bridge to terabithia tree drawings
Touching story
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.
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One of those few movies that made me cry.
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.
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Story over effects.
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.
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Truly Moving Picture
Warning: Spoilers
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.
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Couldn't Have Done Better
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.
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Good performances from the kids
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.
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"Terabithia . . . enthralls and absorbs the viewer in the magic of imagination and the reality of every-day life.
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.
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Cried like a baby, Amazing film.
Warning: Spoilers
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.
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Close your eyes, but keep your mind wide open . . .
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
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Great Movie
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.
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A journey about life
Warning: Spoilers
When you see the previews of this movie, it comes off at a "Narnia" type film. you would be FAR MISTAKEN too take it at that, and not see the movie. It is this ages "My Girl". if you loved that movie, you will certainly want to see this film.
It is heart warming, enchanting, and deals with real life, and death. and all of the joys, wonders and imagination that comes with growing up.
I had a friend, who REFUSED to see this film for a whole month. I finally dragged her to this movie, and she fully expected it to be Narnia, after the movie, she left crying and thanked me for taking her to see it.
It is hard to explain the movie, without giving up too much of the plot. but if you read the book you know what it is about. ( i went to the books store to get this book, and it is only about 120 pages. it was amazing to see such a movie done with so little that was originally written)
For a book to movie translation i give it a 10 out of 10.
As a movie alone, i give it a 8 out of 10. the only thing i didn't like about the movie is that the pace is a little slow, and some parts could have been extended in more detail.
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Great; *IF* you know what to expect
Warning: Spoilers
Based on the heartbreaking book, BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA strays from the regular family film, while still delivering a strong message.
Two words you must remember before seeing this movie, though: FALSE ADVERTISING.
Terabithia is NOT another Narnia by any means. It is advertised that way, but it is not what it seems to be. For book fans, however, Terabithia is a great adaption.
The acting is amazing; Josh Hutcherson (Little Manhattan) pulls his part off excellently. Josh is one of the best male child stars of this generation, without a doubt. Annasophia Robb (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) stars in yet another Walden Media film, and, despite her disappointing performance in Because of Winn-Dixie, she gives a great performance. She is able to captivate Leslie's innocence and free-spirited nature without becoming annoying or obnoxious. Putting aside the two wonderful leads, another star shines; The puppy-faced Bailee Madison. Her smile lights up the screen and she is cute without getting on your nerves. She steals every scene she has a line in. The other children and the adults, again, are great and this is what truly makes the movie move along.
The moral? Many worried parents seem to have the wrong idea of this movie. I can understand why, but you must look beyond the obvious. This movie does not just make us realize what reality is, but it shows us love, friendship, and courage. It teaches us how to stand up to our enemies and how to make friends; How to love, and how to deal with the issues of everyday life. The movie shows us that love comes in every shape, size, and way, and that a true bond cannot be broken, despite road blocks. The ones you love are always with you.
And, with ending this, I will put a quote that most people have heard, but it truly fits this movie; Fairy tales are more than real: Not because they tell us that dragons exist, but that dragons can be defeated.
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Major Hit Brewing
Saw the premiere and the movie has all the earmarks of a major hit. You never know for sure with American audiences but this is a very beautiful and engaging film. It REALLY outclasses any number of recent movies marketed at kids and it is one of the few I've seen that shows honest portrayals of both children and adults. No one, not even the bullies, is a stereotype or caricature. The novel is a masterpiece, but this film holds its own. With so many films, you walk out, whether amused or annoyed, and soon forget most of what you saw. Not so with Bridge--it stays with you, as it should. Go and enjoy...and then pass the word.
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Does Justice to a Really Fine Book
There are lots of books about kids who don't fit in. There are lots of books about bullying. The movie industry has created scripts, utilizing these personalities and showing their struggles. This movie rises above the ordinary. It's a fantasy film that is also a love story. What is real? What is in the mind? It doesn't matter because love and friendship supersede a setting that some would say is impossible. The boy and girl create a world where they can get away from unfulfilled lives and revel in a kind of medieval ethos. They face monsters and trolls and other forces, but that is what gives them life. As they make their respective ways through Terabithia, outside factors begin to resolve themselves and an embracing of the the real world happens. Watch this with your kid.
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Beautiful, charming and touching fantasy film
Based on Katherine Patterson's beautiful book, Bridge to Terabithia is a beautiful, charming and touching fantasy film, that serves as an emotionally rich testament to the life-changing power of friendship. The film does start off a little slow, as the two protagonists at first interact quite awkwardly, but fifteen minutes in the pacing picked up. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the film went. The story is quite simple, as Jess and Leslie encounter mundane daily experiences and become inseparable as a result by their alienation and creativity, but it is an effective one and respects reasonably the story of the book. Also the script ensures that the characters are believable; Jess and Leslie certainly are believable as characters, and Gabor Csupo, who also directed the surprisingly good and underrated Secret of Moonacre, tackles the issues explored in the film with wit and sensitivity.
Visually and technically, I couldn't fault Bridge to Terabithia. Moonacre is a little better in the costume and sets department but Terabithia succeeds much better in the depth and character departments. Here the cinematography is fluid, the scenery is stunning and the costumes are very nice. Terabithia itself is like a homage to CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia and is very attractive, the final shot of the film was like looking at a painting and the creatures while you don't see much of them are pretty much fantastical. The music score I have to say was beautiful, with a soaring main theme and some other pretty tunes to add to the film's charm.
And of course the performances are wonderful. Josh Hutcherson is absolutely brilliant as Jess, he was truly believable and his acting in the final segment was close to heart breaking. AnnaSophia Robb is enchanting as Leslie, she looked lovely and acted with a lot of heart. Her character's death people complained of bringing down the film. I had no problem with it, while it was deeply affecting the way the actors and director brought it across gave the scene itself and the scenes afterwards a real sense of poignancy. Is it just me though, or don't Hutcherson and Robb have great chemistry together? I think so, their chemistry for me was what made the film so charming. The lovely Zooey Deschannel isn't given as much to do, but she has a relevant role to the film which she delivers with a sensitivity and luminosity that I never knew she had. And Robert Patrick is a great actor, and gives another great performance as the gruff and no nonsense father. Plus Bailie Maddison is really cute as Jess's sister.
Overall, a really good film. Shame the advertising was so misleading. 9/10 Bethany Cox
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Great concepts, middling execution
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.
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Not a children's story????
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.
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A friendless boy, who is having trouble everywhere in life, is inspired and changed by the new girl at school, who teaches him the importance of fun and imagination.
I went into this movie not knowing what it was about. From the trailers I had assumed that it was kind of like The Never Ending Story, but I found that the trailers were terribly misleading. Since I have never read the book, I had no idea what it would really be like, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I won't get into the plot because I'm terrible at explaining plot lines well, but I hope that it will suffice when I say that I left the theater with my mind blown. I turned to my friend and was like, "Wow, I actually want to turn around and see that again, right now." but I couldn't because I had to go to work. It's unusual to be saying this because I normally don't like to re-watch movies so soon, but I've found that ever since I left the theater, I just want to go back. I've been trying to drag my friends there with me because I think that everyone should see this, but unfortunately, the add campaign may have ruined all chances of that happening. I find that every time I ask one of my friends to go with me, they say that there is no way they are going to watch that movie, which means I'll probably have to see it alone when I watch it again (I will definitely be watching this again). It was so good that I cried during the movie. I only remember crying in one other movie ever.
Bridge to Terabithia just might be my new favorite movie. I wasn't sure if Spiderman 2 and Serenity would ever be pushed down in ranking, but Bridge to Terabithia is making it a close race.
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How to Spoil a Pleasant and Sweet Tale of Friendship and Imagination with an Unnecessary Tragedy
Warning: Spoilers
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")
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Very well done, not your average children's movie!
Warning: Spoilers
Bridge to Terabithia, based on the book, is a story about two kids, Jess and Leslie, who form a friendship over a shared outcast status at their school. Bullied, they seek their own refuge from the world in the form of their own kingdom, Terabithia.
I read a comment about this movie not being for children, and I have to say, I totally disagree. I think this movie is wonderful for adults and children alike. It deals with some major issues in new and creative ways. Jess and Leslie deal with their problems by recreating them in an imaginary world where they can be the things they aren't in real life. This gives them the strength to deal with them in the real world.
The more serious issues are handled in a way that parents can appreciate as not too "adult" for their children, and children as not too "grown-up" for them to grasp.
Fans of the book will be happy to know that CGI effects do not overshadow the themes of the book, and though they make up a large part of the trailer, they actually make up less than a third of the movie.
Kids and adults, be warned : bring the tissues.
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Harsh fare for kids
Warning: Spoilers
I don't usually watch children's movies (I'm 35 and I don't have kids), but since I tend to like fantasy movies, I thought I'd see this one. Unfortunately, it didn't have much fantasy in it. It was about using imagination as an escape from a harsh reality, and this point is well taken. I have been a dreamer since I was around that age, too. But the whole imagination thing was never developed very far, and what little we saw of the Narnia-like fantasy world was shallow and clichéd. So one is left to wonder what the real point of the movie was.
Like every kid who sees this movie, I was pretty shocked that the girl died, and I do think that was a very harsh thing to put in a children's movie. It was almost like showing that the harsh reality is stronger than the imagination, and you can't escape from it. Is that a constructive message? Is that the kind of thing children need to hear?
I wonder if the story was some kind of Christian thing, relating to sex and "original sin". After all, where could the story have gone from there except in a sexual direction if this boy/girl friendship had continued for much longer? And, it seemed a bit like Leslie was killed because Jess momentarily decided to focus his attention on the pretty music teacher instead. I.e., as soon as he started having thoughts and feelings of a sexual nature - esp. towards another -, the whole "original sin"/adultery thing came home to roost, and Leslie was taken from him. I don't know if this was intentional from the author's side, but it seems a little like it to me. And if it is the case, the story is a harsh Christian morality tale, which I really don't think anybody should be subjected to.
All in all, I don't think the movie made much sense, nor presented it message very well. But for most of it, at least it held my attention quite effectively.
5 out of 10.
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Impressed
Warning: Spoilers
I had read the book before i saw the movie and I didn't think that they would do a good job with the movie and stay true to the novel. I was quite surprised though. The movie stayed true to the book and I think that it is a very good movie for 7-13 year olds especially. The parts that I really enjoyed were when the characters imaginations came to life in Terabithia. It made everything seem so real. The ending was very magical and moving..I am not usually an emotional person but i found myself on the verge of tears. The Acting was really good as well. The young girl that played Leslie did a great job as well as Zooey Deschanel playing the kids teacher. Overall, I was very impressed and I was surprised at how good of a job was done to make the movie out of the book. The acting, characters, sets, storyline were very well done. This is a movie that I would definitely recommend to see to everyone, but especially if you are going to see it with children/ teenagers.
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Great adaptation of a beloved book!
Warning: Spoilers
Bridge To Terabithia was my favorite book as a kid - I first read it over 25 years ago. It was an amazing, haunting, sad, and powerful story of friendship and loss. It's still one of my favorite books as both an adult and a writer. It has since become a modern classic of children's literature, a book beloved by children and adults alike. It's also one of the most controversial children's books of all time - one of the most banned and challenged.
But I never expected it to be made into a feature film. I assumed that the mediocre made-for-TV version would be the only film adaptation made of Bridge To Terabithia, due to its difficult themes. I was absolutely shocked to learn that Disney's Walden Media division was making a feature film. I envisioned a bubblegum monstrosity having almost nothing to do with the book on which it was based.
I was never more happy to be wrong in my life! This is a wonderful adaptation of Bridge To Terabithia and very faithful to Katherine Paterson's beautiful, heartbreaking story. That's because the movie was co-produced and co-written by David Paterson, whose real-life childhood tragedy inspired his mother to write the book.
Fifth-grader Jess Aarons (Josh Hutcherson) is a poor, introverted, but artistically gifted farm boy living in rural Virginia. He has four sisters. His two older sisters despise him and his younger sisters worship him. With money so tight, Jess's emotionally distant, foul-tempered father spends most of his time working out of town.
The only bright spot in Jess's life is his pretty, hip music teacher, Miss Edmunds (Zooey Deschanel), who admires Jess' talent for drawing and encourages him to try and realize his dream of becoming an artist. Jess has a huge, secret crush on her.
Jess has no friends, but he hopes to win his peers' admiration by becoming the fastest kid in the fifth grade and winning the big race at recess. Jess is shocked when a new classmate - a girl named Leslie Burke (Annasophia Robb) - decides to join in the boys' race. She ends up beating him and embarrassing him in front of the other boys. That's no way to start a friendship, but soon, Jess and Leslie become inseparable best friends.
Leslie is the complete opposite of Jess - she's bright, outgoing, and a fierce nonconformist. She's also creative like Jess - a natural storyteller with a vast imagination. Together, Leslie and Jess create Terabithia, a secret imaginary kingdom in the forest, where they rule as king and queen. It becomes a sanctuary for them, where they are safe from ridicule, the real-life school bullies that persecute them, and the imaginary monsters that Leslie dreams up.
To Jess, Leslie is more than just his best friend. She's his soulmate and his reason for living. She took a poor, awkward farm boy and made him a king. For the first time in his life, Jess feels good about himself. With Leslie by his side, he's invincible. She also teaches him important life lessons, like being compassionate to those in need - even if you don't like them.
Then suddenly, a terrible, unimaginable tragedy takes Leslie away from Jess forever. Devastated and nearly crushed by the weight of his grief, Jess must summon all the strength Leslie gave him in order to cope with his loss and make the magic of Terabithia - and Leslie's memory - live on.
This is one of the all-time great tearjerkers, a story of great emotional depth and power. So bring lots of Kleenex. I'm a grown man now, and I've read the book many times, but I still tear up at the end. The movie is just as powerful, and Josh Hutcherson's superb, emotional performance will melt even the hardest of hearts. Annasophia Robb is magnificent as Leslie. She literally becomes the apotheosis of the character.
The supporting cast is excellent as well, especially Robert Patrick as Jess' father - a role that's a far cry from the witty tough guys he usually plays.
Beautifully and sensitively directed by animator Gabor Csupo in his first live-action film, Bridge To Terabithia also features a soaring, gorgeous soundtrack by Aaron Zigman. As I said before, the script, by David Paterson and Jeff Stockwell, is very faithful to the book and captures all the emotion of the story. However, I must say that some key scenes of character development in the book are either not in the script, have been changed, or are woefully underdeveloped.
If you haven't read the book, I wholeheartedly encourage you to read it after you see the movie. Some fans of the book may complain about the changes and omissions, but I've been a fan for over 25 years, and I think that this is a first-rate adaptation of Bridge To Terabithia.
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less of the fantasy element than i'd hoped for(and not a movie for young kids)
i was disappointed in this movie.it thought there would be more of a fantasy element to it,but that was just a very small part of the movie.most of the movie was nothing spectacular,with very little story or character development.i just felt they could have done more with the material.that's not to say that it's bad movie,because it isn't.the movie takes a dark turn towards the latter half,and becomes heartbreaking.i don't think it would be suitable for really young kids,because there are some pretty serious themes to it,and because it takes such a dark turn.there's nothing really offensive though,but parents should really use their discretion.for me,i give Bridge to Terabithia a 5/10
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Imagination will carry us to new lands:
A little imagination can sometimes go a long way. The story of young, and artistically talented, Jesse (Josh Hutcherson) who is sharing concerns and money problems with his family. He's having trouble at school with the bullies and there is a bully like troll who charges the kids a dollar to go and pee. He is fighting for the attention of his father, against his baby sister. Life for young Jesse isn't looking up, that is until the adventurous, imaginative and non-conformist Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb) arrives in town. Together they form a bond and Jesse's life shall never, again, be the same. Adventures and amazement in other worlds centre around these two kindred spirits, and for once, for Jesse, life isn't so bad after all. If your mind is wide enough then let your imagination take you over the Bridge to Terabithia.
This kid's, albeit family movie goes deeper than the standard fantasy movie, and his new soul mate has him believing that what we can imagine can become real; all it takes is a little courage and determination. The underling narrative here is that the fantasy is more nearer to home that he (Jesse) would like to admit, substituting bad memories and bad dealings at home, and at school, for the bad and dangerous enemies of Terabithia. Using one environment to create another, to imagine is to believe and to believe that it is real.
A nice little movie that centres around the dealings of bullies and how one has to learn how to cope, and that all is not what it might seem. Just a little lacking in the fantasy stages but Bridge to Terabithia isn't about crossing the lines of reality to fantasy, but to accept reality and be grown-up about how we are to deal with the adventure of real life.
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Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398808/reviews
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