[Milwaukee_Guy]

Hope my movie review helps.

I have never seen so many very young children crying at a movie. Rather disturbing. The paradox is that this -is- a very very good movie.

My 14 year old could handle it, but I wouldn't take younger kids to see this.

[Southack]

You just saved my 4 year old daughter from trauma. Thank you.

[ASOC]

You didn't take your kids to BABY, Secret of the Lost Ledgnd when it came out years ago (1985 IIRC).

Evil "soldiers" machine gun the mama dinosaur to death...children were screaming....

Not to mention the gratuitous full frontal nudity of natives, talk about exploitation.

Yeah, it was a "Disney" flick as well.

[johnmark7]

My older brother blubbered like a baby over Heidi when we were boys.

I tear up at the drop of a hat these days, but I passed on screening this movie because I reckoned it was a real tear jerker and I didn't think the rest of it was going to be very good.

[darkangel82]

I read this book in school when I was 10(5th grade) but anyone younger would be upset by the ending, I agree.

[struggle]

Wanna see a sad movie?
Graveyard of the Fireflies.

[JB in Whitefish]

" an exceptionally -good- movie but my goodness IT IS DEPRESSING! "

I see.


Depressing = Exceptional


How many times have you been married...???

[The KG9 Kid]

The Velveteen Rabbit killed me as a kid. I've never recovered.

I think that single story alone is what made me the pitiful wretch I am today.

[Tarantulas]

Here's the saddest movie ever made. I cry every time I watch it.

[isom35]

does Leslie come back as a zombie? Now that would be a movie.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Wanna really mess up a kid for life ? Take him to see "An Inconvenient Truth." Bwahahahaha !! ;-)

[BigCinBigD]

Disney = Spit!

[Caesar Soze]

This book has been required reading at some schools. I missed out on it, but it sounds decent. Nothing wrong with scaring kids or making them cry. And those using this film as evidence that Disney has changed over the years need to take another look at some of the movies made under Walt's leadership -- start with Bambi, move into Sleeping Beauty, finish with the Night Under Bald Mountain segment of Fantasia. Walt understood very well that the easiest and most effective pathos for children is the loss of the parent. He also had a thing for imbuing everything from nature to man and the supernatural with threats and evil whenever it suited the story.

But a kid hasn't been done right and proper until he's seen Brave Little Toaster.

[Arthalion]

Here's a suggestion for parents. When you want to take your kids to a movie based on an award winning book, read the book FIRST. If you'd done so, you'd have known what the story was about. Heck, if you've seen the previous version of the movie (released mid-80's), you also wouldn't have been all that surprised.

Bridge to Terabithia is the story of an introverted young boy who meets an equally introverted/loner young girl. The two become friends and help to pull each other out of their respective shells. When the young girl dies, the boy has to move on using the strength and friendship the young girl gave him. Although she dies, her mark on him changes his personality forever.

I haven't seen the Disney version yet, but I assumed they'd toned the emphasis on her death down a bit. If they haven't, I consider it a good thing. I gave the story to my daughter at 10, and to this day she considers it one of her favorites. Is it a sad story? Yes, but the overall theme of the book is a positive one, reminding us that something as simple as friendship can be a powerful force and change lives. It's a story about growing up and facing a tragedy, and realizing the good that comes of all our lives.

OK, that's enough of the sappy review. I loved the book, my kids love the book, and I can't wait to see the movie. I'm sorry that your kid didn't. Just remember that Bambi's mom and Old Yeller died too, so this isn't exactly a new thing. Kids have to learn to deal with grief, and well crafted children's stories like Bridge to Terabithia can be a good way to introduce the subject without injecting any personal trauma. We survived those movies without any lasting harm, and I doubt your kid will suffer from this either. If I were you, I'd take advantage of this and treat it as a chance to discuss a sometimes uncomfortable subject.

[Munson]

I read the book in the 6th grade about 15 years ago and I knew it had a depressing ending. I told my father this, and he thought I was insane and thought Disney would edit that sad part from the film.

[karnage]

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.

[TheMom]

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.

[Chickensoup]

I read the book and it is for middle schoolers. Of course everything is dragged down to elementary levels for the money.

[Tijeras_Slim]

It took years of therapy to get over Old Yeller.

[Jalapeno]

Yes, this film was marketed as a Narnia ripoff, but it is nothing like that.

Excellent film - parental guidance recommended - heroine dies.

[Scotswife]

I remember being in elementary school and signing this book out from the school library.
I have forgotten the details of the plot - but I vividly remember how SAD this book made me.
When I saw the title of this movie I thought to myself "somebody dies -and it made me cry alot"