The Giant

"**_Funereal, surreal coming-of-age indie in northeast Georgia_** The filmmaking is proficient, the acting is fine, particularly considering they’re no-names, and there’s a nice moody, dreamlike atmosphere. Unfortunately, the storytelling is tedious, and the tone is one-note maudlin, which makes it a chore to sit through. Then there’s the ambiguity of who exactly the titular ‘giant’ is. It manifests in different ways, as shown in the movie, but I think it all comes down to Hebrews 2:15. Look it up after watching. Not that this is a faith-based film. It’s a morose and mysterious drama involving several deaths, mostly in the periphery and off camera. “Apocalypse Now” had the same artistic tone, but told a compelling story filled with memorable scenes and quotable wordage. Decades later you’re still reflecting on its potent messages. Writer/director David Raboy needs to take note. If he does, he has it in him to create a great movie. This isn’t it, but at least it’s ambitious and has its points of interest. Primarily, the message is powerful, assuming you can put the pieces together. Yet it’s so vague, I might be totally off track. It runs 1h 39m and was shot in the summer of 2018 in Georgia in Madison and Hard Labor Creek State Park, which are located about 50-55 miles east of Atlanta and 35 miles south of Athens. Points nearby were also used, like Lake Oconee. GRADE: C"