Jack the Giant Slayer

Synopsis:

   Jack the Giant Slayer was released 1st March 2013 and is a retelling of the old tale.  It follows a teenage Jack who comes into the possession of magic beans that, when wet, grow into breathtakingly large bean stalks that reach all the way up into the heavens.  In this movie however, Jack does not just go up to find treasure and a lone giant.  He makes the perilous trips with knights and the rather dubious villains, in order to save Princess Isabelle (a prize in her own way).  Over the course of the two hour film there are various perils but not limited to, an army of giants that are thirsty not only for human flesh, but also for revenge against the royal family and a power hungry courtier who wishes to take over the thrown and rule the giants with a magical crown.  Against all odds, Jack, with some help from his allies, rescues the damsel then makes it back to fight off the giants who have taken the magical crown and slain the human villain.  It ends with a happily ever after where our hero Jack, and the princess, fall in love and overcome the laws against their being together so that they may marry and live happily ever after.

Review:

   As a modernized version of an old fairy tale, Jack the Giant Slayer can be assumed to have a once upon a time and a happily ever after, which indeed it does.  To begin the movie on the fairy tale note, it has had both Isabelle and Jack, reading the legend of the bloodthirsty giants and the valiant King who saved all of mankind.  

  Unlike many classic fairy tales such as Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood, it primarily takes place in a secondary world.  While it does start off in the distant and medieval past where knights in shining army rescue damsels and farm boys dream of a day where they can prove their own merit, with the growth of the beanstalk the tale is thrust into another world: the land of the giants.  

   The ladder into this new place is forced violently onto the Princess and Jack when it erupts and engulfs poor Jack's house, ripping the fair Maiden from him and setting him on a quest to find her.  He is almost left out due to his rank, but a benevolent King sees that he may in fact have potential after all and allows him to join the worthy men ascending the treacherous vine.  This follows very closely to many fantasy novels, giving our hero a quest that must be attained so he may gain his prize, in this case to gain honor and perhaps a kind word from the Princess who has stolen his heart.

  In order to truly show Jack's struggles the knight Elmont is there to contrast him.  Where Elmont's motto is "simply prepare for everything", Jack has no idea what he is doing or what they will find, though he is very much ready to prove himself when the time arises.  Elmont is also afraid of nothing where Jack is forced to conquer his fear of heights in climbing the beanstalk.

  Even though Elmont is made to be his better, the movie does stress that even the unlikeliest person can be a hero.  While Jack is perhaps not as well trained and rather frightened, he is quick thinking and through his own abilities manages to rescue Elmont later and free his Lady.  It is also his fast wit that ultimately saves the kingdom from the rampaging monsters of myth.

   Overall, the movie does fairy tales and fantasy in general quite a bit of justice.  It has a happy ending where the hero has completed his quest to prove himself and won the love of his life. The acting is also well done and the villains are detestable in all the ways we could want them to be in this kind of tale.  I would suggest it to anyone who is in the mood to take a journey to another world where dreams really do come true.