Read the movie review of “Jack the Giant Slayer” from our contributing writer and Atlanta Parent Squad member, Samantha Gregory. Samantha is an Atlanta mom, freelance writer, and editor at RichSingleMomma.com where she writes about single mom money issues.
Jack the Giant Slayer Movie Review
You have probably heard the fairy tale of Jack and the Beanstalk right? Sure you have. Jack goes to sell the family cow because they need money to survive. He goes into town and an old man trades magic beans for the cow.
Jack’s mother is angry about the magic beans and throws them out because she doesn’t believe him of course. The bean stalk grows overnight. Jack climbs up and encounters a giant who wants to eat him. He manages to steal a few golden objects and climbs down with the giant close behind. Jack chops the beanstalk and the giant falls to his death making leaving Jack a hero and very rich. They live happily ever after.
Hollywood has decided to remake the story of Jack and the Beanstalk with Jack the Giant Slayer movie. (This is not like the story remake show in the Sunday night show, Once Upon a Time.) The title alone sounds exciting so, of course, my son and daughter wanted to see it. The trailers prep us for the twist on the story. This time Jack is not exactly a boy, there is a love interest, and there are more than one giant.
The Adventure before the Movie
DD, DS, and I head out to the discount theater, Aurora Cineplex in Roswell, for a matinee viewing of Jack the Giant Slayer. We settle in with our popcorn, frozen drinks, and candy in anticipation of the movie. The previews look pretty good for upcoming movies and finally the film begins. Well not exactly…
The opening scene freezes on the screen and we sit wondering what’s going on. The fire alarm is going off for some reason and we are asked to leave the theater in an orderly fashion. Fortunately, no one panics because it’s not really a fire. I do wonder why they decided to do a drill at that moment. It turns out the alarm was real because something (or someone) has set it off.
We spent about 15 minutes waiting outside until the fire department cleared us to re-enter. Fortunately it was sunny so the windy conditions weren’t unbearable. The theater personnel were very good at keeping us up to date on what was happening. They assured us we could go back in to finish our movie and we’d receive free movie passes for the trouble. Two thumbs up for Aurora Cineplex personnel for handling the mini-crisis with style.
And it’s showtime for Jack the Giant Slayer movie
Finally, we are back in and ready to watch the rest of the movie. I have to say I was not disappointed.
The movie had the right balance of humor, adventure, suspense, and sappy young love. There were some gross parts but it’s the kind boys love to see. Think butt scratching and boogers, ewww! There were also a couple dark magic scenes that I wasn’t expecting.
My kids and I enjoyed the movie and would probably see it again. We marveled at how good actors have to be to work with the CGI characters against a green screen. Jack is played by, Nicholas Hoult (X-men: First Class), Princess Isabelle, played by Eleanor Tomlinson, and Stanley Tucci plays the villain Roderick.
Perfect for Kids 8 and up
I would say some younger kids may be disturbed by how gross some of the giants look and with the scene at the end of the movie. Overall, it’s perfect for kids 8 and up with parental guidance. It’s getting mixed reviews by critics and movie-goers alike. The theater wasn’t packed but it wasn’t empty either. There are a few predictable parts but the story line has an interesting twist.
