Jack The Giant Slayer movie review

Story: A re-imagined story from a classic tale of Jack and The Beanstalk.

Giant Posters courtesy of Warner Bros.

Review: No child I know especially those who grew up before the digital age that are not familiar with the story. There were already many variations of the story like the familiar Disney version where Mickey Mouse played the role of Jack.

There were also new twists about the folktale. In television, Hallmark Entertainment a mini-series showing the descendant of Jack in the modern world in trial for what his ancestor did. In comics, there's a series of graphic novels about Jack of Fables.

But there is one fact that is true. This folktale is of English origin because of the giant's line, "Fee-Fi-Foe-Fum! I smell the blood of an Englishman." Another fact about the folktale was that there is always a moral lesson. Jack was not really heroic in the original story. He was just a kid who was easily told that he was sold magic beans. Regardless its magic or not, only idiots fall for that. What kind of a moron who will trade his cow for beans.

Back to the newer imagined story of Jack. This new version gives it a more deeper story of the beanstalk. The idea for the beanstalk as a gateway is nothing new. All the ancient cultures and religions mentions about a World Tree. A colossal tree that support the heavens. The Judeo-Christian Bible associates the World Tree with the Tree Of Knowledge in Genesis.

Besides the tree as gateway, the added excitement here is the adventure. I like how the character of Jack develops because of the adventure. Nicholas Hoult plays the title character. He previous work with director Bryan Singer in the recent X-Men: First Class were he played Dr. Henry "Hank" McCoy/Beast. This movie has all the elements of a good story it needs. Adventure, secrecy, comedy.

As for the other characters. Isabelle is unlike any princess. She has thirst for adventure. She is headstrong which is very ahead of her time. She was too modern. The princess is played by Eleanor Tomlison. For the role of the noble knight Elmont, played by Ewan McGregor, it was not far from his knightly role as a Jedi master.

 Casting Ian McShane and Bill Nighy was like a gathering of two Pirates Of The Caribbean villains. McShane plays the king while Nighy voiced the character of General Fallon, leader of the giants. Ian McShane actually look quite alright as a royal patriarchal figure. Bill Nighy always plays a role of villain in fantasy adventure stories and you can still identify his voice in the movie.

Stanley Tucci is one of the most versatile actors I know and he still proves he can still do it. Bryan Singer did well for this movie and made it his saving grace after the disappointment of fans with his work of X3 so there is hope yet for X-Men: Days Of Future Present. Jack The Giant Slayer is really a fun movie to watch. A New Line Cinema presentation distributed by Warner Bros. For more movie reviews, like the L.E.N.S. blogs on Facebook.