Jack the Giant Slayer (2013)
Jack the Giant Slayer (previously titled Jack the Giant Killer) is a 2013 American fantasy adventure film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie and Dan Studney, from a story by Lemke and David Dobkin. The film, based on the British fairy tales “Jack the Giant Killer” and “Jack and the Beanstalk”, stars Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Stanley Tucci, Ian McShane, Bill Nighy, Eddie Marsan and Ewan McGregor. The film tells the story of Jack, a young farmhand who must save an abducted princess from a race of giants after accidentally opening a gateway to their land in the sky.
Plot:
In the Kingdom of Cloister, in a time long past, monks craft magic beans that grow into a large beanstalk. They reach the realm of Gantua, home to a race of giants. The giants kill the monks and attack the Earth below. Through the use of a magical crown, King Erik manages to control the giants and force them to return, and the beanstalk is cut down. When Erik dies, his crown and the remaining beans are buried with him to keep them safe. Years later, Jack, an orphaned, 18-year-old peasant, is sent by his uncle to sell his horse, Anser, and his cart at market.
There, he runs into a disguised Princess Isabelle, whom he defends from an attack. The royal guard takes Isabel back to the castle. Afterwards, Jack realizes that his cart was stolen.
Meanwhile, Lord Roderick, second in command to King Brahmwell, has collected the beans and crown. A monk steals the beans, runs into Jack while trying to escape, and exchanges the beans for Anser. Warning Jack not to get the beans wet, the monk flees, pursued by the guards.