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Jack the Giant Slayer
Movie

Jack the Giant Slayer

2013 • Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Woke Score
1
out of 10

Plot

Sent to the market by his uncle to sell their horse and buy thatch for their roof, Jack meets the beautiful Princess Isabelle, whom he rescues from ruffians. He returns home with only a handful of beans given to him by a monk who claimed they were sacred, but that does little to impress his uncle, who tosses them away. In the night, the Princess arrives, having run off to keep herself from marrying Roderick, who is clearly only interested in becoming king. Soon, the beans take root with a giant stalk carrying away the princess and Jack's house. He soon sets off on an adventure with the king's guards to rescue the princess, only to find that a mythical land filled with giants really exists.

Overall Series Review

The 2013 fantasy adventure film is a classic fairy tale retelling centered on a farm boy, Jack, who proves his worth by rescuing a princess and saving his kingdom from man-eating giants. The narrative is a straightforward heroic quest that emphasizes themes of courage, honor, and destiny, with the protagonists rising to meet a primal, existential threat. The movie features clear moral lines, where a low-born hero earns his place through merit and bravery, and the ultimate reward is a traditional marriage and family, directly affirming vital and conservative institutions. The character dynamics are predominantly traditional, featuring a male hero who protects the realm and a princess who, despite an initial desire for adventure outside the castle, serves as the main object of the quest, leading to a complementary pairing.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The story operates on universal meritocracy where the hero, Jack, is judged solely by his courage and actions, not by his social status or immutable characteristics. The primary conflict is between humans and giants, not different human groups. The casting is historically authentic for a medieval European setting with no forced diversity or vilification of 'whiteness.'

Oikophobia1/10

The entire plot is a defense of the home civilization, the kingdom of Cloister, against the monstrous external threat of the giants. The heroes, including Jack, are staunch royalists who value their institutions, family, and ancestors who defeated the giants centuries prior. The narrative is focused on gratitude for and preservation of the existing culture.

Feminism2/10

Princess Isabelle yearns for adventure and freedom and defies an arranged marriage to an older villain. However, she is consistently the damsel in distress who requires rescue by Jack and the knights, and one review notes she is a 'useless character.' The central male hero is celebrated for his protective masculinity. The conclusion features the hero and princess marrying and having children, strongly affirming the nuclear family and anti-natalism.

LGBTQ+1/10

The movie follows a completely normative structure with a single focus on the romantic, traditional male-female pairing between Jack and Princess Isabelle, which results in marriage and a family. There is no presence of alternative sexual ideologies, deconstruction of the nuclear family, or lecturing on gender theory.

Anti-Theism1/10

The movie features explicitly positive depictions of traditional faith, including a benevolent king and references to 'Christian allegorical elements' and 'faith-filled' monks. The magic beans are received from a monk who is a good character, and a 'crown of glory' is fashioned by monks. Traditional religion is presented as a source of strength and morality, not as a root of evil.