Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

MusicChat It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

pc95 I see there's quite a few comparisons here with "Stand By Me", and the 2 movies are comparable, but only to the extent that the main characters are young teenage boys. From there, the movies diverge quite a bit. This French movie is darker and enveloped by contemporary issues - especially neglect and drugs. "Les Geants" is beautifully photographed - its settings are pristine and its young stars are full of life and vitality. As is the case with many movies, pacing sometimes slows, and we're caught occasionally waiting for something to move the plot along. The ending is open-ended, and though not as good as Stand-by-Me, it is a worthy effort. 6.5/10

gregking4 The Giants is an enjoyable but dark and moody coming of age tale from Belgian actor turned director Bouli Lanners (Nothing To Declare, etc). Cowritten by Lanners and Elise Ancion, the film is reminiscent of Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn and the classic Stand By Me, and it captures that awkwardness of burgeoning adolescence. Teenage brothers - 16 year old Seth (Martin Nissen) and 13 year old Zak (Zacharie Chasseriaud) are left by their absent mother to fend for themselves over the summer. Zac continually hopes that their mother will return, which adds a poignant note to their journey throughout the film. They spend time in their late grandfather's house near the lake, and their misadventures run the gamut from the comic to the more frightening. When they begin to run out of money they try to find ways to earn some extra cash. But when they hook up with Dany (Paul Bartel) they find themselves caught up in some adventures that are both scary and comical. They rent out their grandfather's house to the untrustworthy, cocaine snorting, marijuana growing Boeuf (Didier Toupy) and his minion Angel (who just happens to be Dany's older brother). The adults here add a sense of menace to proceedings although they are largely underused and clichéd characters. The three boys also find a sympathetic woman (played by Marthe Keller) who temporarily provides them with shelter and a safe haven. And there are some evocative shots of the tranquil Belgian landscape from cinematographer Jean-Paul de Zaetijd (returning to work with Lanners after 2008's festival-hit, Eldorado) that enrich the film. This is the third feature film from Lanners, following El Dorado and Ultranova, and he maintains a leisurely pace throughout as he evokes the freedoms and simple pleasures of childhood. But the film also has a darker edge as it explores some hard-hitting modern realities, such as poverty, drugs, abandonment and homelessness. The performances from the three boys are wonderfully natural and unforced and they develop a wonderful chemistry. Of the three young stars though it is Chasseriaud who stands out as Zac. He provides a natural, winning performance and is utterly compelling to watch. Karim Leklou in particular brings energy and menace to his role as the psychotically violent Angel, Dany's unhinged older brother.The melancholy score from Belgian folk musician The Bony King Of Nowhere is also evocative and adds to the mood of the film.

insomnia Bouli Lanners, a name unknown to me, directed this rather intriguing film. The story tells of a friendship among three teenagers, two of who are brothers. The other teenage has an older brother who sells and uses drugs and regularly beats up his younger brother for hanging around with the other kids. All three kids live in the house belonging to the two brother's deceased grandfather. They are bored out of their minds, whiling away the hours, smoking joints, going for joyrides in the grand father's car and when they're hungry, stealing food from the neighbour's cellar. Eventually, what little money they have, finally runs out. Later, when the older boy introduces them to a man who offers them money if they'll let him rent the house in order to grow marijuana, they reluctantly accept. In a way, "Les Geants" explores the same territory as "Lord of The Flies" – William Goldman's classic tale of children left to fend for themselves. While the children in "Lord of The Flies" eventually turn feral, the children in "Les Geants" manage to cling onto some form of normality, by rejecting their upbringing and finally, choosing adventure above familial security. Bouli Lanners gets terrific performances out of the cast, especially out of the three main characters. The film is beautifully shot – long close-ups of grasses waving in the breeze, the sun glinting off winding rivers and glorious sunsets. The pace is unhurried and no shot is wasted. This is not a great film by any means, but it's a lot better than the dross that passes for film making these days.

george karpouzas This is the story of two young brothers and a friend of them trying to survive in an indifferent or even hostile environment in modern day France. Some of the people they encounter are evil- as a drug-dealer that tries to swindle them or a rather abusive young man acting as the drug-dealers stooge other are kind- as a lady that finds them on the road and offers them food and shelter.The boys themselves are no saints since they still, enter the houses of other people and speak a very foul language. But it is an interesting story of survival and resilience as well as friendship in a bleak modern social and natural environment.