The BFG

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BadNews R Before Disney gave us their live-action take on The BFG, there was actually an older animated version that came out back in 1989 — a UK production that not many people seem to know about. I didn’t even realize it existed until recently, and I have to say, it was surprisingly entertaining in parts, but also a very strange and uneven film that left me scratching my head. Right from the beginning, the tone feels off. It opens almost like a horror cartoon — dark, creepy, and honestly intimidating for what’s supposed to be a children’s story. Instead of easing you into the magical world, it throws you into something that feels unsettling. Then comes the introduction of the Big Friendly Giant himself. On one hand, he’s warm and quirky, but on the other, some of the choices in how his relationship with Sophie (the little girl) is presented come across… awkward. There’s a scene early on where the BFG gives Sophie a bath, and while it’s meant to be innocent, the execution feels odd. Sophie is drawn in a way where she almost looks like a boy at times, and when she swims up you briefly see her little cartoon butt cheeks. Now, to be fair, animated films from that era sometimes threw in details like that without much thought — butt cheeks pop up in kids’ movies here and there — but here it just adds to the confusion of tone. You’re left wondering: is this supposed to be whimsical, funny, or just plain strange? Once you get past the first 10 minutes, the film actually finds its footing. The battles between the BFG and the other giants, plus the interactions with Sophie, become more entertaining. The character development starts to come through, and the film begins to feel more like the story people know and love. The voice acting, while dated, gives it some charm, and the animation has that classic late-80s hand-drawn feel — rough around the edges, but nostalgic in its own way. That said, I wouldn’t call this version a rewatchable classic. It has some memorable moments, but the odd pacing, tonal confusion, and awkward early scenes make it something of a mixed bag. If you’re curious about adaptations of Roald Dahl’s work, it’s worth checking out once just to see how different it is compared to the Disney version. But if you’re watching it with kids, I’d honestly recommend fast-forwarding past the first few minutes so you don’t end up with a bunch of confused little ones asking questions you’d rather not answer. Verdict: Strange, uneven, but not without its charm. A curiosity piece for fans of Dahl, but not a must-see. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/01/25 Full Review Jason G Used to watch this when I was a kid. Still like watching it after all these years. Far better than the real life film. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/20/24 Full Review Teddy B A dazzling and visually disorienting film that is matched only in equal parts of its lovely animation and faithfulness and genuine love of the original novel by Roald Dahl. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/05/23 Full Review Oliver A This was the only film adaptation of his work that Roald Dahl ever approved of whilst he was alive and apparently he and his family gave a standing ovation when they attended the premiere. By comparison he openly hated The Witches and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Whilst this film may not be to the taste of adult audiences, those who watched it as young people can enjoy a wonderful nostalgia trip by rewatching this film as a grown up. It has a lot more grit and heart than most modern animated films by a long way and is free from the Americanisation of modern-day Hollywood that so ruins many adaptations of classic works. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/29/23 Full Review Audience Member I saw it as a kid in class and I adored it then. Now as an adult, I still like it a lot and it gives me a lot of nostalgia, but it's not really a film for adults. Yes, it is enjoyable for families but I know a lot of animated films out there that got even better through time, this is just a kids film and not much more than that. But it's good, it has a lot of creativity and likable characters. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member the best ever animated movie Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The BFG

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