The BFG [PG]

Yes, we all know we’re entering that age of cinema where CGI wizards are dictating our screens and the real is being ‘seamlessly’ integrated with the fantastical. But there comes a time when you have to sit and look at a predominately CGI movie with fatigue and a tad of despair. Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The BFG is the best to do that with this year. 

Telling a beautiful story about an unlikely friendship between orphan, Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) and a giant (Mark Rylance) that takes her away to Giant Country after she sees him engaging in his nightly hobby of delivering good dreams to people, The BFG, standing for ‘Big Friendly Giant’, is a childhood classic for a generation of Roald Dahl readers. Many people will probably remember Brian Cosgrove’s original animated film from 1989 with sparkly fondness and instantly the desire to watch this film is constructed purely on the power of childhood nostalgia and a good story. 

However, despite the magnetic pull of nostalgia and an undeniable level of prettiness that can instantly be expected from such a fantastical story being CGI-ed into the realms of Avatar, The BFG is more of an example of what happens when CGI upsets the balance of the movie experience. 

Firstly, you can’t help but think that they may as well have done the entire film through a computer because the majority of it looks so computerised anyway. Aside from the props that little Ruby had to work against or hide behind, everything has that fantastical CG sheen and the scale and balance is really off because there is no scene where the two sides, real and computerised, are equally featured. We either have the CGI BFG in the real world looking very out of place or Sophie in Giant Country looking equally foreign and wrong. 

Yes, you can argue that this is the whole point, but it still doesn’t stop you becoming disjointed from the movie, which is not what cinema is meant to do. 

Secondly, the scale of computer wizardry does take its toll on the performance of the actors. The voice actors are all home and hosed delivering great performances through their vocal cords, but for the rest of the cast who have to act against green screen, teleprompts, and weird poles with painted faces or actors with yellow dots at major muscle points, there’s a bit to be desired. Little Ruby does give it a red hot go, so bless her for that, but it feels like lack of character understanding, development, and direction got the better of her and it can only push a lead so far. As for the Queen of England and everyone in Buckingham Palace, I think I’ve seen better performances from those shop mannequins without faces. 

Yes it’s harsh, but the distinct feeling that someone is reading from a teleprompter without really investing themselves in it is kind of annoying and again, it takes you out of the movie experience. I go to the movies to be transported through time and space into other worlds and when something in the film dumps me back on my arse in reality, then I get a little peeved. 

To give credit where credit is due, for all the upset of balance that it causes, the CGI is actually very lovely and visually stunning and the cast itself is very good. Both Mark Rylance and Jemaine Clement as the villain are excellent. The story speaks for itself, with all those great childhood morals of bravery and overcoming adversity and the humour and jabbing wit that infuses many of Dahl’s books, mainly aimed at figures of authority, are definitely in there. At the end of the day, The BFG is a fine family movie, a good one to take the kids to and the story that many people grew up loving is no way distorted or reshaped by the blend of live actors and CGI, which is a plus. But, if you’re like me and expect an engulfing and wonderful movie experience, then be weary of the aforementioned potholes that may jolt you back to the reality. 

Starring: Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Jemaine Clement, Penelope Wilton, Rebecca Hall, Rafe Spall, Bill Hader, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Adam Godley, Michael Adamthwaite, Daniel Bacon, Jonathan Holmes, Chris Gibbs, Paul Moniz de Sa, and Marilyn Norry.