The BFG
2016 · Directed by Steven Spielberg
Original language: English
- adventure
- family
- fantasy
The story
An orphan little girl befriends a benevolent giant who takes her to Giant Country, where they attempt to stop the man-eating giants that are invading the human world.
What it’s like
Soft, storybook warmth dominates this Spielberg fantasy: nighttime London rendered in deep blues and sodium-orange streetlamp glow, then a shift into the lush, overgrown dreamscape of Giant Country, all bulbous hills, shadowy valleys and vast skies. Camera moves are unhurried and wide, letting the scale of the giant against tiny rooms do most of the work, while close two-shots between Mark Rylance's gentle, slightly odd BFG and young Ruby Barnhill's Sophie carry the intimacy. John Williams' score is bright and tender, swelling into wonder without ever tipping into bombast. The vibe is whimsical and comforting with a streak of bedtime-story unease, the kind of film that suits a rainy weekend afternoon or a family watch before lights out. Pacing is gentle and episodic, and the emotional arc is a lonely girl slowly finding a home with an unlikely friend. Intensity is mild: the giants are menacing and there is brief peril, a few frightening moments, and some crude bodily humour, but no gore and little real violence. For families and anyone wanting a warm, imaginative watch that feels like being read to.
More films like The BFG
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved The BFGand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
