After having completed his trilogy of historical (War Horse, Lincoln & The Bridge of Spies), Steven Spielberg returns to a film more childish by adapting THE BGG – THE great BIG GIANT, based on the novel of the same name written by Roald Dahl. The story is that of Sophie, a young orphan girl in the well-tempered character who is kidnapped by a giant and finds himself plunged into a new and wonderful world : the world of the giants.
It’s easy to understand why Steven Spielberg chose to bring this story to the cinema as humanism that characterizes it pervades the film and the scenario. This giant kidnapper is in fact all that’s there is nice. See too nice. This kidnapping is the beginning of a friendship between two beings that are opposed by the size but by the character. Two beings solitary, not having a “best friends”, who see in the heart of the other goodness that makes a person beautiful. The form and the genre changes but the address remains the same as in The Bridge of Spies : to believe in the other, despite differences. Trying to deliver this message to young people is an approach that is beneficial but it is still necessary to get to the captivate for almost 2 hours. The big worry of the film is its inequality rhythm and its challenges too thin to hold in breath. The climax, of course rescued by a sequence-shot, formidable falls very quickly flat and is resolved in no time. A final image of the film : a promising but marred. While just a few minutes before the film can drag on a scene at the palace of the queen of England to lead a series of gags based pets and cocasseries without genius. The humor in general, parasite the movie, and works intermittently only.
Besides that, it must be acknowledged that THE BGG is peppered with brilliant moments. Like this great scene where Sophie and The BGG look at projection on a wall the dream of a child. Steven Spielberg shows the love he has for the beautiful stories (in the noblest sense of the term). It is not surprising that the young main heroine is a fan of the books having an infallible belief in what she reads. It is this that pushes one night, to get out of bed to “see behind the curtain” which can hide in it. Part of the filmography of Steven Spielberg (E. T, Hook, Indiane Jones) continues with this film, where there are definitely themes that have contributed to make his cinema so beautiful. The problem being that said, the story that is told is reduced to make us discover the specificities of the world of the giants. Beyond the wonderful idea on the fabrication of dreams, the plot is not powered by any challenge or suspense. It remains only to rely on the humor and the wonderful to try to tickle. And two great actors too ! A Mark Rylance in full fill under the camera of Spielberg and the young Ruby Barnhill – for what is his first role, give birth to a beautiful alchemy.
A little Spielberg in a big filmography. Click To Tweet
What is even more infuriating is that the message (accept the difference of others, express their personality) and his search for emotions operate. Because the american film director has this innocence, this purity, to bring good feelings to the screen without dripping. Just as it displays insurance usual that it is known for its staging – very beautiful first few minutes attest to that. Over the years, we have become used to see him so serene, and THE great BIG GIANT comes not amplify our admiration. Because the stage can’t hold it-even if it is not irrigated by a pattern of narrative we are now awakening. For example, the scene of the hunt, in the laboratory of BGG is more successful than the final because it features a true suspense implanted earlier. Something that is sorely lacking in the film in its entirety. Must be given to Spielberg that his humanism is enough to walk off the set ? Yes and no. No, because now, it is right to expect more than one such director, although it is a project, a priori, intended primarily for children. Yes, because when it goes, the machine works. To choose, we prefer to see less on our screens-but with proposals that are more refined. A little Spielberg in a big filmography.
Published may 14, 2016.
Maxime Bedini
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