Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

Our Dreams help us sort the past and plan for the future, but they are not reality

It's important that you understand what type of movie this is, since it deals with several heart wrenching topics. I believe reviews should be written based on the genre of the movie; you may just hate crime movies, but don't give the Godfather a bad review because you don't like the genre. With that being said, Terabithia, while having fantasy and adventure elements is really a Drama and Tragedy. I agree, the trailers really do mislead you.

The fantasy scenes are the kids' way of dealing with their struggles at school and home. You may be hoping at the end that something magical will happen, but that is not what this movie is about. Its about loneliness, isolation, bullies, friendship, imagination, crushes, the yearning for close family relations, questions about what happens when you die, loss (deep loss), acceptance, hope and love. Every reaction is very human, which is the point the creators intended, but be prepared for it - if you're not in a soul searching mood, go ahead and pass on the movie. You have heard of the stages of grief, and they are most covered, but we are taken beyond acceptance. We end with a determination to prevent other loss and a renewed value for the relationships we still have.
July 12, 2008

Looked intriguing, in reality it was quite boring

Ever since Bridge to Terabithia came to the big screen I wanted to see it, but unfortunately I missed it. I was glad to see this come out on DVD and had high expectations. The cover looked fascinating, it promised a magical world inhabited by trolls, castles, and magical creatures, but in reality it was a sad and pointless film.

The co-stars in this movie are bullied at school by the same kids daily and after school they escape to a scary, slightly magical world in the woods behind their houses. Soon the girl dies in a drowning accident (why?) and she leaves the boy to grieve alone.

I won't let on with the rest of the story because I don't want to spoil it, but I was truly shocked when the movie ended since it never picked up in the first place.

The creatures seemed randomly thrown together with no meaning or story to explain their existence. In fact, much of this movie doesn't make sense.

My seven year old daughter watched the movie alone in her room one evening and told me she didn't like it. I wondered at first if perhaps it was scary or had a complicated plot that she didn't understand. I was wrong, it really wasn't very good after all.

The reason I gave the movie three stars despite not liking it is because I would say half the movies I've seen have been better than this one, and the other half worse. The acting on the other hand was quite good. This would simply be an average movie, which is far below the capabilities of Disney. July 3, 2008

Fight the Bullies and the Cliches

This is a strange movie. It's largely realistic, but it has a streak of fantasy that might have been better if it were implied or gauzed over with effects that suggested menace and creatures without really showing them.
The plot is familiar. Jesse, a teenage boy, although big and husky enough lets himself get bullied at school. He's an outsider (what else is new?), the butt of jokes; he's a fast runner, and has a gift for art. He is alienated from his mother and father and two of his four sisters. (His two nasty sisters are reminiscent of Cinderella's two caustic step-sisters.) He is close to one little sister. A strange new free soul of a girl, Leslie, comes to school, outraces Jesse, and eventually they become soul mates who discover a fantasy world.
The stereotypical schoolyard bullies are in play. Leslie's father is like an empathetic resurrected hippie while Jesse's tough-minded dad takes an awful long time to come around. The movie has a good message to convey, and it holds your interest although some clichés and stock characters and time-worn plot devices are in evidence. It's about misfits who triumph. Highly recommended for kids of all ages.
Nine Lives Too Many
The Daemon in Our Dreams
The Rice Queen Spy
Clawed Back from the Dead June 21, 2008

Touching movie

Bridge to Terabithia is about 2 kids named Jess and Leslie who, together, build their own magical kingdom in the forest. I bought this movie maybe a year ago and was impressed with it and the moral to it. Basically the moral is that you should appreciate who you are and don't let anybody (bullies) tell you any different. I think that really brought out the story. Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb did an excellent job playing the parts of Jess Aarons and Leslie. If you like calm and touching movies, then I recommend Bridge to Terabithia for you. June 18, 2008

Could have been great

I agree with the reviewers who say that this film doesn't really know what it wants to be. I must say that after watching it, I would not place this in the fantasy genre. I mean, it has it's fantastical elements, but when you get down to it, it's more of a friendship film with a great imagination. The two leads do a remarkable job portraying middle school kids who form a type of bond dealing with an imaginary world. Its actually very sweet and sentimental. That aspect of the film really is what makes it worthwhile. I found that when they introduce the fantasy elements, the film lost it's trail of thought. I'm aware this is based off a book, and maybe the book portrays things better. But as a film, it doesn't quite work. Still worth a look. It does have an unexpected ending which caught me off guard. Its a very bittersweet sort of film. June 18, 2008

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