Editorial Review:Product Description:From the beloved best-selling series of books comes an extraordinary fantasy adventure revealing the unseen world that exists all around us. From the moment the Grace family moves into a secluded old house peculiar things start to happen. Unable to explain the accidents and strange disappearances the Grace children Jared Simon and Mallory start to investigate and find the unbelievable truth of the Spiderwick Estate and the amazing creatures that inhabit it.System Requirements:Running Time: 101 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: PG UPC: 097363432845 Manufacturer No: 343284
Amazon.com:A very good adaptation of the popular series of books by Tony DiTerllizi and Holly Black,
The Spiderwick Chronicles is one of the few family films in recent years to seamlessly integrate magical elements with a potent drama that will strike a chord with many kids. An exceptionally talented Freddie Highmore (
August Rush) plays twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, caught up in a sad shock from their parents' divorce and coping with a decision by their mother (Mary-Louise Parker) to uproot the boys and their sister, Mallory (Sarah Bolger), from New York City to a small town. There, the broken family moves into a spooky old mansion passed on to them by the kids' great-aunt, Lucinda (Joan Plowright), who is spending her twilight years in managed care and whose scientist father, Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn), disappeared some 80 years ago. Jared, angry, defiant, and determined to live with the father who seems to have abandoned him, investigates strange happenings and discovers Arthur's secret notations on fairies, ogres, and other mythical creatures that live both in and outside the house. Having no idea where his curiosity is leading, Jared soon finds that he and his family are under siege from goblins and a powerful ogre (Nick Nolte) who wants Arthur's notebook. Suddenly, the boy who is a lightning rod for a troubled family becomes a resourceful warrior intent on saving his loved ones from powerful forces.
The Spiderwick Chronicles benefits enormously from a script (partially written by John Sayles) that treats, quite seriously, the emotional pain of its human characters and makes Jared's will to survive the very real engine of an otherwise fantastic story. It helps, too, that director Mark Waters, who brings a warm and knowing touch to outlandish material (
Freaky Friday), has a way of making the spectacular elements of
The Spiderwick Chronicles genuine enough to stir real excitement and suspense. This is one of the better film adaptations of best-selling fiction for kids in some years.
--Tom Keogh
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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Kids movies
Inventive, moves well, but is a bit too fanciful for my taste yet should appeal to the young. A good movie for the kids during Halloween. For me it was yet nother fantasy world vs reality flick that required me to invest my emotions in someone elses 'what if' world, (where magic and fantastical creatures are the norm), if I am to gleen any shred of enjoyment from veiwing the movie.
As I said , great for the kids especially at Halloween considering the movie is full of cute, (mostly), goblin like creatures. There is redemption at the end however that gives some closure, a quality sadly lacking in the Lemony Snickets movie. This is really a good thing since the movie isn't good enough to engender a part 2, (but then, niether is Lemony Snickets).
Rating: 
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Freddie does twins
Another fantasy movie starring white kids; seems that Hollywood is running out of ideas. Luckily this movie makes up with great execution and original special effects. I have never read the book that inspired this movie, but it must be good.
The storyline is simple enough, a divorced mother takes her twin sons and daughter to a house in the countryside that was owned by her aunt. There, the children discover a world of creatures of various shades of friendliness. Some of these creatures want to obtain a book from the country house, and this quest for the book, called The Spiderwick Chronicles, is the chief conflict of the movie. Its resolution is quite original and probably the best part of the movie.
Here are some things to look out for. First is the great acting by David Straithan, in his first fantasy role. Second is Nick Nolte's casting as the chief antagonist. His voice is perfectly suited to his character. And last is the twins played by Freddie Highmore. He pulls of both quite well and makes each a distinct character. Overall, a nice use of 2 hours.
Rating: 
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Fun and exciting movie.... don't need to read the book(s) to enjoy!
First off I have never read any of the Spiderwick books and sometimes when that's the case the movie doesn't make as much sense if you haven't read the books (such as Goldman Compass and Harry Potter). You don't need to read the books to enjoy and understand this movie.
They did a wonderful job explaining everything. The acting was good, the graphics, special effects etc were wonderful and the action and plot were top notch. Just a well done fun fantasy movie for the entire family. (assuming the entire family is at least seven or eight years of age)This movie might be a little scarry for kids under the age of eight but besides the "scarry" parts there are no bad parts for your children.
Great job...... I hope they do a second movie.
Rating: -
Pass the Salt, Please.
Excellent movie but may be a little too intense for small children which is their intended prime audience. Enjoy.
Rating: -
A Great Movie
I have to say that I was generally surprised by this film as, although I'm not much of a Freddie Highmore fan I've seen most of and liked most of his movies. Spiderwick Chronicles I expected to be bad but I was again surprised and shouted "DAMN IT!" as I liked another one of his films. I so want to hate Highmores films but again and again he constantly gives us something great. I think it's time I get over my hate filled feelings and just say, "OK he's awesome, I admit it." Even doing an American accent when he's definitively upper class British is great, and he even plays two roles which, damn him he still manages to pull off brilliantly.
Twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace (Highmore) along with their sister Mallory discover a book, an encyclopedia if you will of goblins, fairies and other mythical creatures. They go unseen by the naked human eye but exist in a magical hidden world. The goblins are after this book as it contains mystical powers, which will help their leader Mulgarath become even more powerful. Their house is surrounded by an invisible field which keeps the goblins out, but now they are aware the book is in the house, Mulgarath and the goblins set out on a mission to get the book at all costs. In order to stop it, Jared, Shane and Mallory must find Arthur Spiderwick and have him destroy the book. The only problem is, Arthur wrote the book over 80 years ago and hasn't been seen since.
This is a genuinely magical film that will put off some casual movie goers expecting more. The use of special effects is authentic and unflinching with the interaction between the invisible creatures and the human characters seems shockingly real. The real genuine shock of it all is the interaction between the two Highmores. This was a genuinely unexpected item in the film and is no doubt something that will have pushed Highmores acting ability further. The evil Mulgarath goes relatively unseen until the final scene in the film, but is something that wont disappoint if you're expecting a truly scary looking creature.
One criticism I think I do have to point out is the cliché of the start of the film. It's very much like every fantasy film we've all seen, the main character discovers something magical and dangerous and tries to convince those around him what he's discovered. Guess what, they don't believe him until they themselves are attacked by the hideous creatures. It does counter this cliché when it becomes the film about closeness of family and banding together to fight the greater evil.
Great movie though, and is something that can be enjoyed by many film fans including the kids.