Fee, fie, foe, fum — Bryan Singer gets it done! In one of the more pleasant surprises of 2013 so far, “Jack the Giant Slayer” is a thoroughly good time at the movies and an excitingly edgy adaptation of the old beanstalk fable. While I was expecting a very goofy and embarrassingly formulaic fantasy excursion, director Bryan Singer put my low expectations to shame with fantastic set pieces, likable characters, enterprising special effects and beautiful production design.

Film aware of its fairy tale heritage

In this retelling, Jack (Nicholas Hoult) is a poor farm boy who has grown up with a bedtime story concerning giants who live in the sky. These man-eating monsters once descended upon the earth by climbing down a massive, magical beanstalk grown by ambitious Monks hoping to reach heaven. The giants were forced back into their realm by human magic long ago, but vowed to one day return and eradicate the kingdom of Cloister once and for all. Now a teenager, Jack comes into possession of the remaining magical beans and inadvertently causes another beanstalk to rise, which sparks a series of events that ultimately leads to a showdown between man and giant.

The great thing about “Jack the Giant Slayer” is its awareness of fairy tales — how they were once told and can be told again. Jack is a protagonist who isn’t as inspiring as he is accessible, rising to occasions of heroism but never shedding his farm boy nature. Characters like this are at the heart of bedtime stories because we see the glory in their courage and honor, but we also see parts of ourselves. When the beanstalk grows unexpectedly, it takes Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) with it. Though Jack barely knows her, he volunteers to rescue her, representing a classic element of the unlikely hero and the damsel in distress. And, boy, are these giants distressing!

Fun time for anyone who enjoys fantasy films

A strong dimension to “Giant Slayer” is the giants themselves. They are painted not just as gigantic people, but as a separate and primitive species with brown, leathery skin, ugly faces and booming, monstrous voices. They feed on humans, biting the heads off of their prey as they do all too often in this movie. They run extremely fast, so evasion depends more on hiding for dear life than sprinting like a jackrabbit. I was genuinely fearful of the giants, who are led by the two-headed General Fallon (Bill Nighy and John Kassir), and that fear made the movie all the more engaging. Bad guys are meant to be feared. It allows the heroes to be so much more significant. 

Singer, who directed X-Men and X-Men 2, has painted a wonderful world of fantasy, love, excitement and danger with “Jack the Giant Slayer.” Another strong point of the story was the characters. Ewan McGregor and Ian McShane are wonderful as the shining knight Elmont and King Brahmwell, and the theatrical Stanley Tucci plays the evil Lord Roderick with slick malice. With this solid cast and a running time that encapsulates just the right amount of establishment, progress and eventual resolution, “Jack the Giant Slayer” will be a fun time for anyone who enjoys good ol’ fashioned fantasy.

“Giant Slayer” exhibited a charming simplicity, and that simplicity didn’t insult the audience. However, I wish more story time had been devoted to and spent in the ancient, beautiful world of the giant realm during the second act. The art design for that section of the movie was breathtaking, and while the giants were grotesque themselves, their story and culture is intriguing all the same. I like to know my villains.