Steven Spielberg is one of my favorite directors working today, even though he seems unable to keep a consistently iconic level of quality. What I enjoy about his work is rather the passion behind the way he directs his movies. Regardless of whether he is directing the outstanding Bridge of Spies or the frustratingly dumb Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, there is almost always an atmosphere of mastery behind his blocking and camerawork. The guy constantly tries his best to sell that signature bonding of raw emotion and intense romanticism. So needless to say, I was all on board his ship of sentimentality the moment I heard that Spielberg’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The BFG was on the way.
The movie wastes no time introducing the character of Sophie, a brave, smart, yet painfully rude inmate in a corrupt London orphanage. While sneaking out at bedtime to witness the witching hour, rumored to be the time when monsters arrive in the human world, she stumbles upon an immense silhouette trying to hide among the shadowy streets. Without warning, Sophie is snatched by the beast and dragged miles away to its home. However, instead of meeting a man-eating boogeyman as she previously anticipated, Sophie instead becomes acquainted with a big friendly giant, a “BFG,” if you will.
What I say next will be a huge factor as to whether you will be able to enjoy the movie or not, so I’ll get it out of the way. The film is about 99 percent computer generated imagery. The giants often have a Polar Express-esque uncanniness about them as Disney attempts to make them look real while maintaining illustrator Quentin Blake’s cartoonish proportions. The boundaries between Sophie’s live-action performance and the blatantly artificial sets also becomes obvious if you know how the tricks are pulled off. Being numb to this kind of thing in blockbuster movies, it didn’t bother me. It also didn’t hurt that the CGI characters are fantastically animated.
In terms of screenwriting, returning writer Melissa Mathison mostly focused on the more lighthearted aspects of Dahl’s style rather than his dark humor. While the banter between the giants is amusing, the jokes Mathison tries hardest to engrave into the audience's mind are the “whizzpopping” flatulence gags which were hit or miss depending on how creatively they were handled. In actuality, the moments of heartwarming character development turn out to be the most memorable.
These characters are skillfully brought to life by a strong cast. Mark Rylance charmingly brings about the BFG’s fumbling vocabulary in a genuine and entertaining manner. Ruby Barnhill also makes a surprisingly decent performance as Sophie for someone so young, as she captures the stubborn yet sincere nature of a small child. I must give special props to Jemaine Clement who makes a mean and delightfully stupid Fleshlumpeater.
Needless to say, Spielberg’s mark as a director can be found all throughout The BFG. The movie contains a generous amount of closeups, especially during the subtle moments, allowing the actors to really shine. Objects of interest are also put into focus to quickly deliver exposition in placement of dialogue. These all make for an immersive experience in whichthe world of the film feels dense and alive. The craziest moments of direction, however, are the many one-takes present in the film which flawlessly follow Barnhill in the CGI environments during chase scenes and other moments of intensity.
However, I must add that these moments of intensity are often Disney-fied into a more family friendly viewing, which I, as a long time fan of Roald Dahl, found slightly disappointing. The giants in this adaptation are not frightening in the slightest and the extent of the children’s nightmares is never explored. It wasn’t a deciding factor of the quality of the film, but Disney and Mathison’s censorship of Dahl’s darker moments made me feel as if I wasn’t getting the full BFG experience.
The movie also has a problem with pacing. Buildups to jokes and foreshadowed events take way too long. Meanwhile, when these events happen, they sometimes feel less significant than they would have been if there had been more focus placed on them. This wait is upped to eleven in the anticipation before the movie’s climax, at which point the plot comes to a complete halt for what seems like forever. Call me impatient, but I would much rather see evil giants get their comeuppance than watch a guy set his table for fifteen minutes.
The last factor to talk about is the music composed by John Williams. The soundtrack to the movie is undeniably a treat to the ears as the movie dances with its orchestrated tunes. Unfortunately much of Williams' music, as in The Force Awakens, focuses less on themes and more on blending in and reacting to the visuals. This is something I feel Williams is starting to resort to more often than he used to. I desperately hope my favorite movie composer can return to the unforgettable melodies that made him so legendary.
Ultimately, The BFG is a great movie for children. While a similar conclusion maybe drawn by older audiences, the impact will definitely be buffered by Disney’s refusal to explore new territories in their fairytale adventures. I’d certainly recommend it to fans of Spielberg's style of direction as well as anyone who enjoys a lighthearted adventure. If you’re looking for a true Roald Dahl experience, I’d advise you stick to the books.
3 stars- decent