After more than a decade of silence, the skies above Cloister are rumbling again. Jack the Giant Slayer: Rise of Gorgomor is the long-awaited sequel to Bryan Singer’s 2013 fantasy adventure, and it promises to take the original’s fairy-tale energy into darker, bolder territory.
Set five years after the first film, the sequel opens with Jack (Nicholas Hoult returning with maturity and grit) now a knight of the realm. Peace between humans and giants has held—until rumors of an ancient, banished Titan named Gorgomor begin to spread. Unlike the giants Jack once fought, Gorgomor is no lumbering brute: he’s a cunning warlord who once ruled the skies with godlike power before being imprisoned beneath the roots of the earth.
When a forbidden beanstalk sprouts deep in the northern mountains, Jack and Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) lead an expedition into the unknown. They discover a shattered society of rebel giants who warn them: Gorgomor has awakened. Worse still, he’s seeking the Crown of Control, an artifact that can enslave both men and giants.
Directed by David Lowery (The Green Knight), the film blends mythical atmosphere with modern fantasy spectacle. Gone are the cartoonish tones of the original; Rise of Gorgomor is more grounded, evoking the scale and depth of The Lord of the Rings or Willow, while still holding onto the swashbuckling charm of Jack’s character.
The visual effects are top-notch, especially in the aerial battles between flying giants and siege towers tethered to floating islands. Gorgomor himself—voiced by Ralph Fiennes—is a memorable villain, equal parts Shakespearean and terrifying.
But beyond the action, the film smartly explores themes of legacy, responsibility, and coexistence. Jack, no longer the wide-eyed farm boy, must question the old tales: are all giants truly monsters? And does humanity deserve to rule the skies alone?
While the pacing lags slightly in the second act, and a few side characters feel underdeveloped, the overall journey is satisfying. The ending sets up a potential trilogy, with a final shot teasing the return of the legendary "Skyborne Throne"—a floating city said to house the first humans and giants.
