Released in 2013, Jack the Giant Slayer was a movie that I had high hopes for. It is directed by Bryan Singer and stars the likes of Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, and Nicholas Hoult so it had a lot going for it. However, the main thing that I think of when this comes to mind is how awesome it was that we had a movie reuniting Ewan McGregor and Ewen Bremner from Trainspotting!
How to Download Jack the Giant Slayer
The film was released on March 1, 2013. You can download or stream it from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like fantasy movies, check out our reviews of The Little Mermaid or Peter Pan & Wendy.
The Movie Review
Look, Jack the Giant Slayer is not a bad movie at all, but it is just so average and kind of unmemorable. I have watched this once in the theatre, once on Blu-Ray and I recently caught it on TV. Each time I have seen it I have thought the same thing, “It is ok” However, I could never imagine myself being desperate to watch this or put it on any kind of list as a “best of” kind of movie.
The Key Facts
| Fact | Information |
|---|---|
| Movie Title | Jack the Giant Slayer |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Release Date | March 1, 2013 (US) |
| Download and Streaming | Available for download/streaming |
| Main Characters | Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Nicholas Hoult |
| Plot | A reimagining of the classic Jack and the Beanstalk story. |
| Humor and Heart | Balance of action and fantasy elements. |
| Entertainment Value | Considered average, not exceptional. |
A Reimagined Classic
What we have here is a kind of reimagining of the classic, Jack and the Beanstalk story. In this version, Jack ends up going to market, getting the beans and a beanstalk that leads to a world of giants being created. However, there are a few key differences here with the way that this classic children’s fairytale is presented.
A Princess in Peril
To start with, when Jack is at market, he is saved by the Princess who is trying to avoid being forced to marry the evil Lord Roderick. The beanstalk results in the Princess being dragged up to the world of the giants and the king sends a team including Jack and Lord Roderick up to save her.
Characters and Conflict
Jack meets some interesting people like Elmont, the best knight in the kingdom who kind of takes him under his wing. Turns out that Roderick has his eyes on being king and to do this he is going to use a magical crown that gives him control over the giants. It is a fun premise and I think that the end was pretty awesome and opened up the possibility of there being a sequel, but as this did not do all that great it is not surprising, that we never got one.
An Identity Crisis
So, the movie has a good director, a good premise, and a solid cast so why does this movie not quite nail it? I think this is a movie that is not sure about what it wants to be. On one hand, we have something that could have been a more adult and action-packed version of a classic kid’s story and it certainly does have action.
A Middle-of-the-Road Film
However, it is also like that they kind of wanted this to be a classic family kind of movie. It sits somewhere in the middle so I am not sure it overly appeals to any audience really. I remember watching this with my son who would have been 7 at the time and he found it rather boring.
Final Verdict
It sounds like a negative thing to say, but I do feel that average really is the best way to describe Jack and the Giant Slayer. It is not bad, but it is not all that good either. It is the kind of movie that gets the job done when you are flipping through the channels and it is on and you cannot be bothered to flip anymore. Yet, I could never see myself making any kind of effort to watch it even though I did not hate it.
