The makers go easy on the special effects and the picture has a tragic dimension that young children will find upsetting. But if they watch it in the right spirit, and the right company, it could prove emotionally enlarging.
Bridge to Terabithia (2007)
Rated: PG
Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins
Theatrical Release: 04-05-2007
Synopsis: Animation master Gabor Csupo directs his first live-action film in this adaptation of the novel The Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson, whose son David co-wrote the screenplay and serves as a producer. Jess (Josh Hutcherson) is misunderstood. Despite Jess' talents as an artist,... Animation master Gabor Csupo directs his first live-action film in this adaptation of the novel The Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson, whose son David co-wrote the screenplay and serves as a producer. Jess (Josh Hutcherson) is misunderstood. Despite Jess' talents as an artist, the school bullies pick on him, his father (Robert Patrick) belittles his dreams, and his four sisters invade his space in the family's cramped house. Jess' bleak world changes when Leslie (Annasophia Robb) moves into the house next door. Bright, creative and outspoken, Leslie also finds herself an outsider in their school. Soon the two are thick as thieves, spending their after school hours exploring the woods beyond their backyards and on the others side of a creek, which Leslie deems the kingdom of Terabithia. Here, they create their own magical world, complete with a Dark Master and his minions, dragonfly soldiers, giant trolls and a treehouse fortress. In Terabithia, the two friends let their imaginations run wild and control their destiny, far away from school bullies and the pressures of adolescence. Hutcherson and Robb are well cast as Jess and Leslie in this coming-of-age tale. Hutcherson handles both the melancholy intensity and unbridled joy of his character beautifully, and Robb's smile and charisma are infectious. Zooey Deschanel also stars as Miss Edmunds, the music teacher who befriends Jess. Parents should read the book or learn more about the story before taking young children to see this film, as the story includes not only some scary creatures, but also the death of a young person. Terabithia and its creatures are created by WETA Digital LTD, the same company that did the effects for the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy and KING KONG. [More]
Genre: Childrens
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel, Robert Patrick, Bailee Madison
Story: Katherine Paterson
Screenwriter: Jeff Stockwell
Producer: Hal Lieberman, Lauren Levine
Composer: Aaron Zigman
Screenwriter: Jeff Stockwell, David Paterson
DVD Info
Release:
Jul 6, 2008
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Keep Case
- Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English, French, Spanish
- Subtitles - French, Spanish - Optional
Additional Release Material:
- Audio Commentary - 1. Gabor Csupo - Director; Jeff Stockwell - Writer; Hal Lieberman - Producer
- 2. Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb - Stars; Lauren Levine - Producer
- Featurette - 1. DIGITAL IMAGINATION: Bringing Terabithia To Life
- 2. BEHIND THE BOOK: The Themes Of BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA
- Music Video - "Keep Your Mind Wide Open" - AnnaSophia Robb
Reviews
Enjoyable, superbly acted drama that will appeal to kids and adults alike.
Here's an old-fashioned children's film that should suit the once huge family audience very well.
The invented world is stolid, the logic of its relationship with reality muddled; but what really kills the film is the way it wears its uplift on its sleeve.
Smart, sprightly and sensitive, this is like a junior-edition Heavenly Creatures , complete with ace chemistry and tragic twist.
Narnia fans might find some enjoyment in this children's fantasy adventure.
An engaging portrait of childhood, this well-meaning family film rises above its flaws, and delivers a surprisingly hefty emotional punch.
A thoroughly pleasing family film with fine performances and honest, affecting real situations mixed with joyful adventure.
An affecting inquest into the nature of courage, mortality, grief and the healing power of faith.
A sensitive and moving teen drama about dealing with bullying, loneliness and grief.
The fantasy scenes ... do not resonate with the mythic power of those in Pan's Labyrinth, but this is as moving a coming of age story as one could want.
sort of awful, but it goes places most conventional children's entertainments fail to go
Radiates with youthful imagination and the joys of using it to abandon the everyday.
Una película entretenida y emotiva sobre la idea de la pérdida, el dolor, la culpa, y sobre todo de la imaginación como válvula de escape. No es el típico pasatiempo inocente que promete; es mucho más interesante que eso.
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Bridge to Terabithia at IGN
Bridge to Terabithia at AskMen


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