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Parents' Guide to

Jack the Giant Slayer

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Fantasy violence eased by humor in tween-friendly adventure.

Movie PG-13 2013 115 minutes
Jack the Giant Slayer Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 16 parent reviews

AZak
AZak Adult
November 22, 2020
age 10+

Jack & The Beanstalk on Roids- 2000s version.

Really enjoyed watching this with my 10yr old. Some gruesome scenes, but generally tolerable. Mild romance, expected of a fairy tale. Some good messages about kindness, bravery and chivalry. All-in-all a good saturday night watch.
Tylyndah
Tylyndah Adult
May 6, 2020
age 10+

Great movie!

This movie has twist and turns excitement and suspense!!
See all 16 parent reviews

What's the Story?

JACK THE GIANT SLAYER retells the old English fairy tale about a farm boy named Jack (Nicholas Hoult) who grows up hearing the legend of King Erik, who defeated giants of Gantua, a land between heaven and Earth. While at market to sell his uncle's horse and cart, Jack meets and defends the honor of Princess Isabelle (who's disguised as a commoner) and sells his horse to a desperate monk, who gives Jack a sack of beans and the promise of treasure if he keeps them safe. After Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) escapes the palace for an adventure and ends up at Jack's farm, one of the beans accidentally gets wet and shoots up -- Jack's farm and the princess along with it. The king (Ian McShane) dispatches his head guardian, Elmont (Ewan McGregor), to climb the stalk, and Jack, now smitten with Isabelle, volunteers to join the rescue. But their mission is thwarted by the king's counselor (and Isabelle's betrothed), Roderick (Stanley Tucci), who wants to use an ancient crown to rule the giants and the kingdom below it.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (16 ):
Kids say (46 ):

The Princess Bride this is not. Yes, there's a compellingly duplicitous villain in Roderick and the understandably vengeful giants, but there's not much character development or clever dialogue, or even a particularly epic romance. The special effects and the scatological humor make it obvious that this fantasy is aimed at tween boys -- the only members of an audience who would laugh at a giant picking and then eating his own booger.

At least the leads are likable enough. Hoult, who also starred in the much more memorable Warm Bodies, is a talented young leading man, and Tomlinson is luminous and regal as the adventure-seeking princess. But neither their charm nor the rest of the impressive cast can fully overcome the film's weaknesses. The CGI eye candy will keep tweens and teens entertained, but in the end, for a movie about giants, there's not much weight to this spectacle.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Jack the Giant Slayer compares to other versions of the tale. Were you surprised at how it compares to the Jack and the Beanstalk tale you remember?

  • There's a lot of fantasy violence in the movie. Do you think the movie would have been more appropriate for younger kids if fewer people had been shown dead/dying/killed? What purpose, if any, does the violence serve?

  • Why is the idea of a peasant falling in love with a royal so compelling? Was the romance in this story believable? What did Jack and Isabelle have in common, despite the difference in their status?

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