Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story (2001) User Reviews

Entertaining

[LeMarchand · 6/10 · 30 December 2002]

Corporate head Jack Robinson is about to discover that fairytales are very real in this revisionist take on `Jack and the Beanstalk'.

The film starts off well, with Jack (Matthew Modine) discovering that life isn't as straightforward as he thought. A nice atmosphere is created as a mysterious woman, Ondine (Mia Sara looking very cute), appears dropping dire hints as to his family's secret. Eventually Jack discovers the truth behind his wealth, and finds out that it is up to him to put things right.

The `real world' segments of this movie tend to work best, as Jack struggles to come to terms with his discovery that fairy tales are true, with the `fantasy land' segments - mainly due to some variable effects - actually detracting from the sense of wonder. While most of the performances are fine (though Modine occasionally seems to be playing Scott Bakula), the guy playing the original Jack is fairly dire.

What really makes the story work is the idea that fairy tales are history dressed up to be palatable to us (and of course not necessarily reliably related history), and the way that we might exploit magic if it were available to us.

Well worth a watch for fantasy/fairy tale fans, or if you liked the superior `The 10th Kingdom'.

another winner from the Henson studio

[steveack2004 · 8/10 · 17 February 2005]

this mini series was a complete winner from start to finish! a wonderful, imaginative retelling of the old fairy tale, that does a great job of imagining an alternate beginning and then adding a great storyline to help finish it out. the special effects were wonderful, including the creatures from the henson studio workroom. an excellent visualization of the world atop the beanstalk, and the rulers of their world. it was tied in very well with the modern world, and Matthew Modine made for a very likable Jack, who tries to make things right again. Mia Sara as Ondine once again shows that she is best used in a longer premise where she has room to flesh out her character. her acting has definitely improved since Timecop, and she is as beautiful as ever, if not more so!

Very entertaining

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 25 April 2011]

I saw Jack and the Beanstalk:The Real Story on the SyFy Channel, and I wasn't expecting much. But it was actually very entertaining, while a tad too long and Jon Voight did have an accent and mannerisms that did fall flat sometimes, it did have a lot of good points. The characters are engaging, with only Siggy being written clumsily more in how he was developed rather than the lines. The production values are colourful and enchanting in their look, there is some quirky writing and the story is as magical as can be. The pace is very brisk mostly with only the last thirty minutes or so feeling as though it was meandering, and the acting is mostly above decent with Jack being a likable hero and Vanessa Redgrave coming off best. Overall, fun and entertaining. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Imaginative and colourful sequel to the old fairy tale

[raymond-15 · 4 October 2001]

This is the story of a giant legume which brought happiness to some and misfortune to many. It's also the story of a very productive goose that laid eggs of pure gold to the music of a magic harp. These prized possessions also have the power (or so it seems) of turning dusty landscapes into valleys of verdant pastures. The excavation of some giant bones at the beginning gave promise of a pretty exciting film, but I thought the pace was slow until we met the first Jack and his mother Mrs. Robinson outraged at her son's transaction - a half a dozen bean seeds for the family cow! Then we get some real action. Thanks to computerised photography, the ground trembles and a gigantic beanstalk races upwards piercing the clouds. Naturally Jack climbs up and at the top discovers a new land inhabited by very large people. Although we realise this is photographic trickery, the miniaturisation of the human figures is well done and the appeasing of the giant's appetite has to be seen to be believed. When Jack steals the harp and the goose and clambers down the beanstalk with the angry giant in close pursuit, tension rises. Jack just makes it. The giant falls to his death and Mrs Robinson makes sure with a mighty swing of her axe. Great fairy story stuff for the children! Centuries pass. Jack and his progeny die young for there is a mighty curse on them all. The second half of the story explains how the curse can be removed if the goose and harp can be taken back to the land of the giants. Modern day Jack undertakes the mission, but is caught, tried and found guilty in the giant's court. This part of the film is not very original. If you have seen"Planet of the Apes" you will remember a similar scene where aliens are condemned for their deeds. The film covers some interesting topics currently being discussed:

(1) The cloning of the goose to provide an endless supply of gold. (2) The importance of the greening of the environment and its beneficial effect on the population.The film is cast with some well-known actors and it is fun to identify them. We have plenty of time to do so.The film runs for 3 hours (not including advertisements). Vanessa Redgrave as the Matriarch links the scenes together with a profound and prophetic commentary. Whether you can affirm her story to be true will much depend on whether "you believe in the unbelievable". It's really up to you.

a great fairy tale

[starlet86 · 7/10 · 21 May 2006]

This is an imaginative take on the Jack and the Beanstalk story. While it was made for kids, the story maintains enough complexity to keep adults interested (I'm 19). Plus as a female, I appreciate the fact that it's one of the few stories where (possible spoiler) the damsel(who's in a different kind of distress than other fairy tale women) rescues Prince Charming.

But there some flaws with this film that kept me from giving it a perfect 10. Some gripes I have (spoilers ahead):

1. I'm no math person but why couldn't the writers be consistent with when Jack's dad died? One minute, they say he died 20 years ago but then they say he died when Jack was 14. Since Jack is 37, it shows that the writers can't do simple addition. Couldn't they just take two seconds to do the math?

2. The first part is slow and spends way too much time on exposition. I like the film but have to admit that it's not very good at establishing tension (more on that later).

3. Siggy just isn't a very bright villain. I always wondered he didn't try to kill Ondine when he was so against Jack having an heir. If he had a gun, it would have taken a few seconds to shoot her (a la Walter Donovan forcing Indy to get the grail by shooting his dad). A very easy way for him to demand the goose as ransom. Instead, we get him taking pointless shots at the giants. Very anti-climatic. And don't tell me it's too violent for kids since it's common for the protagonist's significant other to be near-death/seriously injured in Disney movies (see Tangled, Beauty and the Beast). Clichéd, I know, but it works.

4. Siggy's accent and mannerisms were an attempt at comedy that completely fell flat. I cringe every time I see him.

5. The first Jack just wasn't a very impressive guy (in looks or personality). I'm still trying to figure out why Ondine fell for him.

There was a lot of missed potential but the performances of the main cast made me care enough about the characters to make me stick around. And if you're a fan of romance, adventure, or just feel-good movies in general, those things shouldn't keep you from enjoying this film.

Modern Classic

[neongen · 7/10 · 5 December 2001]

When I saw the listing for this film I imagined that it would be another network fantasy movie crap fest. The casting of Sara and Modine caused me to tape it and give it a look. As expected the fantasy land odd folk are bland, rather it is the "real world" segments that are magical (and literate). Sara (as fantasy land emissary) and Modine are perfect together.

Wonderful And Magical

[aesgaard41 · 10/10 · 5 December 2001]

I never thought twice about the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, but this movie does answer some dangling plot points such as where the beans came from and a closer look into Jack's character. Matthew Modine, Mia Sara, John Voight and all the class give wonderful performances highlighted by a believable story into the realm of beings who probably were the gods of ancient myth. Wonderful and ironic casting choices abound; Mia Sara from the fantasy "Legend" turns up in this fantasy as does Darryl Hannah playing another sort of giant after doing the "Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman" remake. The movie for me also proves just how much history or legends can be based on lies or the personal perceptions of others. The whole fantasy has a charming and intelligent telling in it as modern day Jack learns the far-fetched truth of his ancestry and his connections to an ancient myth. Someone obviously did their research searching the origins of this tale and linking it to believable characters and events. i only wished i had taped it because I'd love to see it again!

liked it

[jewelch · 7/10 · 23 June 2021]

I'm very surprised that this movie has not gotten more attention, there is a great cast and a very good plot line. They took the old story of Jack and the beanstalk but warped it into the modern scene and made the audience begin to wonder, 'did it really happen?' I'm 20, and I wasn't sure what age range this movie is for, based on the reviews found here people say 'oh it's not for kids' or 'oh it's a great family movie with high morals' Well this is my own take on it, yeah there is violence and a lot of romance and kissing, maybe not something you want to show your very young children. I think that 10 year olds will enjoy and understand this movie as well as older people. I loved this movie and the main star is soooo hot! The story is complex enough for adults, yet simple morals can be learned for kids watching this movie. If you like Tenth Kingdom, Snow Queen, or any other Hallmark production buy this movie! I liked it James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 6/20/21.

Magical and Entertaining

[canobi2002 · 10/10 · 5 April 2004]

I watched this movie all in one go and I must say I didn't move from my chair. Modine and Mia Sara's performances are excellent as are the rest. Sara plays the girl from another world who comes to Modine to help him find the truth and help her bring welfare back to her people. Modine slowly will discover where the riches of his ancestors came from. Then he will try to right the wrongs and end the curse to his family. The family moves between two worlds. Our world and a fantastic one. The scenery and the landscapes are wonderful and there is also some mistery and twists till the end. The movie addresses the greed of people and how they would go all the way just to satisfy themselves ignoring the needs of others. I highly recommend it.

good

[rpons9 · 7/10 · 13 November 2007]

starlet86 from edison NJ hit it on the nose...some not so consistent story telling...good movie but if you have the DVD - and watch over again - you will see the incosistencies...

i'm not much for sappy endings...but even that was inconsistent...if they went back to giant land - she said they had 7 days which equaled 7 years in earth time - then he said there could be several new robinson's when they get back to earth - how could that be? they still spent only 7 days on giant land? don't understand that...

i also saw parallels to the movie Hook - which was much better told than this one...peter grows up and all...

but in all - i am still a sucker for these types of twists on fairy tales...7 is good enough...

Nice idea, but too long.

[andy_shorrock · 2/10 · 1 January 2008]

Well that's 4 hours of my life I'll never get back. Shame really as it's a good idea for a film. If only it'd been 2 hours rather than 2 x 2 hours. At one point the film goes so slowly it almost stops.

The fairytale of Jack and The Beanstalk was a lie based on the truth. The 15th generation son of Jack has to pay the price for the crimes of his distant relative 400 years ago who stole the goose that lays the golden eggs and the harp that plays for the goose to lay from the big FRIENDLY giant.

The land of the giants has suffered terribly, crops have failed because the harp isn't there to play the special music and the climate has changed because the golden eggs where burned in a furnace to power the climate of the land.

As I say, nice idea but tooooooooooooooooo looooooooooooooooong!

a great movie to see with the whole family

[divine-comedy · 9/10 · 3 October 2004]

Although it's a bit long this is a great movie. I've always been a fan of the Henson studio but this a real highlight. Great actors, great effects and a good adaptation of the story. Everybody knows the fairy tale but this is a very original modern-day spin off. i've already seen it twice and recommended it to most nieces and nephews. Ans they loved it too. Not to mention their parents. I think the story is a bit complex for the under age 8 group but they won't be bored with the effects. Matthew Modine (one of my favorites ever since I've seen him in HBO's "and the and played on") really makes the most out of the character. But there are more stars in this one. i've already bought the DVD and will probably watch it again. 4,5 stars out of 5!!

Did anyone else think this was an allegory of --- ?

[interest-5 · 6/10 · 3 August 2006]

While watching this movie I couldn't help but think that it was an allegory for the experiences of native Americans upon being invaded. Nobody else saw the movie that way? The effects were great as expected but although the lineup of actors was stella, the script/movie could have been edited down and polished to about two thirds its length. And if it was an allegory, it lacked a decent gray perspective, too binary. One thing that the movie does well is that it really makes you think: what if the fairy tale really did have a basis in fact? A minor annoyance was the depiction of the friendly giant after being shown the traditional version. A character doesn't have to be smiling all the time like a cross between a weird cult leader and a real estate agent to get across that he's a good guy. Some subtlety, please.

Boring, sappy and badly written

[lkemilai · 3/10 · 26 February 2008]

OMG did I wait for the movie to end. The tempo of the movie is very slow and events unroll boringly. This may very well have been a magical TV movie but for a movie to watch in one sitting there is no action or drama to keep you awake. You just sit there hoping that there was a climax on the way and it never comes.

Of course this was a family movie, too, so I know I shouldn't have expected black humor or scary thrills.

In many places the script isn't transparent... you kind of start to think of the writers' motives on including a twist in the plot which isn't good. It just wipes away the movie magic.

The actors could've tried harder as well. I know they were making a movie about a fairy tale but this was supposed to be the "real story" so a bit less overacting would've been good. Many of the characters seemed unnecessary, like the pantheon in the trial.

I liked the cheating and conniving ancestor, though. He was a nice touch, worth 1 point, 1 point comes for a good idea and 1 for the investment in fantasy.

Excellent Opening Night!

[wneskora2006 · 3 December 2001]

This is a great movie so far! I've just seen the first night. I'm going to see Part 2 tomorrow night! It's so exciting! And...kind of...twisted? Could I put it? It just had so many...BLAH! There's no way to put it into words! It's an excellent fiction meets fantasy mini-series! In a few words...JUST WATCH IT! 10/10

One of my favourite films

[jonathan_crowe12 · 10/10 · 16 June 2019]

I first watched this years ago on holiday from school. Years later I bought the DVD and at 28 still love it and have watched it so many times. The acting is good overall. Past Jack has some odd dialogue but Matthew Modine and Mia Sara have a great love story. Jack saying, "you were like a father to me, Zigi" seems really heartfelt from Jack. The music is very good. The story is a great idea and original. They don't explain everything so your imagination can fill in the blanks. The ending leaves you with a nice feeling. It is 3 hours so it is a bit of a commitment but I think it's worth it. The giant world is very beautiful. The only sad part is Attenborough looks quite ill. I think it may be his last ever acting roll.

A colourful, exciting adventure

[almontin · 9/10 · 3 September 2011]

This was one very entertaining watch, definitely belying its 6.8 rating on this site. For a family film, it certainly kept this adult in its spell for its entire length (3 hours). Mostly solid acting (especially from the "intense" Mia Sara), very good special sets and effects considering it was made for TV and shot 10 years ago, the pace never slows even though it does allow itself some slower, more contemplative pauses from its break-neck pace, such as the beautiful scenes of Jack (the modern one) climbing the beanstalk through a sea of clouds. The score is very good too and enhances the experience throughout. The fantasy land and inhabitants are right on the money, with a fraction of the money spent on Harry Potters et al, this one hits home.

All things considered, it is a great adaption of an age old tale, with a clever spin to it: those old tales don't always tell the truth...

beautiful execution of an ugly reinterpretation

[CineMage · 3/10 · 15 May 2016]

Like most if not all Henson productions, this TV movie has beautifully done puppetry work, SPFX, and music. The harp's music will haunt listeners for years afterwards.

To understand Henson's take on the story, it helps to know the original story.

The original tale of Jack and the Beanstalk was first written down more than 250 years ago and is known to have existed in oral form long before then. The tale was considered a good enough tale to be referenced by William Shakespeare in his play *King Lear*.

In all its oral and written forms, the tale presented a bold trickster equivalent to the Greco-Roman creator of humanity, Prometheus, and to such Native American heroes as Coyote, Hare, and Grandmother Spider. In all these stories, the trickster heroically attempts "fire theft", i.e. liberating humanity from poverty and starvation and suffering by entering the land of the gods and stealing fire or a similar magical treasure, sometimes killing one or more guardians of the treasure in the process.

In the Greek myth, Prometheus stole fire, granting humanity the ability to cook food and forge weapons and stave off the cold and predators. In the original English folktale, Jack stole the music of the gods in the form of a golden harp, stole food for his starving family or community in the form of a cooking pot that created a meal every day, and stole the equivalent of shining fire in the goose that laid shining gold eggs. Jack also liberated his people from the god-giant's cannibalism, not unlike liberating his people from a plague that was devouring them.

However, Henson has said that he hated the original story and chose to work on it only if he could alter it. "It's a fairy tale that became part of British culture during a time when empire building and conquering other cultures was heroic" he stated (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_and_the_Beanstalk:_The_Real_Story in 2016).

Henson's film vilifies the folktale's bold trickster hero into an avaricious cad who betrays an almost clownishly innocent giant. The film then whitewashes the folktale's oppressive cannibal god-giant into a courtroom of judgmental god-giants who follow the cruel ancient idea of imprisoning, enslaving, or murdering the innocent descendants for whatever crime their ancestors may have committed, one of the principles that has been used to justify slavery and vendettas that approached genocide throughout history. "Surely in your world, if you benefit from the wrongdoings of your fathers, then you inherit the obligation to right the wrong" rationalizes a likable god-giant played with considerable charisma by Richard Attenborough as the unfortunately named character Magog.

Henson's film has been accused of political correctness and a painfully naive interpretation of serious issues such as ecology, appropriation, and reparations, but these accusations remain in dispute.

Nevertheless, after seeing what Henson did to Jack in the Beanstalk, one wonders what he would do to the myth of Prometheus or to any of the many Native American tales about this sort of theft. Perhaps he could revise Prometheus' theft of fire into copyright infringement and have the gods win a lawsuit against everyone with a stove, space heater, or book of matches?

The Real Story is that Jack and the Beanstalk is still popular

[mijann1972 · 9/10 · 5 October 2004]

Jack and the Beanstalk is a movie which you can put in the same category as the 10th Kingdom. Jack and the Beanstalk is a fairy tale, so normally you might think that this is only for children but the makers of this movie or actually TV-series prove that you can even interest adults with a fairy tale. The special effects are very funny and the story does not bore you for any moment and keeps your attention for the full 3 hours it takes. Jack and the Beanstalk is according to my opinion a masterpiece because it is great to make a movie which interests people from you until old and you can find all aspects in the movie like magic, adventure, humor and of course, how we could forget it Romantic. The qualification from me is 9 out 10 and that means.....well done mates !!!!!!!

3 hours too long!

[kjruk · 4/10 · 14 December 2009]

You could only enjoy this film if you had never watched the many other fantasy films that outdo it. Epic films like Ben Hur or Lawrence of Arabia can easily bear 3 hours but most films are rightly a maximum of 2. Some pretentious idiot decided this milk and water tosh was worthy enough to torture an audience for 3 long hours. Worst of all the action in the second half is tediously slow and entirely unconvincing. What you get is a re-telling of the story (an OK idea)that turns into a soppy, silly,clichéd Hollywood idea of Eco-giants, nice cuddly creatures who wouldn't hurt a fly. Give us a break! I fast forwarded the second half! Abbot and Costello did better.

Loved Matthew Modine and Mia Sara in this film...

[cleargraphics · 9/10 · 19 July 2013]

I rented this movie on VHS in 2002 and watched it for the first time. This film introduced me to the film acting of Matthew Modine and Mia Sara for the first time. I liked the character that Matthew Modine portrayed in this film and Mia Sara was remarkably charming. Matthew and Mia had great romantic chemistry on screen and the film had a smart plot from smart screen writing. Now my kids are mature enough to watch it so, I enjoyed watching it again recently with my kids. It's a real joy to watch and the bad-Jack-character caused me to be introspective about my life.

The story parallels the Christian doctrine of the first Adam brought sin and spiritual death into the world and the second Adam, Christ, brought spiritual redemption, salvation and restoration to the World. And here we have the first Jack bringing death and destruction to the other world and the last Jack brings restoration to that other world. The chanting crowds wanting the last Jack to be executed reminded me of some Easter passion plays I have watched.

It's been a wile since this movie was shipping new on DVD so, the prices for new and used copies are too high, at the time I'm writing this post but, once the DVD is re-released again, the DVD prices for this film will become friendly once again.

I was able to borrow a copy from my public library and I also saw it for free legally, on the Internet. So there are ways to sample this movie before you decide to buy the DVD. It's a great movie.

Highly Creative and Entertaining Reinterpretation

[joktu · 9 December 2001]

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** Brian Henson's remake of this fable is reminiscent of Michael Cohn's 1997 `Snow White: A Tale of Terror' (Starring Sigourney Weaver). I was thoroughly enter- tained by the original overlay of treachery, unrequited love, larceny and homicide. Or is gianticide a word? I also enjoyed the stellar cameos by Daryl Hannah (Thespee) and Richard Attenborough (Magog). Vanessa Redgrave does a great job of setting the tone at the throughout the movie with her grave, atmospheric narration. Mia Sara hasn't aged since `Legend'. The pantheon of Celtic and eastern deities /giants were quite a sight to behold; Gargan with his gaudy head piece, the Stag-headed Cernos and Thor's hefty hammer. This somewhat well-paced movie offers an intriguing challenge to the moral veracity of the standard fables. I said 'somewhat' because the conclusion sagged a little when Magog allowed Mondine to return to earth to live happily ever after with Jack. It seems the ending was conveniently rounded off to meet the status quo. I suppose Henson felt the permanent separation of the two may be a wee bit taxing on the audience. But generally, the movie was a good Sunday-evening fare. Perhaps Brian Henson (and the likes of Michael Cohn) will also care to exhume the other fables from the grimory. That would be highly entertaining.

If you had the ill fortune of missing part2, the DVD and VHS is available.

James Corden is in this movie!

[denisevickers · 8/10 · 9 October 2018]

James Corden is in this movie as a tender hearted giant named Ben. Why is he not listed in the cast?

One Of The Best Television Movies Ever Made

[johnstonjames · 9/10 · 13 April 2012]

i always find television movies interesting for the fact that they usually have to make do on far less than most major theatrical releases. often as good as they sometimes can be, their limitations can be apparent. as good as 'Roots:The Next Generation' was, that was obviously not the African continent that was depicted in the final scenes with Alex Haley. and anyone that has watched the sci-fi channel is familiar with the use of outdoor, forest locations, as settings for alien planets. i was really surprised at how good this Jim Henson production looked in comparison to most television epics. it truly looked of theatrical quality and rivaled, if not better, than most movies made for the theater.

i was equally surprised at the quality of it's story and how engrossing it was. i hardly moved the whole three hours. it also wasn't the usual revisionist tripe that is so popular these days with these stories. not only did the film contain a traditional telling of the story within it, it also embellished the legend quite effectively. it actually gave the old fairy tale some dimension and turned it into something compelling and even touching.

i also thought it had a interesting statement about wealth and how it isn't always honestly obtained.

i always expect the very best from anything Jim Henson's production company and name are associated with. i wasn't disappointed. this was of the top notch caliber of his 'Storyteller' series. i was hoping it was going to be good, but i was pleased to find it to be a minor family classic of sorts.

Excellent

[floyld · 5 December 2001]

One of the best movies I have ever seen. Mia Sara's performance was absolutly specatular! I wish I could of been part of it's making. With its graphics it has simply excelled. Congrationlations to the Hansons for picking the best cast and orchestrationg a perfect movie.