Parents' Guide to

I Kill Giants

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Moody, intense graphic novel-based fantasy drama.

Movie NR 2018 106 minutes
I Kill Giants Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 14+

Based on 11 parent reviews

Luke G.
Luke G. Parent of 10-year-old
April 9, 2022
age 10+

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Two Teens in WNC
Two Teens in WNC Adult
January 21, 2019
age 11+

Your fears shape your reality

If you have a kid in middle school, the terrain is familiar to them. The school staff aren't the villains, or even clueless, which was refreshing. They care, and they want to help, but they're shut out. That alone makes the movie worth watching and talking. But, it's not an action film, and it will tug at your emotions. It clearly touched my 13 year old daughter, who really connected with elements of Barbara's character. The question whether Barbara was fighting real or imaginary monsters kept her glued to the TV, and the movie's handling of that question opened her eyes in some ways. It's really well done, and ultimately the movie is about compassion and letting people in. We really enjoyed it, and I think we're both better off having seen it.

This title has:

Great messages
See all 11 parent reviews

What's the Story?

I KILL GIANTS, based on the graphic novel by Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura, follows Barbara Thorson (Madison Wolfe), the youngest child in a family living through an initially unspecified traumatic crisis. Barbara, who's being cared for by her put-upon older sister, Karen (Imogen Poots), during this hard time, believes that dangerous giants threaten humanity's existence and that she alone is capable of slaying them. Barbara struggles at school, where she's routinely bullied (both verbally and physically) by a vicious mean girl named Taylor (Rory Jackson). When Barbara befriends the new kid in town, Sophia (Sydney Wade), and starts meeting with new school counselor Mrs. Molle (Zoe Saldana), she's finally forced to come to terms with the giants -- both what they represent and what they want.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (11):
Kids say (9):

This fantasy drama is a well-acted, moving tale of how an imaginative girl handles life-changing family trauma. Barbara isn't a typical "likable" main character. She can be difficult, impetuous, and reckless -- but those character flaws add to her relatability. Wolfe does a fine job exposing Barbara's vulnerability, even as she seems sure she doesn't need anything or anyone. Audiences will care about her journey. Saldana, playing against type (she's usually a fierce heroine), is caring in her supporting role as Barbara's counselor. Poots is also noteworthy as Barbara's overwhelmed oldest sister, who has to watch over the younger siblings, keep house, and attempt to make a living.

Danish director Anders Walter sensitively captures the intense drama of dealing with anticipatory grief -- the knowledge that something so out of control is about to happen that fighting giants would be preferable to reality. There are a few minor missteps and a couple of performances that don't hit their marks (the bully, for example, overacts and isn't believable as a school's mean queen bee), but those bumps don't take away from the movie's emotional tipping point, where Barbara confronts her fear, finds her courage, and makes peace with the horrors she's had to face -- and the ones that may still lie ahead.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how violence is depicted in I Kill Giants. Is it necessary for the story? Why? Does fantasy violence have a different impact than realistic violence?

  • Is there a difference between how "difficult" girls are portrayed or perceived vs. how boys with the same attributes are? Discuss how gender plays a role in how people think about and judge personality.

  • Do you consider any of the characters role models? What are their character strengths?

  • How does the movie portray bullying? Does it seem realistic? How would you have responded in Barbara's situation?

  • For those familiar with the graphic novel: How faithful to the story do you consider the movie? Do you think it helps that the author wrote the screenplay adaptation? What are some of your favorite page-to-screen adaptations?

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