Jack the Giant Slayer

Jack the Giant Slayer tells the story of Jack (Nicholas Hoult), a young man longing for adventure, inspired by stories his father used to tell him of giants who, once upon a time, came down from their land in the sky and waged war against humans.

These stories are considered myth until Jack acquires some magical beans with which he inadvertently re-opens the gateway between the two worlds. He must fight to save the kingdom, aided by a beautiful runaway princess (Eleanor Tomlinson) and the gallant leader of the King’s Guard (Ewan McGregor).

Unlike the gritty, adult remake of Hansel and Gretel, this re-imagined fairytale is suitable for the whole family. It is interesting to see Jack and the Beanstalk retold on a large scale, with a big budget and the limitless possibilities of CGI, as opposed to in books and theatre.

The backdrop is an imaginary world of epic scenery comparable to James Cameron’s Avatar, in which action sequences that are sometimes genuinely frightening, especially when viewed in 3D, are brought vividly to life. Whilst this may be unsuitable for very young children (the rating is 12A) it does make it all the more gripping.

The acting is strong, with a stellar cast including Bill Nighy, Eddie Marsan and Stanley Tucci. The plot-line is far-fetched and completely implausible, but that’s part of the charm. The film provides an enjoyable escape from reality and like any good adventure maintains the right balance between action, romance and humour.

Melanie Weaver

Jack the Giant Slayer is released nationwide on 22^nd March 2013.

Watch the trailer for Jack the Giant Slayer here: