I Kill Giants, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, opens at the Neshaminy Mall (in Philadelphia) this week and in limited release/VOD platforms. The film is a striking coming of age fairy tale based on the award winning limited comic series by Joe Kelly (Ben 10) and artist J. M. Ken Niimura. Directed by Oscar winning Danish filmmaker Anders Walter with a screenplay by original comic scribe Joe Kelly, the film produced by Chris Columbus (Harry Potter) is a more than worthy alternative to another film about fighting giant monsters that hit theaters this weekend.
I Kill Giants is the story of Barbara Thorson, a troubled young geek girl who is never without her trusty bunny ears, loves Dungeons and Dragons, and in her spare time hunts giants in her small New Jersey shore town. Barbara’s problem is she exists in dual realities. In one, she is a slayer of giants wielding the mighty hammer Coveleski (named for famed Philadelphia Phillie), and in the other her older sister Karen (Imogen Poots/Green Room) struggles to care for the young outsider who is lashing out and constantly bullied at school. When a new girl from England, Sophia, moves next door, an unlikely bond forms between the two girls as Barbara’s worlds begin to crumble together when she fails to kill a particularly evasive giant.
Madison Wolfe is nothing short of a revelation in the role of Barbara. She manages to imbue our young protagonist with both an eccentric strength and a heartbreaking sadness as we uncover the secret of why the giants are after her. It’s the kind of character you often see in Anime, and the film felt to me very evocative of one of my favorite OVAs, FLCL, as Barbara is the town crazy who could ultimately be their only salvation. Imogen Poots, who is always a joy, is assisted by Zoe Saldana, whose turn as the school psychiatrist really rounds out this amazing cast of characters who are tasked with trying to keep Barbara grounded as she begins to spiral out of control.
I Kill Giants is a different kind of comic book movie, one that has a heart and soul missing from the current box office fodder. I adored everything about this film and found its complex dream-like narrative poignant as well as refreshing. Anders Walter crafts an extremely effective film that is part coming of age, part fairy tale, and manages to perfectly capture the love for geek culture and the many influences that birthed the comic. I Kill Giants is a film for the outsiders, for the “weird” kids, and the kind of film I wish I had growing up. I just hope this film manages to find those it was meant to empower and comfort in these troubled times, and those battling the “giants” in their own lives.