The BFG Movie Review

All images: Disney

I loved Roald Dahl's books as a child. James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, Revolting Rhymes, they were all fantastic. But my favorite was probably The BFG. The BFG, or Big Friendly Giant, was just what his name implies, and in the uncertain world of childhood, he offered an escape to the world of dreams. Disney's incredible movie The BFG offers a similar escape. Caution: Spoilers Ahead.

The BFG wanders the world at night, providing dreams for children. One night, he finds a little girl who's still awake. Sophie lives in an orphanage, where she's terribly unhappy. Her sad heart calls out to the BFG, who snatches her away to Giant Country. In his whimsical way, he tells Sophie about his life, using silly, misheard words like glumptious, phizzwizards, and chidlers. He also tells her about his brother giants, who love to eat "human beans."

As they start to become friends, he shares his work with Sophie, catching phizzwizards, good dreams, and then sharing them with children around the world. He also catches trogglehumpers, nightmares, to keep them away from the good dreams. Sophie helps him to catch the dreams and goes with the BFG to see him blow dreams through open windows with his trumpet.

Sophie grows to love spending time with her new friend, but the BFG worries that the other giants may find her and eat her. After a particularly close call, Sophie decides they need a plan to stop the cannibully giants once and for all. To do so, they will need the help of the most powerful person Sophie can think of: Queen Elizabeth II. The breakfast scene with the Queen and all the generals is especially hilarious. All of the kids in the theater could guess what was coming and the suppressed giggles just added to the fun!

I won't tell you how it ends, but since it's a Roald Dahl story, you know it's got to be happy with a twist. The movie was touching, and funny, and seemed to retain all the fun of the original (though I haven't read the book in so long that I couldn't say for certain how close the story is to the original) and it certainly inspires you to read the book again.

I was very glad that they kept the ridiculous words and silliness, like the frobscottle with its bubbles that go down instead of up and cause whizzpoppers.

I absolutely loved the movie and can't wait for The BFG to arrive on Blu-Ray and DVD so I can watch it again and again.