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Movies / On DVD / The Spiderwick Chronicles
The Spiderwick Chronicles

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The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)

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Reviews Counted:10

Fresh:7

Rotten:3

Average Rating:6.6/10

Consensus: The Spiderwick Chronicles is an entertaining children's adventure, with heart and imagination to spare.

Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for scary creature action and violence, peril and some thematic elements.

Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

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... 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. [More]

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

Starring: Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker, Nick Nolte, Joan Plowright, David Strathairn, Seth Rogen, Martin Short

Director: Mark Waters

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

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Reviews for The Spiderwick Chronicles

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1 - 10 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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A run-of-the-mill fantasy adventure.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
10/18/08
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Unexpectedly gripping.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
03/25/08
Paul Arendt
Paul Arendt
BBC
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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 Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
03/20/08
Sam Toy
Sam Toy
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The storytelling is economical and brisk. In some ways, Waters approaches it more as a pre-teen horror movie.

Full Review Source: CNN.com | comment Comment
10/18/08
Tom Charity
Tom Charity
CNN.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A pleasing melange under the direction of Mark Waters, who, after Freaky Friday and Mean Girls, is becoming the go-to auteur of traumatized youth.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
02/16/08
Richard Corliss
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A well-crafted family thriller that is truly scary and doesn't wimp out.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
02/14/08
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Sloppy, secondhand pander.

comment Comment
02/14/08
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

I kept wishing for another scene with Mulgarath in the form of Nolte, because, well, you can never have enough Nolte, and because his particular brand of kinetic insanity would have been just what the movie needed to shake up its clockwork smoothness.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment 1 Comment
02/14/08
Carina Chocano
Carina Chocano
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An enjoyable adventure fantasy that pushes all the requisite buttons while still managing to throw in a pleasant surprise or two, Paramount's big-budget gamble has impressive talent to burn on both sides of the camera.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
02/12/08
Michael Rechtshaffen
Michael Rechtshaffen
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A work of both modest enchantment and enchanting modesty, grounded in a classically Spielbergian realm where childlike wonderment crosses paths with the tough realities of young adulthood.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
02/12/08
Justin Chang
Justin Chang
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
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