This is an imaginative take on the Jack and the Beanstalk story. While it was made for kids, the story maintains enough complexity to keep adults interested (I'm 19). Plus as a female, I appreciate the fact that it's one of the few stories where (possible spoiler) the damsel(who's in a different kind of distress than other fairy tale women) rescues Prince Charming.
But there some flaws with this film that kept me from giving it a perfect 10. Some gripes I have (spoilers ahead):
1. I'm no math person but why couldn't the writers be consistent with when Jack's dad died? One minute, they say he died 20 years ago but then they say he died when Jack was 14. Since Jack is 37, it shows that the writers can't do simple addition. Couldn't they just take two seconds to do the math?
2. The first part is slow and spends way too much time on exposition. I like the film but have to admit that it's not very good at establishing tension (more on that later).
3. Siggy just isn't a very bright villain. I always wondered he didn't try to kill Ondine when he was so against Jack having an heir. If he had a gun, it would have taken a few seconds to shoot her (a la Walter Donovan forcing Indy to get the grail by shooting his dad). A very easy way for him to demand the goose as ransom. Instead, we get him taking pointless shots at the giants. Very anti-climatic. And don't tell me it's too violent for kids since it's common for the protagonist's significant other to be near-death/seriously injured in Disney movies (see Tangled, Beauty and the Beast). Clichéd, I know, but it works.
4. Siggy's accent and mannerisms were an attempt at comedy that completely fell flat. I cringe every time I see him.
5. The first Jack just wasn't a very impressive guy (in looks or personality). I'm still trying to figure out why Ondine fell for him.
There was a lot of missed potential but the performances of the main cast made me care enough about the characters to make me stick around. And if you're a fan of romance, adventure, or just feel-good movies in general, those things shouldn't keep you from enjoying this film.
But there some flaws with this film that kept me from giving it a perfect 10. Some gripes I have (spoilers ahead):
1. I'm no math person but why couldn't the writers be consistent with when Jack's dad died? One minute, they say he died 20 years ago but then they say he died when Jack was 14. Since Jack is 37, it shows that the writers can't do simple addition. Couldn't they just take two seconds to do the math?
2. The first part is slow and spends way too much time on exposition. I like the film but have to admit that it's not very good at establishing tension (more on that later).
3. Siggy just isn't a very bright villain. I always wondered he didn't try to kill Ondine when he was so against Jack having an heir. If he had a gun, it would have taken a few seconds to shoot her (a la Walter Donovan forcing Indy to get the grail by shooting his dad). A very easy way for him to demand the goose as ransom. Instead, we get him taking pointless shots at the giants. Very anti-climatic. And don't tell me it's too violent for kids since it's common for the protagonist's significant other to be near-death/seriously injured in Disney movies (see Tangled, Beauty and the Beast). Clichéd, I know, but it works.
4. Siggy's accent and mannerisms were an attempt at comedy that completely fell flat. I cringe every time I see him.
5. The first Jack just wasn't a very impressive guy (in looks or personality). I'm still trying to figure out why Ondine fell for him.
There was a lot of missed potential but the performances of the main cast made me care enough about the characters to make me stick around. And if you're a fan of romance, adventure, or just feel-good movies in general, those things shouldn't keep you from enjoying this film.