) “The main funny part was the gas. I laughed a lot. It was kinda gross what the mean giants were named. It was really good and I will watch it again.”
Jonathan (age 15) “I liked The BFG more than I was expecting to. I got really caught up in the way the bigger giants were treating The BFG. But at the same time, I kinda felt sad for them because they weren’t very smart and they were all just following the one leader guy. The toasting scene was hilarious. I think everyone in the whole theater laughed during that scene. I noticed a couple inconsistencies with the animation, but I liked it.”
Here’s what I thought about The BFG:
This is the first time I’ve watched a movie in 3D. (I know, right?) I was blown away when I felt like I could literally step into the movie. The animation, the dream-catching sequence, and the BFG’s home were all just incredible as a 3D experience.
I was a little concerned about the dream magic references, but I truly found them to be completely benign and not spiritually-related at all. Just that special brand of Disney magic.
I was also a little concerned about the references to cannibalism and, as it turns out, that is the one thing I would make sure to talk about with your kids, especially the younger ones. You don’t actually witness cannibalism but the references are there and it is threatened a few times close up. I will take the time to explain to my seven-year-olds that it is something we never pretend to do.
I will say this is one movie I wouldn’t want my seven-year-olds to watch right before bed the first time they see it. If your kids have struggles with bad dreams this movie could exacerbate that. I think my boys are going to love the movie though, and once they’ve seen it a few times, nighttime viewing probably won’t be a big deal.
Overall, I really loved this movie and thought the relationship that developed between Sophie and the Big Friendly Giant was incredible. And the animation was amazing. I will definitely watch the movie again and purchase it for my family.
Here’s what Disney has to say about The BFG:
The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg – finally unite to bring Dahl’s beloved classic The BFG to life. Directed by Spielberg, Disney’s The BFG tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. The BFG (Mark Rylance), while a giant himself, is a Big Friendly Giant and nothing like the other inhabitants of Giant Country.
Standing 24-feet tall with enormous ears and a keen sense of smell, he is endearingly dim-witted and keeps to himself for the most part. Giants like Bloodbottler (Bill Hader) and Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) on the other hand, are twice as big and at least twice as scary and have been known to eat humans, while the BFG prefers Snozzcumber and Frobscottle.
Upon her arrival in Giant Country, Sophie, a precocious 10-year-old girl from London, is initially frightened of the mysterious giant who has brought her to his cave, but soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, has many questions. The BFG brings Sophie to Dream Country where he collects dreams and sends them to children, teaching her all about the magic and mystery of dreams.
Having both been on their own in the world up until now, their affection for one another quickly grows, but Sophie’s presence in Giant Country has attracted the unwanted attention of the other giants, who have become increasingly more bothersome. Sophie and the BFG soon depart for London to see the Queen (Penelope Wilton) and warn her of the precarious giant situation, but they must first convince the Queen and her maid, Mary (Rebecca Hall), that giants do indeed exist. Together, they come up with a plan to get rid of the giants once and for all. Directed by three-time Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg.
Kypho says
Because the movie had Spielberg’s name attached to the project, I think people were expected to be “blown away” by the movie. To me, I actually liked it. Rylance was excellent as The BFG and so was Barnhill as Sophie. The visuals were impressive and the other giants look great (at least they look like more human-like than the cartoon version). All in all, while not as dark as Dahl’s other adaptations, The BFG was entertaining to watch.