Review in Brief: I Kill Giants (2017/18)

I KILL GIANTS is worth watching for many reasons, but one of the simpler pleasures on offer is the offhand way a character says the line “My older brother was misbegotten”. It feels like A MONSTER CALLS meets BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, but with perhaps more honest emotionality  and fewer fireworks to hide behind than either. The kids turn in better performances here as well, especially Madison Wolfe as the emotionally complicated Barbara. Don’t let the marketing fool you, this isn’t a fantasy adventure. The fantastical elements are all a metaphor darling, a coping mechanism and outlet for our lead feeling scared, alone and different. Under sufferance she has a friend (Sydney Wade), an overworked but loving older sister (Imogen Poots) and a school counselor who looks out for her (Zoe Saldana), but Barbara mustn’t let any of them in lest they (as she sees it) get in the way of her town-saving destiny or (in reality) break her guard and make a real connection with her. SSP

About Sam Sewell-Peterson

Writer and film fanatic fond of black comedies, sci-fi, animation and films about dysfunctional families.
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