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
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Sam Sewell-Peterson
I'm not paid to write about film - I do it because I love it. Favourite filmmakers include Bong Joon-ho, Danny Boyle, the Coen Brothers, Nicolas Winding Refn, Clio Barnard, Steven Spielberg, Guillermo del Toro, Paul Verhoeven, Taika Waititi and Edgar Wright. All reviews and articles are original works written and owned by me. They represent one man's opinion, and I'm more than happy to engage in civilised debate if you disagree.
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