The BFG

The BFG is currently streaming in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus, and it earns its premise rather than just borrowing genre trappings. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. With 3,649 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Mark Rylance sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. Put it on tonight on Disney Plus and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, The BFG earns its spot. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry The BFG through its more ambitious moments. An orphan little girl befriends a benevolent giant who takes her to Giant Country, where they attempt to stop the man-eating giants that are invading the human world. Mark Rylance and Ruby Barnhill lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. It was released in 2016. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give The BFG a chance. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Mark Rylance's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.