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RELEASED:
2017
DIRECTOR(s):
Anders Walter
PERSONAL RATING:
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Teen Barbara Thorson lives
with her brother and supportive older sister Karen. She has created a
fantasy world inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and the career of former
Phillies pitcher Harry Coveleski. Believing that giants are coming to
attack, Barbara crafts weapons and traps to fend them off. Her imagination
helps her ignore real world traumas, including school bullies and her
mother dying.
New student Sophia from Leeds, England wants to get to know her, but
Barbara initially remains aloof. The school psychologist Mrs. Mollé
interrupts a confrontation between Barbara and her bullies, and tries to
reach her, but she doesn't want distractions from her fantastical routine.
After school, Barbara explains the giants' mythology to Sophia, showing
her the baits and traps she sets, even presenting a magical "warhammer"
inscribed as Coveleski which she carries. She tells Sophia about
Harbingers, ghostly apparitions that warn her of approaching giants. After
Barbara gets detention for insulting a teacher, she takes Sophia with her
giant hunting while Sophia begins to doubt her.
When Mrs. Mollé mentions baseball, Barbara becomes lost in bad memories.
In a daze, Barbara accidentally strikes Sophia. Although she apologizes,
Sophia runs off, upset.
Sophia is later approached by bully leader Taylor, who convinces her to
show them some of Barbara's "freaky things". She reluctantly leads her and
her friends to the sanctuary, where they dismantle many of Barbara's
traps. When Barbara arrives and proceeds to attack Taylor with Covelski,
the weapon turns out to be a jawbone tied to a stick, so the furious
Taylor and friends viciously beat her up.
A sympathetic Sophia takes Barbara to her home to recover. When she
awakes, she becomes very upset at being brought upstairs and tells her to
slowly move away before "it" sees her. After Sophia looks into one of the
rooms she flees the house. Seeking help, the despondent Barbara visits
Mollé but runs upon seeing her family.
Barbara goes truant for several days, so Sophia and Mollé visit her house.
In the basement, Sophia discovers Barbara's recording of her and her
mother's story of Coveleski's "Giant Killer" nickname. Sophia finds her,
tries to convince her that giants don't exist, but Barbara can't hear
about her mother's health. She angrily storms off and Harbingers taunt
her, telling her she is too weak to defeat a giant.
At an abandoned train yard, Barbara faces a giant. She activates a train
control station rigged to nearby electrical poles, setting fire to some of
the cars. Sophia arrives just as Barbara is leaving. The next day, Barbara
humiliates Taylor by placing a skeleton in her locker, in retaliation for
her bullying. Worried, Mrs. Mollé and Karen proceed to look for Barbara.
Desperate and in despair, she heads to her sanctuary to pray for the
return of Coveleski.
As an unexpected storm hits the town, Mollé confronts Barbara on her way,
telling her that her mother is desperate to see her but the disillusioned
girl ignores her. Upon arriving, Barbara finds her sanctuary destroyed by
the vengeful Taylor.
Suddenly, a titan emerges from the water. Barbara confronts it, drawing
forth the restored Coveleski, a massive, glowing war hammer. She proceeds
to defeat the giant to protect her mother. Lying injured upon the beach,
the giant reveals that he came for Barbara, not her mother. Stunned, she
demands that the titan "finish it".
The giant snatches Barbara, drawing her close so she can strike it down
with Coveleski. As it falls into the ocean, it pulls her below the waves.
A voice tells her that every living thing must die, that to run from death
is to reject life, so she must find joy in every moment while she can.
Barbara swims back to land, where she reunites with Sophia.
The next day, Barbara goes upstairs to see her mother, who is dying in
bed. They share heartfelt messages and Barbara apologizes for avoiding
her. After the summer, Barbara's mother dies, but she rekindles her
relationships with Mollé, Karen and Sophia. On the night after the
funeral, she is awoken by the titan, watching her from the ocean, before
she goes back to sleep. |
