Steven Spielberg and Roald Dahl. On paper, it's a dream. You've got the world’s most famous director and the world’s most beloved children’s author. Everyone expected the Big Friendly Giant movie 2016 to be the next E.T. or Jurassic Park. It had the budget—somewhere around $140 million. It had the backing of Disney. It had Mark Rylance, fresh off an Oscar win, wearing a motion-capture suit to play a vegetarian giant who catches dreams in jars.
Yet, it bombed.
Well, "bombed" might be a bit harsh if you're looking at the artistry, but at the box office? It was a ghost town. It pulled in about $195 million worldwide, which sounds like a lot until you realize marketing costs likely doubled the production budget. It was a rare miss for Spielberg. But looking back a decade later, the movie is a lot more interesting than the 2016 headlines suggested. It’s a slow, quiet, almost meditative film that feels totally out of place in a summer of loud superhero sequels.
The Problem With the Big Friendly Giant Movie 2016
Why did it struggle?
Honestly, it’s mostly about the pacing. Roald Dahl’s books are usually fast, jagged, and a little bit mean. Think about Matilda or The Witches. There’s a threat. There’s a bite. The Big Friendly Giant movie 2016 opted for something much softer. Spielberg leaned into the "Whizzpopping" and the "Snozzcumbers," focusing heavily on the relationship between Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) and the BFG.
The middle of the movie just... lingers.
For twenty minutes, they’re just hanging out in Dream Country. It’s beautiful. The visual effects from Weta Digital are genuinely stunning even by today's standards. But for a kid in a theater with a bucket of popcorn, not much was happening. The giants—Fleshlumpeater and Bloodbottler—weren't actually that scary. They were just big, bumbling bullies. Spielberg removed the genuine peril that made the book work, replacing it with a sense of wonder that, for some, felt a bit sleepy.
Another factor was the competition. That summer was crowded. People were going to see Finding Dory and The Secret Life of Pets. Disney basically competed against itself and lost. It’s weird to think of a Spielberg-Disney collab failing to find an audience, but the Big Friendly Giant movie 2016 proved that brand names aren't always enough to move tickets if the "hook" feels too old-fashioned.
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Mark Rylance Saved the Show
If there is one reason to rewatch this film, it’s Rylance.
He didn't just voice the character. He was the giant. This was the same era when Andy Serkis was the undisputed king of performance capture, but Rylance brought a different kind of soul to the BFG. He used this hesitant, lyrical way of speaking—Dahl’s "gobblefunk"—that felt lived-in. It didn't sound like an actor reading quirky lines; it sounded like a lonely person who hadn't spoken to anyone in centuries.
Rylance and Spielberg had just worked together on Bridge of Spies, and you can see that trust on screen. The way the BFG’s ears twitch or the way his eyes crinkle when he’s trying to explain why he catches dreams is pure acting magic. It’s probably the most "human" digital character ever put to film, even more so than Caesar in Planet of the Apes.
The BFG and the British Identity
A lot of the film’s charm comes from its unapologetic Britishness.
When Sophie and the BFG eventually go to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen (played by Penelope Wilton), the movie shifts gears. It becomes a weird, high-stakes comedy of manners. The sight of a 24-foot giant trying to eat breakfast with the Queen while her Corgis fly around the room from the effects of "frobscottle" is objectively funny.
But this is also where some American audiences checked out. The humor is very specific. It’s dry. It’s focused on etiquette and tradition. While the Big Friendly Giant movie 2016 captures the spirit of the 1982 book perfectly in these scenes, it felt a bit "twee" for a global blockbuster audience.
A Technical Masterpiece or a Narrative Misfire?
Technically, the film is a triumph.
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Janusz Kamiński, Spielberg’s long-time cinematographer, used a lot of soft lighting and heavy atmosphere. It looks like a painting. But there’s a disconnect. The script, written by the late Melissa Mathison (who also wrote E.T.), tries to turn a series of vignettes into a three-act structure. It doesn't quite fit.
- The first act is a kidnapping.
- The second act is a tour of a fantasy world.
- The third act is a military operation.
It’s an odd mix. When the British Army shows up with helicopters to capture the "man-eating giants," the tone shifts from a fairy tale to an action movie. It’s jarring. Yet, for fans of the book, this is exactly what happened. Spielberg stayed loyal to the source material, but perhaps the source material was always going to be a tough sell for a $140 million budget.
The Music of John Williams
We can't talk about this movie without mentioning the score. John Williams is a legend. For the Big Friendly Giant movie 2016, he didn't go for a bombastic Star Wars vibe. Instead, he used flutes and light orchestral movements. It sounds like a dream. It’s one of his most underrated works. If you listen to "Dream Country," it captures that feeling of being a kid and imagining there’s magic just out of reach. It’s light, airy, and beautiful.
Why It’s Better on a Small Screen
Interestingly, the movie has found a second life on streaming services.
It’s a "cozy" movie.
On a big IMAX screen, the lack of action was a problem. In a living room, on a rainy Sunday afternoon, it’s perfect. It’s a gentle story about two outcasts who find each other. Sophie is an orphan who can't sleep; the BFG is a giant who refuses to eat people. They’re both "muntsters" in their own worlds. That emotional core is what keeps people coming back to it now, long after the box office disappointment has been forgotten.
Looking Back: What We Can Learn
The Big Friendly Giant movie 2016 serves as a case study for Hollywood. It shows that even the "Best of the Best" can miss the cultural zeitgeist. Audiences in 2016 wanted "edge." They wanted cinematic universes. They wanted fast-paced quips. Spielberg gave them a 117-minute poem about friendship and farts.
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It was a bold move.
Maybe it wasn't a "mistake" so much as a deliberate choice to make something timeless rather than trendy. If you look at the reviews from the time, critics generally liked it. It holds a respectable 74% on Rotten Tomatoes. Most people agreed it was "good," just not "essential."
But in an era where every movie feels like it was designed by an algorithm to maximize engagement, there’s something refreshing about the Big Friendly Giant movie 2016. It’s a handmade, personal film that just happened to cost nine figures.
If you're planning on watching it for the first time—or giving it a second chance—here is the best way to approach it. Don't look for a superhero story. Don't expect a high-speed chase.
Steps to actually enjoying the BFG:
- Lower the lights. The cinematography is dark and relies on shadow.
- Focus on the language. Pay attention to Rylance’s delivery of the "gobblefunk." It’s a masterclass in linguistics.
- Watch the background. The BFG’s cave is filled with tiny details—oversized props made from human junk—that tell a story of their own.
- Forget the stakes. The movie isn't about saving the world; it's about two lonely people feeling a little less alone.
Ultimately, the Big Friendly Giant movie 2016 is a reminder that Roald Dahl’s world is hard to capture. It’s a delicate balance of wonder and terror. Spielberg might have leaned too hard on the wonder, but the result is still a visual feast that deserves more credit than it got during its theatrical run.
To get the most out of your rewatch, pair the film with a quick skim of the original book's illustrations by Quentin Blake. Seeing how Spielberg translated those scratchy, chaotic drawings into the massive, detailed digital world of the film makes you appreciate the craft even more. Check out the "Making Of" featurettes if you can find them; seeing Mark Rylance on stilts in a grey motion-capture suit while still delivering a heartbreaking performance is something every film fan should see.