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MOVIES / IN CINEMAS / THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES
The Spiderwick Chronicles

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The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)

79%
71%
75%
N/A
N/A
79 %
Reviews Counted: 117 Fresh: 93  Rotten:24 Average Rating: 6.7/10
 
Consensus: An entertaining children's adventure with heart and imagination to spare. The Spiderwick Chronicles is an entertaining children's adventure, with heart and imagination to spare. more
 
Rated: PG
Theatrical Release: 21-03-2008
Synopsis:
Based on the bestselling series of children's fantasy novels of the same name by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES follows the adventures of the Grace family, newly transplanted from New York City to an inherited home in the remote New England woods. Angry with his... [More]
Based on the bestselling series of children's fantasy novels of the same name by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES follows the adventures of the Grace family, newly transplanted from New York City to an inherited home in the remote New England woods. Angry with his mother (Mary-Louise Parker) about the move, the sulky Jared (Freddie Highmore) begin to explore the strange old house, and discovers a magical tome written by his great, great uncle Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn). Soon Jared and his twin brother, Simon (also played by Highmore with the aid of seamless special effects), are drawn into a realm of goblins, boggarts, and ogres--a reality that coexists with the human world. By the time the boys' older sister, Mallory (Sarah Bolger), is in on their secret, the siblings are steeped in a conflict with the evil shape-shifting ogre Mulgarath (Nick Nolte), who will stop at nothing to get Spiderwick's book. Directed by Mark Waters (THE HOUSE OF YES, MEAN GIRLS) and scripted in part by lauded filmmaker John Sayles (THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH), SPIDERWICK succeeds as an engaging kid-oriented movie that also offers up genuine thrills and chills for adults. Highmore and Bolger impressively mask their British and Irish accents, respectively, and display a convincing brother/sister bond, while Martin Short and Seth Rogen provide comic relief as the voices of unlikely CGI allies. Intentionally smaller in scope than other like-minded literary adaptations such as THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and THE GOLDEN COMPASS, SPIDERWICK is rooted in a beautifully earthy, antique aesthetic that provides the perfect setting for its likable protagonists and bizarre-yet-naturalistic creatures. [Less]

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Starring: Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker, Nick Nolte, Joan Plowright, David Strathairn

Director: Mark Waters
Screenwriter: Karey Kirkpatrick, David Berenbaum, John Sayles
Producer: Mark Canton, Larry Franco, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Karey Kirkpatrick
Composer: James Horner

Reviews

 
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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Full Review | Comment
03/25/08 03:15 AM
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
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A late entry in a crowded field, Spiderwick works hard to set itself apart from the competition, and almost entirely succeeds - no mean feat these days.

Full Review | Comment
03/20/08 06:53 AM
Sam Toy
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
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A jolt of personality and above-average effects make this kids' fantasy adventure entertaining enough to overcome the cliches in its premise.

Full Review | Comment
02/28/08 03:15 AM
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
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Lord of the Deathly Thingamabob

Full Review | Comment
05/07/08 03:32 AM
Thomas Peyser
Style Weekly (Richmond, VA)
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soy troei miamisi ora gia na se taksidepsei sto asfales symperasma poy eihe psiliastei sto pentalepto, oti i pasifismos san haraktiristiko toy floroy, einai epilogi mi biosimi, kai to kalo gia na epikratisei, prepei na brei kako na polemisei kai na katats

Full Review | Comment
05/06/08 03:42 AM
Joseph Proimakis
Movies for the Masses
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Spiderwick Chronicles provides lots of thrills and chills -- so much so that it may be too scary for younger viewers -- but it works best when it implies instead of showing.

Full Review | Comment
05/01/08 05:16 PM
Alonso Duralde
MSNBC
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Fast-paced and filled with neat special effects, it's a sure kid-pleaser, albeit one that suffers from the very elements that make it go down so easily.

Full Review | Comment
04/02/08 05:23 PM
Keith Phipps
Onion AV Club
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It's inevitable with such fantasies, the storylines begin to have a familiar ring. Rry as they might, the filmmakers here are never totally successful in narrowing the gap between reality and fantasy as live action and fantastical special effects converge

Full Review | Comment
03/23/08 03:58 PM
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
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As Spiderwick keeps time with the notion that kids' fantasies must feature bad, absent, or otherwise troubling parents, it also offers precious little in the way of clued-in adults.

Full Review | Comment
03/21/08 09:04 AM
Cynthia Fuchs
PopMatters
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Displays a lighter touch than other fantasy films of this nature, meaning that its thrills are all the more unexpected -- and effective.

Full Review | Comment
03/16/08 10:30 AM
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing
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If you're going to compete in an arena already owned by the "Harry Potter" and "Narnia" franchises, you'd better enter that fray determined to show you can compete favorably with them. And that's where "Spiderwick" runs into trouble.

Full Review | Comment
03/09/08 08:10 AM
Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)
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The overall supernatural conflict amounts to nothing more than a jumble of noisy, fast-moving CGI beasties.

Full Review | Comment
02/29/08 03:15 AM
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
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The Spiderwick Chronicles is great family fun. Its edge-of-your-seat action, charming cast, clever script and direction, and excellent special effects is something is everyone can enjoy.

Full Review | Comment
02/28/08 10:39 PM
Diva Velez
MightyGanesha.com
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At its heart is a sly imagination that fascinates and thrills.

Full Review | Comment
02/28/08 11:06 AM
David Cornelius
eFilmCritic.com
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Like "Terabithia," willfully darker than most children's fare.

Full Review | Comment
02/26/08 05:59 PM
Stephen Himes
Film Snobs
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The Spiderwick Chronicles is a terrific ride for children who crave genuine excitement, not that tepid Scooby Doo stuff.

Full Review | Comment
02/25/08 02:16 PM
Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
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Here's the recipe for a delightful family film.

Full Review | Comment
02/24/08 10:45 AM
Linda Cook
Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)
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It's always a pleasure to watch Highmore, one of the best child actors working today, and this time that pleasure is doubled because he plays a dual role.

Full Review | Comment
02/24/08 06:05 AM
Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews
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...a lively children's adventure...

Full Review | Comment
02/23/08 05:32 PM
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review
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The monsters seem to be psychological projections as well as special-effects creations, with the scary lead ogre emerging to fill the void left by the absence of the resentful children's neglectful father.

Full Review | Comment
02/22/08 02:28 PM
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
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