Fifth grader Jesse Aaron?s hopes of becoming the fastest runner in his class are dashed when new girl Leslie Burke outruns everybody, including him. However, Jess and Leslie soon begin a friendship, and discover a magical... more » fantasy kingdom in the forest, where the two of them reign together as king and queen.« less
A young Hunger Games Josh Hutcherson is in this and shines bright with others. Quite the fun ride! A must watch!
Brad S. (Snibot) from DALLAS, TX Reviewed on 1/30/2010...
This movie is just powerful.
No, it is not Narnia, the entire story is not in the magical world, this is really the story of friendship and family.
AnnaSophia Robb always delivers a wonderful performance, and this is no exception. Josh Hutcherson is believable, and really delivers here as well. Bailee Madison was amazing.
Scenery was just outstanding, and the fantasy scenes were wonderful. The story was cleaver and fresh, the script was good, but backed up with these performances it was moving.
Great movie, if you are into kids movies. My son loved it, my wife liked it (and she doesn't care for this kind of movie,) and my parents liked it.
Movie Reviews
A remarkable film
Tom Knapp | Lancaster, PA USA | 07/04/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I watched "The Bridge to Terabithia" on a whim with my wife and daughter with little foreknowledge of the plot. I'd never read the Newbery Award-winning book by Katherine Paterson, and I'd seen only one trailer for the film, which left me with the impression it would be a Narnia knock-off. It's not.
I'm not dissing "The Chronicles of Narnia," which in its way was a remarkable film. But "Terabithia" didn't deserve the CGI-laden marketing campaign it received; far from a fantasy blockbuster, this is a deep and thoughtful movie that places substance over sparkle -- a rare treat in the sprawling field of youth-oriented theater. It ranks up there with one of my favorites, "The Secret of Roan Inish," which accomplished more with no special effects than most family-friendly movies could with a billion-dollar budget.
But I just can't shake "Terabithia" from my head, a fact owed mostly to the performance of AnnaSophia Robb. As Leslie, a spirited young girl with a fiery imagination and endless good cheer, AnnaSophia captured my heart. She's the kind of person you want to know when you're a child and, as my wife remarked midway through the film, she's the sort of young woman you'd be happy to see your daughter grow up to be.
An outsider despite her youthful good looks and family wealth, she finds her perfect match in Jesse (Joss Hutcherson), another outsider who has withdrawn into his art to escape a chilly home life and his own problems at school. Together, they discover a secret getaway that might seem like a fairly ordinary patch of woods to most people; to them, it's a magical world replete with fantastic creatures, hidden dangers and amazing triumphs. It's here the special effects intrude more than accentuate the film; the story would have benefited from a vaguer sense of Jesse and Leslie's own wonder. We don't need to see CGI creatures to believe that these two children do.
The strength here, besides outstanding performances from the two lead actors, is the impact of a story that knows no amount of fantasy can prevent real-life tragedies from occurring. And the tragedy here -- it's hard to write about it without giving it away -- slams into unsuspecting viewers like a sudden kick to the gut.
Parents of younger viewers should be prepared to have a long and serious talk with their children after this movie, but that's not a recommendation to avoid it. "Terabithia" deserves to be seen, discussed and seen again. (Although use some discretion; very young children should wait before seeing this.) My thanks to director Gabor Csupo, as well as writer Paterson, for giving kids something honest and real rather than another serving of high-energy fluff.
by Tom Knapp, Rambles.(n e t) editor"
Crossing The Bridge Between Fantasy And Reality
K. Fontenot | The Bayou State | 03/19/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I know absolutely nothing about the young adult novel that this film, "Bridge to Terabithia," is based on. For this reason, I will only review this film for its contents and not on how well it translates the book to the screen. With that said, I can claim that "Bridge to Terabithia" is just one more wonderful film that's been produced as of late for youngsters that's based on a book or book series. Produced by Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures, this film tells the story of Jesse Aarons (Josh Hutcherson of "Zathura"), a boy who lives in poverty but escapes from reality through drawing fantastical creatures and worlds. When a new neighbor moves in who marches to the beat of a different drum, the two of them combine their imaginations to create the kingdom of Terabithia. The neighbor is Leslie Burke, and she's played by the likeable and enthusiastic AnnaSophia Robb ("Because of Winn-Dixie," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"). She and Jesse take their personal miseries from school and at home and turn them into trolls, evil squirrels, grenade-like pinecones and a whole slew of other creatures. All of the bad people of Terabithia are lead by the Dark Master, a smoky, phantom-like creature.
As the story unfolds, Jesse and Leslie form a strong friendship both in reality and in fantasy. When Jesse is asked to go to the museum by his music teacher (the excellent Zooey Deschanel), he intentionally leaves Leslie behind. Why? Because like any most boys in middle school he happens to have a crush on his music teacher (It's Zooey Deschanel, who wouldn't?). When a tragedy occurs, Jesse's worlds, real and fantasy, experience dramatic changes.
"Bridge to Terabithia" is essentially a coming-of-age tale where kids who aren't quite children but haven't yet reached adulthood come to feel the consequences of reality. Jesse and Leslie love their fantasy world, but each day brings more reality with it. The cast is headed up by Hutcherson, Robb, and young Bailee Madison (Jesse's cute little sister, May Belle). The supporting cast includes Deschanel, the always reliably gruff Robert Patrick ("Terminator 2") and Lauren Clinton. While the adults play key roles in this film, it's really all about the kids.
The special effects are very good, though most pre-teens will pick up on their limitations. However, the special effects take a backseat to the story, which is always refreshing to see these days.
Parents with younger children should know that the tragedy aforemetioned may be very tough for youngsters to take. I won't go into details, but just know that it's one of the gravest tragedies that can occur in anyone's life. There are also two instances of strong language. The "d" word is used repetively in both of them. One occurs in the back of a truck after church and the other happens in the greenhouse at Jesse's home when he loses his father's keys. Other than that, there isn't anything in the film that you really need to look out for.
As a fantasy tale, "Terabithia" works well. It works better as a film about a young boy and his friend who come to terms with reality. I highly recommend this film for families, just be prepared to do some heavy explaining with younger children (under eight) when reality really, really hits home. Fans of this movie may also enjoy "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe," the "Harry Potter" films (although as Harry gets older, the movies and books become geared more towards older children), and "The Neverending Story." Also, even though I haven't read this particular book, I have read plenty of other young adult books in my day. Pick up "A Wrinkle In Time" by Madeleine L'Engle, any of the "Harry Potter" books, or any other wonderful child and pre-teen fantasy for your children to read if they enjoy this film.
Highly recommended."
Falsely Advertised, but Very Good
Christian Teppic | 04/03/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I read the original book The Bridge to Terabithia when I was a kid. I don't remember very much from the book, but I remembered the general premise and the ending. When I originally read it, I really liked the book. So, obviously, when hearing that they were making it into a movie, I was very skeptical. Most good books don't translate into good movies. Then I saw the previews for the movie, and I was even more skeptical. This was not a book about fantasy lands and magical beings. This is no Chronicles of Narnia. I think it's much better, but it's certainly different.
This movie is about friendship, and imagination. It's the story of two fifth-graders, Jesse and Leslie, next-door neighbors, who are both outcasts. They aren't readily accepted in school, and aren't in love with their home lives, either. They grow a fast friendship where they "travel" to an imaginary land, Terabithia. In reality, it's just the woods behind their houses. All of the CGI that you see advertised is simply their imagination, and there's really very little of it. Just about every CGI-animated scene in the movie is shown in the previews. That is NOT what this movie is about, although that's what Disney would have you believe. It's about imagination and creativity, and how children should be encouraged to use that imagination.
I have a problem with all of the parents giving this movie terrible reviews because they say it's not child-appropriate. I don't have an opinion as to whether or not it's appropriate for children, that's for each individual parent to decide. Some kids can handle it, some can't. It doesn't take much research, however, to find out that this is not the happiest of stories. Any parent who really cares about what their kids see is going to research the movie BEFORE allowing their kids to see it. That involves either looking it up online, asking friends who have already seen it (or read the book), or watching it themselves FIRST to screen what their children see. I will not ruin the story by saying what happens, but if you really want to know, spend five minutes doing some research. Read the other reviews on this page, for crying out loud. But if you bring your kids to a movie that you haven't researched at all and it's not what you expect, don't blame the movie for your lack of effort. I understand Disney falsely advertised this movie, of course they did. Advertising it as another Chronicles of Narnia is certainly going to bring more sales in. But this movie is VERY GOOD. One reviewer said you have to be masochistic to enjoy a movie like this. I don't believe that's true. You simply have to appreciate a well-told story. Sometimes life sucks, and sometimes really terrible things happen. That's what the book was about, and this movie is faithful to that story.
I'm in my mid-twenties. When I went to see this, I went with a few friends of mine, all of us adults. Every one of us loved it. The two main actors (the two kids) are REALLY good. Jesse is the introvert and Leslie is the extrovert. You really buy into their friendship as you watch them learn to know one another. You want Jesse to punch the bully in the face; you want Leslie to stand up to the eighth-grader.
By the end, you could hear plenty of sniffles throughout the audience, including coming from my friends. Heck, I knew the story beforehand, and I still teared up. It's difficult to watch, but I believe the story was handled with very much care by Disney. Overall, this is an excellent movie, if not with reservations. If you're concerned with what your children see, then spend some time and find out what's in the plotline. But this movie is really good. "
When Reality Becomes Dreams
Staci L. Wilson | USA | 06/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia YA 1977 novel is a classic. One I never read when I was a kid, but I understand it's quite beloved and indeed sacred to some -- not the least of which is Paterson's son David, for whom the book was written and who also shares a screenwriting credit on the film. So, everything had to be just right: from the human-being casting, to the use of special effects which help bring the fantasy kingdom of Terabithia to life.
When the movie came out on the big screen earlier this year every trailer, TV spot and preview showed trolls, ogres, and magical, spontaneously self-buildings bridges springing up. It looked like Lord of Rings on kiddie-safe steroids. But the movie itself isn't about all that, which understandably wrought a bit of a backlash from those not familiar with the novel's very real, grounded themes about regular kids and their very normal day-to-day struggles.
The story follows Jesse (Josh Hutcherson), a fifth-grader who's not terribly popular. There is nothing wrong with him, but there's nothing "right" either. He's not outgoing, rich or popular, but he is something of an athlete -- that is, until the new student in his class, a slip of a girl named Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb) beats him in a footrace. At first, he holds a grudge but before long the two dreamy, artistic kids become best friends, and allies against the school's bully brigade. Their secret refuge is a tree-house in the woods, a place Leslie calls Terabithia. The children imagine all sorts of wondrous and scary things there, in an attempt to free their minds from their otherwise troubled lives (Jesse's parents are struggling financially, while only-child Leslie feels neglected by her busy dad and mom).
Since Disney optioned this book, you can bet there's some tears to be jerked -- but it's an ultimately uplifting, beautiful and honest portrayal of life-lessons learnt in childhood. Hutcherson and Robb are very well-cast and their acting is pretty much flawless (none of the "cutesy" or "obnoxious" child-actor antics here). Real kudos go to director Gabor Csupo, who not only grasped (as best as I can tell) the source material, but added cinematic dimension to it for those who are not familiar with the novel. (I'm looking forward to seeing what he does with his next project, The Moon Princess -- based on a book I did read, and loved!, as a child: The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge).
The DVD offers an array of extras (and nice supplements, such as closed captions for the hearing-impaired), my favorite of which was a solid featurette on Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia novel. It offers interviews not only with the author herself, but insight from teachers who've assigned the book to their classes over the years, plus excerpts from the text and illustrations.
Over all, Bridge to Terabithia is a definite must-buy DVD for kids and Disney-weaned adults alike. "
My vote for Picture of the Year
Tim Phillips | 05/11/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I must admit I did not discover the book until the early 1990s as part of a children's Lit class. Even so, the haunting tale of Jess and Leslie stayed with me ever since, and I was both concerned and delighted when I heard of the Disney version's coming release. Someone earlier said the trailers were misleading, and they were but intentionally so. Anyone who had read the book prior to seeing this tale KNOWS it's not about the special effects. So where does that leave us? With a slew of unbelieveable performances.
I knew of Robert Patrick mainly through the Terminator 2 and X-Files, so I wondered if he could pull off a role like this. The man is magnificent as Jess' father. Rough, rugged, and tough, he looks like a man who's fought with the devil and spit in his eye...yet he is tender and caring towards his son when tragedy strikes...and not one scene of it feels false or fake.
What is there to say about Zooey Deschanel (sp?) except that the woman is an immense, and so far, undertapped talent. Discovered in Will Farrell's "Elf", she once again shines as the school's music teacher.
The film, however, belongs to Jess and Leslie, and the supporting actors obviously knew and understood this. There is not a single adult that gives a heavy-handed performance. From the girls who play Jess' teenage sisters, all the way to his initially mean-spirited teacher at the beginnings of the film, each one shines in his or her own right. Their performances are moving and just right.
The stars are magnificent: Josh and AnnaSophia are perfectly cast. I know several people thought Miss Robb was a little too "modern" or "perfect-looking" for the role of Leslie, but I would strongly disagree. She is the perfect tomboy....note the scene in which she wears a beautiful dress to church, along with combat boots. It is her spark, her zest for life, that helps make the last half of the movie what it is. Josh is fantastic as Jess as he slowly suspends belief in order to join Leslie in the world of Terabithia...and no young man has ever dealt with such harsh tragedy on screen better than he. Oh, and the musical score is superb. This is truly the first flawless film of 2007.
You are forewarned...boxes of kleenex are strongly recommended for viewing of this film if you've not seen it. I have seen it 3 times and every time I have spent the last half hour in tears. This is Disney magic at it's best, reminiscient of their work in the 1970s (Old Yeller, etc.). You will laugh, and unless you have a heart of stone, you WILL cry...but most of all, you will find a message of the heart that will stand for eternity.