Cert 12A 106mins Stars 3

Mythic monsters and mental illness fight for the soul of teenage girl in this sincere and  thought provoking fantasy drama.

Set in the US and filmed in Belgium and Ireland, its ideas occupy a similar territory to last years magnificent A Monster Calls.

Madison Wolfe carries the film as Barbara, a witheringly articulate teen who copes with her problems by retreating into a fantasy world, where she combats giants and titans with her magical powers.

However those around her see only truancy, arson and violence, not least her counsellor. She’s played by an impressively understated Zoe Saldana, and there’s strong support from Brits, Imogen Poots and Sydney Wade.

Based on the graphic novel of the same name, it’s combines live action with some impressive CGI animation.

With men absent or ineffectual, women are multi-tasking homemakers and carers who deal with illness, job security, and work stress, meaning there’s far more than one person killing giants here.