Posted on 02/16/2007 9:56:53 PM PST by Milwaukee_Guy
A 10 year old boy and a 10 year old girl combine their art and writing talents to create a magical kingdom. Not being like all the other kids and not being fully appreciated by their parents, they embark on their own fantasy journey.
Evoking images of the "Chronicles of Narnia" and "Harry Potter" Disney paints an image of a high tech journey into yet another magical realm that children and parents can both enjoy and share together at their local theater.
HUGE SPOILER - Scroll Down at your own risk! - - - - - - -
Jessie and Leslie spent an hour and fifteen minutes feeling the taunts of their peers and the demands of their parents and begin to fantasize about a kingdom they create on a piece of abandonned property next to their homes. Fleeting glimpses of magical creatures begin to draw them into their new world.
Before the fantasy world really begins to start there's only one small problem.
Leslie (Anna Sophia Robb), venturing to their secret meeting place alone. falls off the rope they use to swing over the creek and CRACKS HER HEAD OPEN AND DROWNS.
The balance of the movie depicts the shock, horror and sadness that Jessie, his family and Leslie's parents endure during the aftermath of Leslie's demise. Jessie makes ammends with his little sister and the movie sputters to a fitfull conclusion with Jessie building a wooden bridge over the creek that Leslie drowned in.
The last 45 minutes of the picture found the audience in a shocked silence.
As we left the theater 5 to 8 year olds were crying and holding their parents as they trudged off to their cars.
This -is- an exceptionally -good- movie but my goodness IT IS DEPRESSING!
"Bridge to Terabithia" defeys classification as either a children's movie or as an adult movie. Disney had to know that to be the case and chose to market the movie as a lighthearted fantasy journey.
Bottom line, it's really an adult movie being passed off as a kids movie. Notice the PG rating on this one.
I wouldn't take a pre-teen to this movie knowing what I know now.
Regardless, it is an outstanding movie. Jessie and Leslie (Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb) put in exeptional performances for child actors and will do very well in the future.
This movie gets my 4 out of 4 hankie rating!
Well, I didn't read the book. My mistake. Didn't know the girl drowned. My seven year old son couldn't sleep, my four year old daughter - the one who had demanded to see it - insisted the girl wasn't dead. My wife got depressed, blames me.
The movie is a downer.
That has a happy ending - the middle part of the movie is a bit creepy.
Thanks for your review. All the trailers of TV show this as a feel good, adventuress movie. Sounds like a major shocker for little kidlets.
I read the book and it is for middle schoolers. Of course everything is dragged down to elementary levels for the money.
That was the best movie I will never watch again...
The director of this film is upset at the trailer and how it's being marketed. The CG fantasy world is being used to lure kids in with promises of Harry Potter-like adventures but it's decidedly *not* a fantasy film.
Terebithia is a Newberry winner, but a lot of those Newberry books are full of teenage angst and depressing plots. When my husband read this to our son many years ago, he was a bit irritated at just how depressing it was.
For at least 20 years, the Disney Corporation's vision for the young people of America has been soulless and very, very dark.
Do you think Marv Newland had any creative input for this moving bit of drama?
Your synopsis almost sounds the same as the movie "My Girl", which was also played off as a children's/family movie, with a depressing death in the middle of it.
Your description is nothing like what the commercials they are showing portray.
Is there such a thing as false advertising for this kind of thing???
Sounds like everyone better consider waiting for reviews or testimony from friends before going to see a Disney movie in future.
Do you mean Marv Newland, based on an idea by Mr and Mrs Newland? Good point!
To let little kids know that no matter how bright and charismatic you are, you will die...suddenly...without warning--it could be at any moment.
>>That was the best movie I will never watch again..
I have the complete works of Miyazaki on DVD and I am on constant guard when my 2 year old daughter shifts through the movies so she will not see THAT MOVIE.
It took years of therapy to get over Old Yeller.
I saw Bambi when I was pre-school, cried when the mother was killed.
Snow White scared the heck out of me when the evil queen turned into that old hag.
Sleeping beauty bothered me when the evil queen turned into the huge fire breathing dragon.
However on the other hand, my husband has done extensive work in post production in these different movies. My son and daughter watched it all put together. They saw effects put together on From Dusk to Dawn, and Independence Day. This information helped them, They don't get scared any more. I still freak out sometimes..
Thanks for the heads up.
Everyone should watch Grave of the Fireflies once. Nobody should watch it more than that.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds, now, that you can watch over and over.
Excellent film - parental guidance recommended - heroine dies.
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