Facing "Jack the Giant Slayer" I thought of myself as a 10 year old boy and figured I might have enjoyed this spectacle, which amps up the old fairy tale about a boy who climbs a bean stalk.
In the Hollywood tradition of more being somehow better, the bean stalk is bigger and there's not just one giant, but many.
This lively group has been banished to the upper reaches of the stalk, but they're looking to get back down to earth and they see a chance to do that when an adventurous princess strays their way.
Jack is a simple farm boy who clearly believes in the truth of the old adage that actions speak louder than words when he joins a search party sent up the stalk to look for the princess. The two manage to escape with the giants in pursuit, setting up a climactic battle for the kingdom.
The final battle with a two headed giant is intense, but this movie's chief virtue is its ability to entertain older kids for a few hours.
"Jack the Giant Slayer" was supposed to be released last summer and at more than 200 million dollars it certainly has a blockbuster price. But the studio elected not to release it during Hollywood's busiest season, perhaps fearing it just wasn't good enough to compete with other films. Proceed accordingly.
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