“Jack is the Vanquisher of the Giants” - a fantastic film by Brian Singer, based on the ancient English fairy tale about farmer Jack, who, thanks to his dexterity and cunning, defeated the giant. The premiere of the picture took place in February 2013. Let's see how successful the modern adaptation of the old fairy tale has become.
Production
The screenwriter Darren Lemke got the idea to film the classic fairy tale about Jack and the magic bean back in 2005. It was he who wrote the original version of the script.
It was planned that the director of Jack the Giant Vanquisher would be DJ Caruso, but in August 2009 he was replaced by Brian Singer, known for his superhero franchise X-Men, the military drama Valkyrie, and the thriller Suspicious Faces.
In 2010, the famous Hollywood screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie created another version of the script that the director really liked. McQuarrie had already worked with Brian Singer, it was he who made the screenwriter of his famous films "Open to Everyone", "Capable Student" and "Valkyrie."
Cast
In November 2010, screenings began for the film "Jack - the Vanquisher of the Giants" (2013). Actors Aaron Johnson, Nicholas Holt and Aneyrin Bernard showed interest in the role of Jack. The director opted for the candidacy of Nicholas Holt. Brian Singer admitted that he was impressed by the young actor playing in the TV series "Duckweed", as well as in the fantastic action movie "X-Men: First Class." Then Stanley Tucci got the role of the main antagonist - the cunning and cruel adviser to the king, eager to seize power in the kingdom. In the movie Jack the Giant Vanquisher (2013), actors Bill Nyei and John Kessir got supporting roles. They embodied on the screen the characters of the giant Fallon and his second head.
The main female role - Princess Isabelle - was claimed by Lily Collins, the star of the “Instruments of Death”, Juneau Temple and Adelaide Kane, but none of them impressed the film crew.
The rest of the cast of Jack the Giant Vanquisher (2013) joined the project in March 2011. Then the test was an actress Eleanor Tomlinson, who was approved for the role of Princess Isabelle. Prior to this, Tomlinson was known only because of the role of young Sofia in the thriller "The Illusionist". The British actor Iain McShane, who became famous thanks to the mystical horror Case No. 39, got the role of King Bramwell.
In April, when the main actors of the film Jack the Giant Vanquisher (2013) were selected, the filming process began. The shooting took place in the British cities of Norwich and Somerset. Some scenes were shot in one of the oldest forests in England - Puzzlewood.
Plot
The plot of Jack the Giant Vanquisher is similar to the English fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk, but the creators of the film brought new characters and new storylines to it.
The protagonist of the picture is a young farmer Jack goes to the city to sell a horse and help his poor uncle, who from childhood took care of Jack as his own son. In the city, the old monk offers Jack magic beans in exchange for a horse, and the guy agrees.
Soon after, Princess Isabelle is captured by giants, evil creatures, once subordinate to King Eric. Jack decides to save the princess and prevent a bloody war between people and giants.
Reviews
Critics liked Brian Singer's previous films more than Jack the Giant Vanquisher. Reviews on the free interpretation of the English tale were mixed. On the RottenTomatoes website, the verdict of film critics was as follows: “ The film was shot with enthusiasm and turned out to be quite funny, but Jack the Giant Vanquisher strikes with an abundance of visual effects and a simple, faceless plot.”
Film critic Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote a positive review on the film: “ The film is simple, from the point of view of the narrative, logical, clear and consistent, it wins noticeably against the background of the recent“ The Hobbit ”.”
Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times was not particularly impressed by the tape and spoke of it like this: "The interpretation of Brian Singer's old tale has everything you can buy for money, except for a good script."
The audience’s reviews of the film were also mixed. Cash collection amounted to $ 197 million with a budget of 195 million, which can not be called a commercial success.
Composer John Ottman was awarded the BMI Film & TV Awards for the best soundtrack. The picture was not marked with any more awards.