Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story (2001)

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...

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!

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!!

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'.