In lights with the recent trend of flaunting popular fairy tale for re-imagination and remake, Jack and the sky giants is effectively one of a few such movies of the year. Two months ago we started the year with a twisted version of 'Hansel & Gretel' but 'Jack' has more star-worthy to offer. Once an acclaimed director, Brian Singer (Superman Returns, X-Men) directs a new breathe into this fee-fi-fo-fum fairy tale from a screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher, Valkyrie). Recognizable actors like Ewan McGregor, Ian McShane, Stanley Tucci and Nicholas Hoult star. The end game of this review is to determine whether this new film will marks a decent comeback for the director whose last good movie happens to date ten year ago - 'X2'.
Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy
Classification: P13
Release Date: 28 February 2013
Running Time: 114 minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Brian Singer
Screenplay: SDarren Lemke, David Dobkin, Christopher McQuarrie Dan Studney
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Nicholas Hoult, Ian McShane, Bill Nighy, Eleanor Tomlinson
Plot: "Jack the Giant Slayer" tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack (Nicholas Hoult) into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend-and gets the chance to become a legend himself.
Even with some poor marketing effort and plenty of sceptisms brought upon by the unexplained delay, 'Jack the Giant Slayer' is better than I have originally expected. There are few points to think about when I come to this inference in the first place. First is that while it is too steteotypical to assume any delayed movie as bad, 'Jack' is one of those rare products which delivers with a limited circumstances. Secondly, it escapes total calamity by showcasing total control and composure on its own. And lastly, it certainly does not mean to be great but it is still a movie that gives some degree of entertainment without neglecting the old school fun and tacky adventure.
The plot layered out by McQuarrie & co. is pretty basic, consisting of three standard acts that differ in reasons and motivations. The first act is an episodic of saturated introduction and an encounter between the two lovebirds but the film transcends quickly once the beanstalk towers up to the sky, thus setting the second act into motion. The final act is about a war thar never reaches it climax because everyone knows how on earth will men kill giants.
Altogether, they represents some of the unfavorably tipping side where everything seems to be at distant for one to another in terms of the motivation but are still neatly done and carefully elaborated. On top of that, we have seen this characters before in a similar equation. A wise king, a farmer boy, a royal princess, a hearted knight and a ridiculously smitten suitor; what more do we need in these familiar yet distancing backdrop?
To counter such a familiar backdrop, here is what Singer does to make it watchable (as it goes on, becoming better). He provides the audiences with ample shares of adventure that worths the trip, the laughter and the intensity (at times). Even more impressive is the fact that these are fantastically made with eloquent balance and niche, not perfect though. Some of the set-pieces and action sequence look amazing behind the canvass of 3-D.
The new reimagining of the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk is a success to a certain degree as it is boosted with neat and careful writings, action set pieces that delivers, and an entertaining fantasy flick to savour with. It may not yet cements the idea that Singer is back to his peak but it is a good step as he prepares to tackle X-Men sequel soon.
Classification: P13
Release Date: 28 February 2013
Running Time: 114 minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Brian Singer
Screenplay: SDarren Lemke, David Dobkin, Christopher McQuarrie Dan Studney
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Nicholas Hoult, Ian McShane, Bill Nighy, Eleanor Tomlinson
Plot: "Jack the Giant Slayer" tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack (Nicholas Hoult) into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend-and gets the chance to become a legend himself.
Even with some poor marketing effort and plenty of sceptisms brought upon by the unexplained delay, 'Jack the Giant Slayer' is better than I have originally expected. There are few points to think about when I come to this inference in the first place. First is that while it is too steteotypical to assume any delayed movie as bad, 'Jack' is one of those rare products which delivers with a limited circumstances. Secondly, it escapes total calamity by showcasing total control and composure on its own. And lastly, it certainly does not mean to be great but it is still a movie that gives some degree of entertainment without neglecting the old school fun and tacky adventure.
The plot layered out by McQuarrie & co. is pretty basic, consisting of three standard acts that differ in reasons and motivations. The first act is an episodic of saturated introduction and an encounter between the two lovebirds but the film transcends quickly once the beanstalk towers up to the sky, thus setting the second act into motion. The final act is about a war thar never reaches it climax because everyone knows how on earth will men kill giants.
Altogether, they represents some of the unfavorably tipping side where everything seems to be at distant for one to another in terms of the motivation but are still neatly done and carefully elaborated. On top of that, we have seen this characters before in a similar equation. A wise king, a farmer boy, a royal princess, a hearted knight and a ridiculously smitten suitor; what more do we need in these familiar yet distancing backdrop?
To counter such a familiar backdrop, here is what Singer does to make it watchable (as it goes on, becoming better). He provides the audiences with ample shares of adventure that worths the trip, the laughter and the intensity (at times). Even more impressive is the fact that these are fantastically made with eloquent balance and niche, not perfect though. Some of the set-pieces and action sequence look amazing behind the canvass of 3-D.
The new reimagining of the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk is a success to a certain degree as it is boosted with neat and careful writings, action set pieces that delivers, and an entertaining fantasy flick to savour with. It may not yet cements the idea that Singer is back to his peak but it is a good step as he prepares to tackle X-Men sequel soon.
MY RATING:
Story: 3.5
Casts: 3.5
Cinematography: 4.0
Effects: 4.0
GREEN-TEA-O-METER: 14.2/20.0
