Bridge to Terabithia (2007) User Reviews

Touching story

[MartianOctocretr5 · 8/10 · 15 March 2007]

A very well mastered family movie with a positive message that addresses topical themes for children in a poignant, focused manner. The children depicted are very real and likable (well, except for the ones you're supposed to dislike, that is), and easy to identify with. The movie is a faithful and touching adaptation of the beloved children's classic book.

The two main characters, Jesse and Leslie (splendidly played by John Hucheson and Annasophia Robb) are typical pre-teens, steering their way through the routine ups and downs kids everywhere deal with, and they develop a friendship/first crush due to their common interests and challenges. They find an old tree house, and create a fantasy castle type kingdom complete with magic, and populated by creatures based on people they know. Unlike so many other fantasy movies, this world is just an amusement for them, not a refuge that they actually "enter." The animation effects of this fantasy kingdom are skillfully executed in such a manner as to point out the reality that exists alongside the fantasy. For example: a tree begins to move, comes to life and performs an action, then relaxes back into its "real" position.

The relationships of all the characters, and what they learn from their experiences, are the true focus, with the fantasy sequences only spicing what's happening. There are many themes touched upon: friendship, tragedy, adventure, creativity, bullies, competition, family life, even making an enemy to a friend. I liked all the characters and the actors that played them; each person helped build the story. Emotional, even heart wrenching in one case, this movie is a gem. Highly recommended.

Story over effects.

[Nez-Alpha · 7/10 · 24 April 2007]

When I sat down to watch Bridge to Terabithia, I did not know quite what to expect. From what I had seen in the trailers, I thought the movie would be about two kids that end up in some magical world, similar to the Chronicles of Narnia (clearly, I did not read the book). Needless to say that I was surprised when actually seeing the movie. I shall not spoil the story for those who have yet to see the movie, but I will say that, in my opinion, this movie is for a more mature audience than one would think. Rather than being a fairytale for youngsters, the movie actually gives the viewer an inside look in a young boy's life and all the troubles he faces, concerning school, family and friends. The setting overall was a lot darker than expected as well. I can be short about the acting. The child-stars that play the lead roles did a great job and really brought the characters to life. On this subject I must give some credit to the director as well, as it is very difficult to work with children and to get them to play the part exactly the way you want them too. One final aspect of the movie that deserves mentioning is the fact that it does not lean on special effects. Although there is a fair amount of nice CGI present in the film, the story dominates. Which in my opinion, is a lot better than the other way around. Overall, I found the movie very enjoyable, but I would advise parents of young children to find out more about the movie, before deciding on whether or not you'll let your kids watch it.

Not a children's story????

[landonfreeman · 8/10 · 4 July 2007]

I have read about 30 reviews on here about this movie, many of them saying this film is not for kids. While I do understand where some parents may be coming from, I have to disagree. I personally read this book when I was in 5th grade. That was 11 years ago, yet somehow that book still sticks in my mind. I honestly had completely forgotten what the book was about, but I remember it being about two kids. Therefore, seeing the movie was like experiencing the story all over again. I DO think this is a good movie for children 10+. Like I already mentioned I was 11 when I read the book for the first time and I remember it having quite a positive impact on me. I didn't remember the novel or what it was about, however I did remember that it touched me in a way that very few books ever did. Kids 10+ need to see this movie.

Death is not something to fear. It is just a passing from one stage in life to the next.

One of those few movies that made me cry.

[ismamuzzaman · 23 September 2019]

This movie is like a happy memory from my childhood. I had seen it once when I was very young and today, as a 20 year old. And honestly, I cried both the times. As a child, I learned what imagination was from this movie. And now, I acknowledge how much freedom I had as a child. This may not have been the best movie ever made, or the best movie I have ever seen, but whenever I will see this movie, I know it will remind me of some of the best memories from my childhood, and remind me how much I should cherish those memories.

I'am glad it wasn't full of digital junk .

[homietime · 7/10 · 18 February 2007]

I think the previews were misleading yes .But i was very glad that there was a story instead of a bunch of bad digital junk .Most of the people in the theater were crying. Sad yes but meaningful. Well written and very likable cast .Very brave .My girlfriend and i were the only two adults without kids and i thought this really is a kids movie but by the end i would have to say it was a little much for kids under 6 or 7 it is a very sad movie .The location was very pleasing .The two main girls were very well cast very engaging and you will see the boy in upcoming films as he is a very sellable kid .I would have to say well worth the price of a ticket

Enough to make a grown man cry

[dvlbr · 9/10 · 23 February 2023]

When Disney agreed to make the movie, did they read the ending?

To be honest it didn't feel like a Disney movie at all, and that's good. It's not a movie for kids, it's a movie for everyone.

The movie is at the same time so distant from reality and yet so close. It all merged so beautifully. This movie touches so many themes at once: friendship, love, family, money, art, creativity, escape, bullying, school, work, kindness, redemption. What a way to learn about all of this.

Jess and Leslie's story is heart-wrenching enough to make a big man cry (not just once). And I'm not a big man. It's all very beautiful.

I don't know about you all but it was great and psychologically destructive to see my childhood's fantasies come to life. What a journey.

I'm not going to talk on that ending because it was a shock. A shock. And I don't think I'm going to be able to recover any time soon.

I guess we all understood a very important thing from this movie: everybody has a crush on Zooey Deschanel.

Hey fellow IMDb reviewers: Get a life!

[cg35 · 6/10 · 12 March 2007]

99% of these comments fall into either of these two categories:

1. OMG, NOT FOR KIDS! Somebody dies! Attack on Christianity! Not like the trailer! 2. This is the best movie ever!

In reality it is somewhere in between. To the haters, realize this movie is really about young adolescence NOT childhood. They two are very different stages in life. What boy of 12 or 13 hasn't had a killer crush on some 20-something woman? I know I did. What boy of 12 or 13 hasn't felt the weight of adult responsibility starting to tug on him and escaped through fantasy? I know I did. What group of children HASN'T had the discussion, away from parents, about the fear of eternal damnation? You are lying if you say you didn't. Remember when girls were tall, and seemed to be full of confidence, while we were still short and lacking it? I do. All these things are fairly normal parts of early adolescence, as are whisperings of parental abuse, and confronting issues of death.

All the above does NOT mean that this movie had some agenda to push on children at the expense of their parents. If anything you should be thankful for being reminded of what being that age is about... maybe it will help you talk to your kids. Two of my friends died when I was a teenager... One of my son's schoolmates was killed by a falling tree a few years back. Death is part of life and we can't shelter children from that fact. This movie provided a good prompting for that issue and others.

On the other hand, this is not a cinematic masterpiece either. It is just a nice little movie. I brought my 13 year old son, and we both enjoyed it as a way to pass a Sunday afternoon. It provided some nice issues for further discussion, but neither of us are gushing about it.

I gave it a 6 because it fell right in the middle - not really a great movie, but certainly not awful. I added one star for the fact that after reading the rantings of so many of the folks that hated it, I figured they needed the poke in the eye more than the folks that loved this movie.

--chuck in the rural pacific northwest

"Terabithia . . . enthralls and absorbs the viewer in the magic of imagination and the reality of every-day life.

[balaenaglacialis · 10/10 · 3 March 2007]

Review: By Morgan Stewart

It is hard to put into writing just how marvelous and wonderful Bridge to Terabithia really is, yet as I attempt it, I can't help feeling disturbed at how ridiculous people are being about the marketing of this film. Thank goodness most real critics have looked past the agreeably deceptive marketing, into the heart and beauty of this film, which, with or with the misleading advertisements is impressive. After seeing it, I struggled to think of a better way of marketing this film, without giving away its ending or taking away the only audience that still seems to watch PG movies, kids.

After watching it, however, I couldn't imagine taking anyone under ten to see it, nor could I imagine anyone under ten enjoying it as much as young adults, or even older audiences would. So, as deceptive as the advertising was, I myself realize that the fascinating story, the charm and skill of the actors, and the good direction of newcomer to live action film-making, Gabor Csupo, more than makes up for the slightly skewed first impressions. And I am eternally grateful that it did not turn into what everyone seemed to want, a cheesy Narnia rip-off. If anything, the movie was a lot better than the preview made it seem to be, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Instead of the brash and rude approach to filming movies, that seems to be the standard today with effects driven movies, Terabithia focuses on the characters, the story, and the heart when telling this beautiful tale. Which, is part of the reason why I enjoyed it so much. Too often now days the story is built around the effects, not around the characters. A rather cumbersome and annoying way to tell a story, or be told a story, if you ask me. Instead, Terabithia uses the talents of both the amazing young actors, and its adult cast to enthrall and absorb the viewer in the magic of imagination and the reality of every-day life.

The story focuses on young Jess Aarons, whose school life and home life aren't all that ideal. He deals with bullies at school, and four sisters at home. Josh Hutcherson, who I haven't particularly enjoyed before, plays the part of Jess perfectly, his emotions and reactions spot on, throughout.

What is a school without the new girl? Leslie Burke, played by AnnaSophia Robb, takes on the part of the imaginative and friendly new girl and brings to Jess gifts of imagination and friendship. Robb truly does a superb job in bringing to life the thoughtful and imaginative Leslie Burke.

All of the supporting cast was also brilliantly portrayed. I especially enjoyed the performances of Robert Patrick as Jess's father, and young Bailee Madison as Jess's little sister May Belle.

Together, Jess and Leslie create a world to call their own. A place that no one else can get to, a place in their imaginations. Terabithia, a land of beautiful creatures and dangerous enemies, springs forth from their imaginations, and becomes a place to call their own, away from the bullies and monotony of everyday life.

What really struck me as brilliant was the limited, yet still perfect number of glimpses into the children's' imaginations. We don't see a lot of Terabithia, which is good, because it is more about the journey of the characters, than the land of Terabithia. That said, it still has quite a few more scenes of adventure than the book by Katherine Patterson, all of which add to, not take away from the story.

The writing, also is quite good. David Patterson, son of the novel's author takes great care when adapting the beloved work of his mother into a screenplay. Most of the lines from the book aren't there, but there are a few which make it in, revealing the care and love that was put into the scripting of this movie. Personally, I enjoy the screenplay of the movie more than the words of the book, but that is just my opinion. The movie's script greatly aided in the believability of the characters, and the motion of the scenes, which were crisp and well-planned.

The movie touched on my every emotion, bringing me to tall peaks of happiness and leaving me teary-eyed and disconsolate, but still had a perfect and satisfying ending. I also, personally thought, the scenes and situations were more powerful, poignant, and realistic, than the book, which surprises me. Usually, the movie can't live up to the book. In this case, the phrase seemed switched around. The book didn't live up to the movie. As weird as it is for me to say this about a movie, Terabithia touched my heart like no film has ever before. And I doubt any film will give me quite the same feeling, ever again.

Not for small children

[carlostrek · 6/10 · 17 February 2007]

I found the theme of the movie, moving. The fantasy portion is use as a tool in showing how two children who are having a difficult time in fitting at their school, can find a common theme that bonds them.

I took my two grandchildren to see the moving, 7 & 11, I can tell you that the 7 year old did not quite get the movie. I was able to use the movie as springboard with my oldest grandchild to discuss the theme of friendship and " spoiler alert" how to cope with the death of a young friend.

It is not your usual Disney movie. An adult friend who came with us, was not happy with the movie and did not think that Disney should have made this movie. This movie reminding a little bit about "Stand by Me".

Great Movie

[godshiva12 · 9/10 · 18 February 2007]

Great movie for all ages I took my five year old and fiancé they loved it.....Josh Hutcherson was great in this and so was Anna Sophia Robb .....People actually cried and clapped after the show it touches your inner child...It will take you through a life experience that not all kids go through in life but you will be absorbed in the film as I was...If you are looking for a great film instead of all the kids movies that rely on jokes that are used over and over ...go to this film and you will be satisfied with drama, light comedy and maybe slight depression of the reality it faces, but your spirit will be lifted as will your child's.

Great concepts, middling execution

[refresh_daemon · 6/10 · 22 July 2007]

I remember reading this book when I was younger, although my memories of it were quite foggy by the time I got around to watching the movie. Sadly, I cannot say that it was a great movie. Rather, it's a palatable movie that suffers a lot from the shift from book to movie.

One thing that really threw me off is the acting of the children. Leslie was very sprite-like, but there was a serious artificiality to her performance that makes it very hard to believe she actually believes what she's saying. Jess on the other hand suffers from only using the acting range that Tom Welling practices on Smallville. That's not to say that Tom Welling's necessarily a limited actor, but that's to say that it's all I see in Jess and that weakens his characterization. Jess' younger sister Maybelle is quite cute and surprisingly believable as the annoying younger sister and most of the other players do a decent job with what little roles they have.

I really remember loving the story when I was younger because it related directly to my own imaginative flights of fancy and the real-world portion was also relevant to me at the same time. However, when the story gets translated into a movie format, it drags a lot because, in the book, a lot of the conflict was inside the character rather than outside. And so we get stuck with a lot of brooding scenes (hence the Smallville reference) and not a lot of external conflict (or internal conflict fueling external conflict). With such weak hooks and lack of believability in the actors, it's hard to really get into the picture because there's nothing bringing you in and a whole lot making it hard to be similarly immersed.

But it's not bad. In fact, the film shines best in the real world segments because the conflict is much more palpable and there is good drama there. It's just that when you have to suffer through all the less believable flights of fancy (not unbelievable because it's fantastic, but rather, because it's just not well driven or expressed), it really bogs down the film. I personally think a rewrite that reworks the story, or the perspective of the story, might have been good for its screen debut.

But it's clean and simple and deals with issues that children sometimes have to face, which I can applaud it for. I just wish it were done in such a way that it drew me better into the story rather than emoting it to me. It's passable. 6/10.

Couldn't Have Done Better

[katie-joy · 10/10 · 16 February 2007]

When I heard back in August 2006 that they were making the award winning book "Bridge to Terabithia" into a movie, I immediately reread the book. But, it took my only a few hours, and I had months to wait. Today, February 16th, I saw it, and I have a few things all of you might want to know. This movie is very kid friendly, if you are very concerned about what your kids see, then, this might be good. There are a few imaginary "scary" figures, but it's not like a horror movie. The actors did so wonderfully well, it scares me. Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia were always favorites of mine, but they surprised me anyway. They played the roles well. It teaches you a lesson, also, and it shows some how to use an imagination. I thought this movie was marvelous, and it deserves to be watched by millions. It couldn't have done better.

How to Spoil a Pleasant and Sweet Tale of Friendship and Imagination with an Unnecessary Tragedy

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 4 January 2008]

The country boy Jesse Aarons (Josh Hutcherson) is an artistically talented only son of a low class family that lives in the country with his four sisters and his parents. He feels needy of attention at home and he is outcast in the Lark Creek School, having trouble with the bully mates. However, his life changes with the arrival of the newcomer Leslie Burke (AnnaSophia Robb), the daughter of a couple of writers that moves to the next door house. Jesse and Leslie become close friends, and the imaginative girl creates Terabithia with him, a kingdom of their own with trolls, monsters, furred vultures and ogres. With the fantasy, the life of Jesse becomes bearable until the day a tragedy happens.

After watching "Bridge to Terabithia" I immediately recalled my disappointment with the 1991 "My Girl". In both movies, there is a common and unnecessary tragedy that spoils a pleasant and sweet tale of friendship and innocent love. I do not know what the intention of Katherine Paterson was since I have not read her book; however, the situation disclosed in the film by the director Gabor Csupo with the tragic fate of Leslie is absolutely unnecessary. Therefore I believe the director and screenplay writers failed, showing only a heartbreaking and touching situation that could be avoided. I was impressed with the charm, beauty and talent of AnnaSophia Robb in the role of Leslie Burke, and I loved her character; and I never forget Josh Hutcherson, the Gabe of the delightful and sweet first love story "Little Manhattan". But "Bridge to Terabithia" is very disappointing and overrated. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Ponte para Terabithia" ("Bridge to Terabithia")

Falsely advertised

[Blandons · 5/10 · 16 February 2007]

I went to this film with my 7 year old expecting to see something like Narnia. That's what the commercials showed - magical creatures, enchanted lands, beautiful castles. But those fantasies, which are the only parts of this film that are advertised, only make up about 20 minutes of footage. The rest of the film is about bullies, child abuse, a distant father and DEATH! When Leslie died I was ready to take my son (and myself) out of the theater, but I decided that may be more traumatic.

My point here is - the advertising of this film is very misleading. It has little to do with magic. It is a film based in real life with real life problems. It is suitable for OLDER kids.

Mislead - Comments refer to aspects of the story that could be perceived as spoilers. Read with this in mind.

[lisa-1006 · 22 February 2007]

I have not seen this film, but my husband took my daughter and 3 other girls who are all 7 years old to see it. I sit with my daughter many hours a week while the Disney channel is on and have watched the numerous commercials and heavy marketing this film has received on the Disney network. Every clip represents the movie as a 'fantasy' film, with young children engaging in an imaginary world. There was never any mention or representation of any of the negative aspects of the story, some of which are extremely significant and potentially upsetting. This includes commercials, 'behind the scenes' segments and interviews with the cast. Thus, for those of us who did not read the book, aspects of the movie came as a serious shock and really upset our children and many of the other children in the theater.

I don't think that Disney is accurately representing the film on their network and, had we any idea what we were in for, would not have brought our children to see it. As a suggestion to others, before you spend your hard earned money, you may wish to do a little more research into the story and consider limiting the film to children who are a little older and/or know what to expect.

Close your eyes, but keep your mind wide open . . .

[revan-rose · 9/10 · 18 February 2007]

Bridge To Terabithia

I have not read the book and did not see this movie with many expectations.

To begin with, this is a story of Jesse Aarons (Josh Hutcherson). Jesse is the fastest runner in his class and very proud of being so. Frequently picked on by the local bullies, troubled with the financial situation back home and oft ignored by all but one of his 5 sisters, he immerses himself within his drawings as an escape... Leslie Burke (AnnaSophia Robb)is the new-kid in his class. She has a panache for writing which coupled by her ability to outrun all the guys in her class (including Jesse) ensures that she doesn't have the best luck making new friends. However, with their affinity to be picked on, Jesse and Leslie soon find themselves extremely fond of each other and off looking for a place of their own... This is Terabithia...

And this is where I'll end my summary for I do not wish to go into the spoilers for the movie.

All the kids in the movie really shine in their respective roles. As many reviewers have said before me, Josh and AnnaSophia are a wonderful pair! I would also like to mention the young Bailee Madison (playing Josh's younger sister) for her portrayal of May Belle.

However, what truly lifts this movie from "good" to "great" is the simplicity of the whole story. This is a children's movie through and through and but do not expect a typical Disney feel-good comedy. Do not also expect huge CG sequences like say, The Chronicles of Narnia.

This movie is full of heart and everything about it is shown from the eyes of a child. Life, is not a pretty thing and more than the magical kingdom of Terabithia, this is a tale of a young kids' coming to terms with matters of being bullied, being loved, having a true friend and even trying to understand death.

By the end of it all, many people around me were moved to tears and I myself was trying desperately to hold back. The movie, its message and its delivery are all beautiful.

On a critical note, the only thing about the movie that I didn't particularly love was the music. The music in general wasn't very well suited and certain songs were just not needed, but I suppose thats what the MTv culture demands.

In conclusion, I highly recommend it. Go and watch this movie and if you have them, take your children... They'll love it!

9/10

Decent children movie, with some questionable patterns

[BeneCumb · 7/10 · 4 December 2013]

In the world of both wealth and generation gaps as well as changes in values, it is not easy for a child to grow up and find his/her own way - there are so many obstacles and challenges, and kids with strong character and/or home support are able to overcome them more or less smoothly. The rest would wade into hobbies or imaginary world - as we see in Bridge to Terabithia where two loners/ soul-mates find their time and place to exit real problems and difficulties. Well, it is logical, but it appears as a recommendation for others suffering from bullying, abusive family etc. - which is definitely not the best way of encouragement. The plot is also not too smooth, the most interesting part is Leslie and Jesse together until the certain twist, the ending is a bit insipid, the introductory part has too many clichés; digital effects, however, are splendidly made. But the cast is nicely strong, both children and adults, particularly Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Robert Patrick, Zooey Deschanel.

All in all, the movie in question is a above-average creation, with lots of realistic elements concerning most of families. One must still bear in mind that its undertone rather gloomy than positive, being not suitable for every child.

Truly Moving Picture

[tollini · 10/10 · 24 January 2007]

I saw this film on January 23rd, 2007 in Indianapolis. I am one of the judges for the Heartland Film Festival's Truly Moving Picture Award. A Truly Moving Picture "…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life." Heartland gave that award to this film.

This is a story of a poor 10-year old boy who wants to be the fastest boy in his class at school. To his surprise, the new girl who moves in next door to him beats him out fair and square and wins the race. This is no way to start a relationship or friendship.

However, they have something in common. They are both being bullied at school. And they each react differently. The boy, Jesse, is passive and tries to stay out of harm's way. The girl, Leslie, is aggressive and challenges her tormentors. Who knows what the right way is to fight bullying, but they find their defense in friendship with each other. And, they find a wonderful way to experience this trying time in life via their vivid imagination and the creation of a magical and enchanting kingdom that is very real to them.

They are both creative people. He is an artist and she is a writer. These creative people are able to close their eyes, picture another world, and keep their minds open to fantastic visions.

But the bullying persists and they attempt to come to grips with their pain in various ways. They try to out smart their tormentors and do, but they don't enjoy being bullies and becoming like their enemies.

This story is based on a Newbery-winning novel. It is a child's story. But, it is also a story for adults. It will bring you emotionally to your knees. It is lovingly and professionally told, and the fantasy part of the story – the magical kingdom – is wonderfully and briefly shown on the screen. This keeps the story grounded and believable.

Jesse and Leslie are beautiful people regardless of their ages. They show us how to enjoy life, how to do the right things, how to be faithful to one's friends, and have hope for the future. We learn a lot from these ten year old children.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.

It's Alright....

[jaddison383 · 6/10 · 19 February 2007]

It was definitely better than I expected. The trailer made it look very different than what it actually was. That's a good thing, though; the movie had a real story to it.

The performances were all very nice. Mr. Josh Hutcherson has done quite well for himself, and he gets better every time. Anna Sophia Robb was enchanting as the lead girl as well. And Zooey Deschanel... well what can I say? She's brilliant and beautiful.

Yeah, you should go see it. It's worth your money. Don't expect just easy-cheesy kids stuff either. It IS better than all that. It's very sad, but hopeful. I better stop before I give anything else away. 6/10 stars!

Jay Addison

Cried like a baby, Amazing film.

[nerds_are_sexy · 10/10 · 27 February 2007]

About 10 years ago, when I was 8-years-old, a schoolteacher friend of my mother's gave me a book to read, and that book was Bridge to Terabithia. I was absolutely enthralled by the novel, and found myself crying at the end, the first time a work of fiction had made me cry. The magic and wonder of the book stuck with me the past decade, so you can imagine my excitement when I found out it was being turned into a movie!

I went in with high expectations and was not in any way disappointed. The movie version of Bridge was incredibly true to the book, and the young actors portraying Leslie and Jess did a fantastic job. One of my favorite parts was Zooey Deschenal as the music teacher, the way she got the kids singing those songs was fabulous, those scenes were my favorites. They were so well done, with the children looking like they truly cared about what they were singing, putting all their feeling into it.

The most powerful aspect of the film was the portrayal of the imagination children possess. My friends and I found ourselves crying when Jess finally "kept his mind wide open" as Leslie suggested, and saw Terabithia for the first time. It broke my heart to realize that, at 18, I no longer possess the imagination and creativity that Jess and Leslie did at their young age.

Terabithia was shown as the perfect escape mechanism for the two kids, to get away from their bullies and family troubles. It was amazing how their fantasy world, where they were a brave King and Queen, gave them the courage to stand up to their bullies.

The moment Jess found out he was going to the museum with his teacher, I broke down, because I knew what was coming. When Jess' father breaks the new of Leslie's death, your heart all but breaks. The scenes that follow can be very difficult to watch, particularly when the kids are next shown in music class, singing a mournful sort of tune very sadly, Jess with his head on his desk, fighting back tears.

The movies wraps up beautifully with Jess bringing his ever-present little sister Maybel to Terabithia, having finally built a bridge into he and Leslie's secret kingdom. He tells her she is the princess, and that her subjects, the Terabithians, were all very excited to see her.

The whole movie was so powerful, and has a devastating effect on those of us who miss the innocence of childhood, when all one needed to have a good time was the head on their shoulders.

10 out of 10.

A little thin, but good for children

[zetes · 7/10 · 19 March 2007]

*THIS COMMENT DEFINITELY CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I read the book by Katherine Patterson way back in grade school. I remembered nothing about it but that the little girl died. It's a charming little story about imagination and friendship, and for kids it's mostly excellent just because it's so easy to recognize one's own life. But, yeah, it's memorable because it was the first book I ever read where one of the main characters died unexpectedly. And even if it's sad for kids, it's important to know about death. The film itself is decent, if unremarkable (in all honesty, the book is probably not as good as it seemed when I was 10). It has fantasy elements, but they are so (thankfully) sparse that they feel like they were invented just to put them in the commercials. They aren't (very) annoying when they're there. I'll bet that, for the same reasons that I remember it, it will become a beloved classic among the current crop of kids.

Good performances from the kids

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 25 October 2014]

Jesse Aarons (Josh Hutcherson) is picked on at school, and is forced to wear his sister's hand-me-down sneakers. His father (Robert Patrick) is a poor farmer. Leslie Burke (AnnaSophia Robb) is new in school. Jesse strives to be the fastest runner but then he gets beat by the new girl. It turns out that she's their neighbor. She is an imaginative writer and he's constantly drawing in his book. He's infatuated with the music teacher Ms. Edmunds (Zooey Deschanel). At first, he doesn't like the new girl but he finds her to be a fellow traveler bullied by the other kids. Together, they find a worn out rope swing. They create the imaginary fantasy land of Terabithia just across the creek.

There is a big twist in the movie that turns this into something more than a run-of-the-mill kids movie. It's a fine kids movie for most of the film with great performances from Hutcherson and especially Robb. It's not too sugary. The characters have great personalities and good emotions. It's not the first time that this twist happened in a family movie. It is a big surprise when it happens because it's not really hinted at. This one is done well.

Deceived By The Commercial Trailer; not for younger kids

[filmoman · 6/10 · 18 February 2007]

I took my 6 year old daughter to watch this movie in the theater. It was her first time. I have never heard of the book before so for me was a totally new story I knew nothing about but what the movie trailer was showing. According to it I expected to see something about a fantasy world with fantastic creatures and adventures somewhat similar to Chronicles Of Narnia. I was disappointed to see that all those wonderful images shown in the trailer were pretty much all there was in the movie itself as well. That is about 5 to 10 minutes from a total of 1.5 hours of movie.

On top of that the girl's death took me totally by surprise and I found myself in the situation where instead a nice fantastic story for a 6 year old girl to be faced with a very real and tragic life story.

Don't get me wrong, the movie was very well done and it is a very good one but in my opinion not for kids younger than 10 years old. Fortunately my daughter took the moment very well and when I asked her if she liked it she told me yes but a yes that was also hiding a little disappointment.

I think that every parent should be warned about this movie.

Not the movie they advertised

[bigbenboys · 5/10 · 16 February 2007]

Having not read the book, I had no notion what the story was about, except that it had two kids and their adventures in the land of Terabithia. Boy was I surprised. I found the movie confusing, mean, and upsetting. They really never developed the back story of the kids, to explain why they are some what misfit. There wasn't much activity in or about Terabithia except at the very end of the movie. There's a creepy teacher, who I felt was not developed as the kind caring understanding type of teacher but as being just a little to interested in the boy, when she only takes him on a field trip into the city. Last, The death of the girl. When the girl drowns in the creek, I was shocked. I had tears flowing down my face. It was very sad and I really wasn't expecting this twist. This movie is advertised as a children's movie. I can imagine how this would really upset children. So I say, the reviews/advertising, should have have warned me of the true nature of this story.

Never has simplicity been so beautiful

[harry_tk_yung · 2 June 2007]

To those who have not encountered the book, the trailer of Terabithia is criminally misleading, having you believe that this is another Narnia story of kids stumbling into a fantasyland. But if that is what it takes to bring the audience into the theatre, I'll give it a "not guilty" verdict, as the movie is definitely worth seeing. No Narnia though. Terabithia is more comparable to "Pan's Labyrinth" in structure, in children escaping from unhappiness of reality into an imaginative fantasy world. The focus of the movie is the real world; the fantasy world is only a subordinating allegory. But then, "Pan's Labyrinth" is dark, dark, dark. "Terabithia" is nothing like that.

I suppose "Terabithia" could be looked upon as a coming of age movie, but that really does not quite describe the movie. It is more like a very brief slice in the life of a 10-year-old boy. Unlike the devastating experience of Ofelia in "Pan's Labyrinth" during a cruel war, the experience of Jesse is quite ordinary, with the "villains" being no worse than bullies that all of us have encountered in school, and misfortune no wore than being born in a poor family (from which came, incidentally, many great men). Out of this ordinary life, however, comes an episode that becomes the memory of a lifetime. In its deceptive simplicity, the movie covers so many different elements that give you so much to reflect on.

It is worth repeating that what we see in the movie is ordinary, even if it will disappoint those audience whose capacity to appreciate simple things has been completely wrecked by images of a hopelessly distorted world some movie makers present, out of incompetence to impress an audience with anything better than shock, shock and more shock. Spice and more spicy spice, sweets and sweeter sweets will eventually destroy the taste bud entirely. One critic comments that watching this movie is like taking in a drink of pure water from a fresh spring.

To say more would take away some of the pleasures of watching this movie. Suffices to say that it is at once simple and complex because of the loving attention given to simple feelings we often ignore. There is no pretense to sophisticated emotions or things like Freudian complexes. All the emotions presented simply and honestly in this movie we can recognize easily from our daily lives. That is what makes this movie so endearing.

The movie rests on the two lead, Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb, at their early teens playing 5th graders. They are marvelous. There is also a wonderful supporting cast.