Movie Overview
- Title: The BFG (2016)
- Release Date: U.S. — July 1, 2016; premiered earlier at Cannes (May 2016)
- Genre: Fantasy / Adventure / Family
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Main Cast:
• Mark Rylance as The BFG (Big Friendly Giant)
• Ruby Barnhill as Sophie, the orphan girl
• Penelope Wilton, Rebecca Hall, Jemaine Clement, Bill Hader among others - Where to Watch: Available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download; streaming / rental depending on region.
1. Plot Summary
Sophie is a bright, brave ten-year-old orphan in London who can’t sleep one night and sees a giant in the street. That giant, though huge and feared by others, is not a fearsome creature: he’s the “Big Friendly Giant” (BFG) who doesn’t eat people. He takes Sophie to Giant Country so that she won’t reveal his existence.
As Sophie learns more, she discovers that many of the giants are cruel and do eat humans. The BFG, however, spends his nights gathering dreams, storing them in jars, and then blowing the good ones into children’s bedrooms. Sophie becomes his friend and ally. Together, they plan to approach the Queen and enlist human help to stop the other giants from terrorizing human beings. Along the way, Sophie and the BFG grow in courage, learn from each other, and face danger.
2. Notable Elements
What Works / Memorable Scenes & Performance
- Mark Rylance as The BFG: His performance (through motion-capture) is a standout. He imbues BFG with gentleness, timidity, humor, sadness, and awe. The way he uses small gestures (like how he handles Sophie’s glasses) or his speech patterns full of malapropisms gives the character charm and heart.
- Ruby Barnhill’s Sophie: She plays the orphan well—curious, brave, sometimes scared, but also compassionate. She anchors the audience in the story, giving an emotional core.
- Visuals / Dream Jars / Giant Country: The film builds richly imaginative fantasy sequences. The dream jars, the scenes in Dream Country, the landscape of Giant Country—all visually lush. The imagery of dreams, color, the contrast between Sophie’s London and the greater world of giants is compelling.
- Tone of Dahl Fantastical Whimsy: The script honors Dahl’s quirky, sometimes dark whimsy. There are moments of humor and strangeness: the giants yelling in “gobblefunk”, the phrases the BFG uses, the odd-but-fun fantasy elements (snozzcumbers, frobscottle, etc.). These make the film feel like Dahl.
- Music & Score: John Williams’ score adds to the film’s magical atmosphere. It supports both the quiet, tender scenes and the more dramatic ones.
What is Less Smooth / Shortcomings
- Pacing & Plot Momentum: Several reviewers note that the movie moves quite slowly, especially early on. Some scenes are more about setting mood or building relationship than advancing the plot. For viewers expecting action or quicker adventure, this can feel “lagging.”
- Tone / Emotional Resonance: While beautiful in many moments, the emotional weight sometimes feels diluted; dangers are present, but the stakes sometimes don’t feel as urgent as they could. Some adults find parts of it too mellow or “safe.”
- Balancing Darkness & Comfort: Dahl’s original has darker edges (children in peril, giants eating humans, etc.). This version softens some of those edges, which may make it more family-friendly, but also possibly less thrilling for those who want the darker fantasy.
- Box Office / Audience Reception: The film did not perform as strongly as might have been hoped commercially; some of that may be due to difficult marketing, competing family films, or audience expectations.
3. Themes & Messages
- Friendship & Empathy: At its heart, the film is about an unlikely friendship between Sophie (human) and the BFG (giant), bridging fear, misunderstanding, loneliness. Their relationship shows compassion, trust, and the importance of seeing others for who they are, not what they might seem to be.
- Courage & Voice: Sophie is an orphan with little apparent power, but she shows bravery — speaking up, wanting to help the BFG, confronting fear. There is also the theme of “using one’s voice” — Sophie persuades the Queen; Sophie speaks when the BFG cannot.
- Dreams, Imagination, Innocence: Dreams are literal objects in the film, but metaphorically they represent hope, imagination, the unseen world. The film reminds the viewer of the importance of dreams, wonder, and child-like perception.
- Good vs Evil / Compassion vs Cruelty: Through the comparison of the BFG (who refuses to eat humans) with other giants (who don’t), the story examines choice: cruelty is not inevitable. Characters can choose kindness.
- Loneliness & Belonging: Sophie is orphaned, feels alone; the BFG is lonely among giants, hiding from humans. They find companionship in each other, which gives them both a sense of belonging.
These themes resonate well for family viewership, and also as reflections during holiday seasons or times of goodwill — being kind, helping others, hope, imagination, caring for those who are lonely.
4. Personal Impressions
Here’s what I liked and what I felt didn’t quite land for me:
What I Liked
- I enjoyed the gentleness of the film: it isn’t overburdened with action, which lets the quieter, magical moments breathe. Scenes of Sophie and BFG talking under moonlight, sharing dreams, are touching.
- The visuals are gorgeous. Spielberg’s direction and the production design give a rich sense of scale, fantasy, and wonder. The dream sequences especially conjure a whimsical magic.
- Mark Rylance’s performance really sells the BFG. His portrayal feels kind and shy, but dignified. He gives emotional texture to a character who could have been just a caricature of “friendly giant.”
- For younger viewers, the film offers both delight and momentary scares; it’s mostly safe but with enough edge to keep things interesting.
What I Less Enjoyed
- Sometimes I felt the film was hesitant: a scene will hint at danger, then pull back to safety rather than lean into tension. While that makes it safer for younger watchers, it also lessens dramatic tension.
- The slow build means that for parts of the first half, the story seems to meander — Sophie being taken, adjusting, BFG explaining, dream jars, etc. Some may find those parts charming; others might feel time is passing without enough event.
- Also, some of the CGI (while often excellent) occasionally shows the limitations of rendering giants or dream sequences in real life: scale, texture, or lighting sometimes pull you out of the magic moment.
5. Audience Recommendations
This film will especially appeal to:
- Families with children (roughly age 6–12 especially), or anyone who enjoys family fantasy with heart, wonder, and gentle adventure.
- Fans of Roald Dahl’s work, especially those who enjoyed the 1982 novel The BFG. If you like whimsical fantasy, talking giants, magic, and moral tales, you’ll likely appreciate this.
- Viewers who enjoy emotionally warm stories rather than pure action or thrills — those who relish character moments, quiet wonder, dreamlike visuals.
- Fans of Steven Spielberg’s more lyrical / magic-realism passages (e.g. E.T.), or of Mark Rylance’s acting would get a lot out of this film.
It is less ideal if:
- You prefer fast-paced adventure, with high stakes throughout and lots of tension or action. This movie is more meditative, more about atmosphere and gentleness.
- Younger children may find some scenes scary (giants who want to eat humans, scary chase moments) and some visuals weird or intense.
- If you expect a very tight plot or story with many twists, this may feel too safe or predictable.
6. Conclusion & Rating
In conclusion, The BFG (2016) is a beautifully crafted family fantasy with warmth, imagination, and moments of true magic. It may not be Spielberg’s most exciting or fastest film, but its strengths lie in emotional resonance between characters, visual splendor, and a gentle reminder of the importance of dreams, kindness, and friendship.
If you’re in the mood for something to soothe, to wonder, to revisit childhood or introduce it to someone younger, The BFG is a lovely pick.
Final Recommendation: I recommend it for family viewing, fantasy lovers, and anyone who appreciates storytelling that values heart and imagination over high-action spectacle.
Star Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)
