Other critics were less enthusiastic. Justin Chang of Variety felt the film was “an attempt to cash in on a trend, recycling storybook characters, situations and battle sequences to mechanical and wearyingly predictable effect”. Manohla Dargis of The New York Times called it “just a digitally souped‑up, one‑dimensional take on ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’”. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times criticized the script, writing that the film “has all things money can buy — except a good script”.
⭐⭐⭐ (3/5 stars) – Visually stunning, unevenly paced, but ultimately charming. A must-watch for fans of medieval fantasy and giant-monster movies. jack the giant slayer 1
The film grossed roughly $197 million worldwide. Against its massive production and marketing spend, it was categorized as a commercial disappointment. Other critics were less enthusiastic
Jack the Giant Slayer was a massive production, primarily filmed in the UK with a budget estimated between $185 million and $200 million. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times criticized
Ultimately, the film concludes with a chilling post-credits sequence in modern London, revealing that the giants' skulls are buried beneath the city, and the crown now sits in the Tower of London. This transforms the movie from a fantasy into a secret history. It suggests that the giants—the great, overwhelming threats of the universe—never truly went away. We just built skyscrapers over them.
Unlike the comedic, self-aware fairy tale adaptations of the era, Jack the Giant Slayer leans into earnest, old-fashioned adventure. The film follows Jack (Nicholas Hoult), a young farmhand who accidentally unleashes a long-banished race of giants upon his kingdom. He must team up with the headstrong Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) and a disgraced knight (Ewan McGregor) to stop the two-headed General Fallon and the monstrous leader, Fallon.