Visually, though, the film can be gorgeous.

When put into self-consciously cinematic form, The BFG becomes too big, too friendly, and too giant, in its rollicking gambols, patronizing slapstick, and certainly in its swelling sentimentality.

The BFG is a delightful fantasy, one all associated with the film should be proud of, the end result an enchanting journey of resilience and imagination the likes of which dreams are born from.

Regardless of The BFG’s big-heart, handful of winning performances and across-the-board impressive technical marksmanship, the grueling, threadbare nature of its story marks it as one of Spielberg’s least inspired and most exhausting efforts to date.