REVIEWS FOR BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA:
POP SYNDICATE
Review by Stefan Halley
Based on the Newbery Award-winning 1977 novel by Katherine Paterson (and filmed once before, for PBS in 1985), Bridge to Terabithia is a heartfelt drama masquerading as a Lord of the Rings-type fantasy film. Certainly the advertising campaign is skewed to the LOTR/Narnia crowd, but the fantastical elements of this story (rendered by Peter Jackson's WETA Workshop in New Zealand) live primarily within the imaginations of its young protagonists, and are fairly peripheral to the plot. Nevertheless, the film is elegantly made, deeply moving at times and certainly qualifies as a kid-film that adults can enjoy as well.
Young Jesse (Josh Hutcherson, Zathura, RV) fancies himself the fastest kid in school, even if he is object of scorn by bullies and classmates alike. But his position is usurped by the arrival of Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb, Violet from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) the tomboy-ish "new girl" who moves in next door, and proves even fleeter of foot than Jesse. Both are lonely - Leslie is an only child and Jesse the only boy among five sisters - and grow to be friends, in part fueled by their mutual artistic proclivities (he the artist, she the writer). In exploring the woods surrounding their homes, the two imagine a mighty mythical kingdom called Terabithia that can only be reached by swinging on a rope over a creek. They populate this world with strange creatures of every description and crown themselves king and queen.
There's more to the story, but for those not familiar with the book (as I was not), additional detail would venture into serious spoiler territory. It is rather fitting that WETA provides the special effects for this film, as it resembles a gentler, more kid-friendly version of Peter Jackson's early masterpiece Heavenly Creatures (the film WETA was created to provide FX work for), in which the obsessive friendship and feverish imagination of two young women eventually leads to murder. There's no murder here (though tragedy does rear its head), and the film's aim is obviously to celebrate the imagination. But anyone familiar with the earlier work might find themselves pondering just how healthy all this escape-from-reality stuff really is.
There's also occasional confusion as to what actually constitutes said "reality" - at no point does the film imply that these fantastic creatures actually exist (they are figments of the children's vivid imaginations), and yet at one point Jesse falls from a high tree and is saved by a friendly giant; did he actually fall, and if so, what kept him from breaking every bone in his body? Was the entire climb up the tree imagined? The film doesn't really take a stand on scenes like this, which muddles the narrative slightly.
Still, Terabithia is a slick debut by director Gabor Csupo (a writer/producer on several animation projects, and a former supervising animation director on The Simpsons), and the digital gee-gaws never overwhelm the story's powerful emotional content. WETA's work is striking, though, perhaps inevitably, a bit too LOTR-ish. The various creatures are lovely to behold and believable enough to serve the needs of the story, even if the overall effect is slightly generic. Hutcherson does a nice job as Jesse, and carries the film remarkably well for one so young. AnnaSophia Robb, with her giant blue eyes and glowing smile, is a strikingly beautiful young lady who, if she stays with the acting (and doesn’t party her brains out, like some actresses we could mention), will likely become a classic Hollywood beauty someday. She never seems like much of a tomboy, but she is eminently endearing. Robert Patrick is an appropriately world-weary as Jesse's no-nonsense dad, and adorable Zooey Deschanel is well-cast as exactly the kind of teacher young boys fall in love with. Pint-sized pixie Bailee Madison gives an excellent, energetic performance as Jesse's youngest sister Marybelle. The cast is uniformly terrific, giving this script the heart and soul it needs.
Bridge to Terabithia is an outstanding film that will tug at your heart, and maybe jerk a tear or two. The fantasy elements will certainly appeal to a variety of moviegoers, but it is the story itself that will linger in your memory.
AIN'T IT COOL NEWS
Review by Daffodill 11
Daffodil 11 here again, with a review of the Disney/Walden Media picture 'Bridge To Terabithia'.
Let me begin by saying that I was heckled as a 'plant' when I gave what could have been the first review of Batman Begins, and wrote that it would 'be remembered as one of (that) year's most exciting and best blockbuster films'. Sorry, but despite my moniker, a plant I ain't.
First off, I have to state that as I was not a big fan of the over-hyped 'Chronicles Of Narnia', this was not a picture I was overly keen to see. This could have possibly put me in the best frame of mind for seeing virtually anything, but regardless of my expectations I found this movie to be nothing short of a KNOCKOUT!
The cast of younger actors features Anna Sophia Robb (Violet Beauregarde in Tim Burton's Charlie And The Chocolate Factory), Josh Hutcherson (Zathura) and scene-stealing newcomer Bailee Madison. They are joined by an adult supporting cast including Robert Patrick and Zooey Deschanel.
Based on a well-known book for younger readers, I have to say that this film is being misrepresented in it's promotion. It features fantasy elements but is far from being completely set in the castles and creatures world suggested in the trailer. Instead, Terabithia is very-much grounded in reality.
It's the story of Jesse (Hutcherson), the middle-child from a working-class family. A budding artist, he is a bit of a loner at school who has trouble with two bullies in class as well as a female 8th grader who's built like a brick wall. When new girl Leslie (Robb) joins his class, Jesse soon becomes friends with her after they bond over a shared love of imagination. Discovering they are neighbors, Jesse and Leslie explore a nearby forest where they find an old crumbling tree house. It quickly becomes a base from which the two of them embark on a series of games and adventures that are enhanced by the creatures and beasts that their minds create.
The picture is beautifully shot, features excellent performances by it's younger costars and it's screenplay is underplayed and realistic in it's depiction of school and family life. However, full credit must be given to first-time feature director Gabor Csupo (the producer behind the Rugrats TV series and films), who manages to imbue Bridge To Terabithia with an incredible sincerity that grasps how it feels to be young. While the special effects are very good, Csupo never lets them take over the film - instead the effects enhance it and allow the viewer to be drawn into the world conceived by Leslie and Jesse. More than once I found myself re-living my own youthful enthusiasm, remembering a time when I could outrun anything, everyday things were capable of magic abilities and a world of fantastic creatures existed just behind the next tree.
Bridge To Terabithia is an incredible film for all ages. Csupo has created a movie that talks TOO kids, never down to them. It is never trying, false or anything less than truly entertaining. Those familiar with the book may remember the story's twists and turns, which are never compromised here. Csupo stays close to the text and emerges with a magical, emotional and powerful film that will take many by surprise.
Csupo's picture is certain to not only be one of the best-reviewed films of the year, but it could well become a classic. While it shares certain story elements and themes with this film (including a performance from 7 year old Madison that recalls a certain younger sister character named Gertie...), it's not overstating the case to suggest that Bridge To Terabithia is among the best, if not THE BEST film for families since E.T. The Extra Terrestrial.
Daffodil 11.
PRESS RELEASE FOR BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA:
Gabor Csupo’s live action directorial debut “BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA” finished shooting principal photography in April 2006 in New Zealand. Presently, the project is in the midst of postproduction, mostly working with the visual effects and CGI elements provided by award winning VFX house Veta Digital. (the VFX house responsible for all the mind-blowing computer animation on the Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as on Peter Jackson’s King Kong.)
“Bridge To Terabithia” is an adventure drama about two children who become inseparable friends by creating their own magical world in a fantasyland called Terabithia, filled with all kinds of mystical creatures. Based on the award-winning book by Katherine Paterson, the movie is produced by Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures. The picture is slated for release on the Presidential Day Weekend, February 16th 2007.
Cast includes in the lead: Josh Hutcherson, (Polar Express, Little Manhattan, Zathura, RV) Annasophia Robb (Because of Winn Dixie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Robert Patrick (Terminator, Flags of Our Father), Zooey Deschanel ( Almost Famous, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Elf, Winter Passing).
The movie was shot by Academy Award nominated Cinematographer, Michael Chapman. (first-camera operator on Jaws and The Godfather, and director of photography on Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and The Fugitive, etc.)
“Chappy is a true legend in his field, an amazingly talented DP. I was extremely lucky and honored to be able to work with him” -says Csupo. “The movie looks breathtakingly beautiful and cinematic, Chappy and I went after a colorful painterly palette to “bridge” the realistic tone with the fantastical world of Terabithia.”
John Gilbert, editor of the very first “Lord of the Rings” for Peter Jackson, and “The World Fastest Indian” (which won him the 2006 New Zealand’s Academy Awar) srved as editor on the picture.
At the directorial helm, Gabor Csupo, is a Hungarian born animator, who in 1979 -in his twenties- fled communist Hungary and immigrated to the US. Few years later he formed (with his partner Arlene Klasky) the now world renowned animation studio, KLASKY CSUPO Inc. That studio produced such classics as THE SIMPSONS for Fox, EDITH ANN for ABC, DUCKMAN for USA Network, SANTO BUGITO for CBS, RUGRATS, THE WILD THORNBERRYS, ROCKET POWER, AAHH, REAL MONSTERS, AS TOLD BY GINGER, and ALL GROWN UP for Nickelodeon.
In the recent past, Csupo has produced 4 animated box office successes for Paramount Pictures, (The RUGRATS MOVIE, RUGRATS IN PARIS, The WILD THORNBERRYS MOVIE, and RUGRATS GO WILD.)
The RUGRATS MOVIE was the first animated movie in the world to break the domestic $100M Box Office barrier outside of Disney. The total worldwide box-office for the 4 movies were close to $380M (without home video, at a total production cost of about $120M.)
“Although, in the past, most of my success was rooted in the field of animation, I found directing live action truly enjoyable. In any good movie the flawless storytelling and the character’s proper introductions are the most important elements, whether or not you’re dealing with animation or live action, and I believe I have good instinct about those.” Csupo explains. “Working with live characters was a real great and positive experience; I could look at them in the eye and communicate my intentions. In the land of cartoons I would have had to keep redraw them frame by frame if I wanted different results, and that could take weeks or months. In live action the results are instant, thus more gratifying.”
BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AUDIENCE’S REACTION
PREVIEW SCREENING, LA VERNE, CA. 9/13/06
“IT WAS THE BEST MOVIE THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN, AND I AM NOT KIDDING!’
8 years old boy.
“IT WAS A GREAT MOVIE AND YOU SHOULD SEE IT!”
11 years old boy.
“IT WAS THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIMES”
11 years old boy.
“GREAT! GOT TO SEE IT!
11 years old girl.
“VERY IMAGINATIVE,GOOD FAMILY TALE, HIGH QUALITY. PERFECT ENDING”
45 years old female.
“EXCELLENT! HEARTWARMING FAMILY MOVIE”
49 years old female.
“SUPERB ACTING, GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHY, WONDERFUL PLOT. A MAGICAL FANTASY LAND FOR CHILDREN”
60 years old male.
“I CAN SAY HONESTLY THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I HAVE SEEN. MAGICAL! NO MATTER YOUR AGE, YOU ARE ENGULFED INTO IT AS IF YOU WERE IN THE MOVIE”
19 years old female.
“ACTION PACKED FANTASY, -TRUE TO THE BOOK, -YOU’LL CRY.”
40 years old female.
“IT IS ONE OF THE MOST ADVENTUREOUS MOVIE YOU WILL EVER SEE.”
14 year old boy.
“AMAZING!”
13 years old boy.
“EXCELLENT PLOT, GOOD FANTASY, GOOD MORAL”
35 years old female.
“IT WAS VERY WELL MADE, -IT GRABBED YOUR ATTENTION AND NEVER LET GO. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST MOVIE THAT YOU WILL PROBABLY EVER SEE.”
14 years old boy.
“STUPENDOUS!”
12 years old girl.
“I LOVED IT, IT’S MAGICAL, BUT WHEN YOU SEE IT, BE
PREPARED TO CRY!”
14 years old girl.
“IT IS THE GREATEST MOVIE I’VE EVER SEEN!”
11 years old boy.
“VERY INTERESTING, GREAT GRAPHICS AND STORY LINE.
A WONDERFUL MOVIE”
13 years old girl.
“THE MOST PHENOMENAL, MAGICAL, AMAZING MOVIE I SEEN SINCE NARNIA”
36 years old female.
“AWSOME. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT RIGHT AWAY.”
10 years old girl.
“EXCELLENT ADVENTURE AND LOTS OF EMOTIONS.
A GREAT MOVIE!”
30 years old male.
“ENCHANTING”
11years old boy.
“ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES EVER!”
46 years old male.
“IT IS THE GREATEST MOVIE I’VE EVER SEEN, IT MEANT SO MUCH TO ME. I FELT ALL OF MY FEELINGS IN THIS MOVIE.”
11 years old girl.
“EXCELLENT AND REFRESHING. LIFE LESSION FOR ALL.
A GREAT FAMILY FILM!”
41 years old male.
“THIS IS A FEEL GOOD MOVIE, ONE THAT WILL GRIP ALL OF YOUR EMOTIONS.”
35 years old female.
“IT’S A SUPERB MOVIE ABOUT TWO FRIENDS WHO DISCOVER A MAGICAL LAND AND HAVE MIRIAD ADVENURES THERE. A GREAT MOVIE!”
10 years old girl.
“IT’S ENTERTAINING, WHOLESOME, HAPPY, UPLIFTING YET SAD.
A PERFECT ENDING. EXCELLENT.”
47 years old male.
“THIS MOVIE REALLY REPRESENTS THE BOOK WELL. I LOVED IT.
IT MADE ME SMILE AND FEEL HAPPY INSIDE.”
17 years old female.
“PERFECT!”
14 years old boy.
“ENCHANTING!”
13 years old boy.
“MORE THAN GREAT, EXCELLENT!”
9 years old girl.
“IT IS THE BEST NARNIA TRANSLATION EVER.”
16 years old male.
“IT WAS REALLY GOOD, I LOVED IT!”
16 years old female.
“IT WAS GOOD. I WOULD LIKETO SEE IT AGAIN.”
9 years old boy.
“MAGICAL, GREAT MOVIE!”
13 years old girl.
“WARM, GOOD FAMILY FILM. WITH A “FEEL GOOD” ENDING”
60 years old female.
“YOU GOT TO SEE THIS AWSOME MOVIE!”
8 years old boy.
“VERY WELL DONE! KEPT YOUR ATTENTION, NEVER SLOW.
AN EXCELLENT “BOYS” MOVIE!”
47 years old female.
“IT IS THE BEST MOVIE EVER”
11 year old girl.
“GREAT STORYLINE, GREAT SPECIAL EFFECTS, A LOT OF ADVENTURE.”
46 years old female.
“GOOD AND COOL”
8 years old boy.
“BEAUTIFUL FILM. VERY TOUCHING. KID’S ACTING WAS WONDERFUL”
49 years old female.
“IT IS A GREAT MOVIE AND YOU MUST SEE IT!
11 years old girl.
“IT IS A MOVIE WITH A GOOD SCRIPT AND HAS GOOD MORAL VALUES. EXCELLENT”
32 years old male.
“EXCELLENT IMAGINATIVE ADVENTURE THAT’S PERFECT EVEN FOR TEENAGERS ”
16 years old female.
“A GREAT FAMILY MOVIE WITH WHOLESOME VALUES.”
35 years old female.
“WONDERFUL TOUCHING MOVIE”
25 years old female.
“JUST LIKE THE BOOK! A WONDERFUL MOVIE FOR ANY FAMILY”
40 years old female.
“IT WAS AWSOME AND I LIKED IT VERY MUCH!”
10 years old girl.
“IT WAS BEAUTIFUL”
9 years old girl.
“REALLY GREAT!”
8 years old boy.
“IT WAS GREAT. BOY WAS LIKE LUKE IN STAR WARS. THE GIRL WAS LIKE OBI WAN. THE BAD GUYS WERE LIKE TUSKAN RAIDERS”
9 years old boy.
“IT WAS FANTASTIC!”
9 years old boy.
“IT’S A GREAT MOVIE AND YOU MUST SEE IT!”
13 years old girl.
“EXCELLENT! GIVES HOPE, ENCOURAGES IMAGINATION.
I CRIED,-THIS IS GOOD”
46 years old female
“ IT WAS GREAT, I WANT ONE COPY FOR CHRISTMAS OR FOR MY BIRTHDAY.”
10 years old girl.
“THIS MOVIE IS EXCITING AND WONDERFUL. IT MAKES YOU LAUGH, WORRY, SMILE AND CRY.”
37 years old female.
“IT’S A WONDERFUL MOVIE, I WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN.”
10 years old girl.
“EXCELLENT, GREAT CHARACTERS, THE END MADE ME CRY”
55 years old female.
“AN EXCELLENT FAMILY FUN MOVIE, GREAT FOR EVEYONE!”
30 years old female.
“IT WAS GREAT, I WOULD TELL ALL OF MY FRIENDS AT SCHOOL TO COME AND SEE IT RIGHT AWAY. I THINK THEY WOULD LOVE IT.”
10 years old girl.
“IT WAS AN ALL AROUND MOVIE, IT HAD ME IN TEARS. I LOVED IT.”
27 years old female.
“A MAGICAL HEART-RENDERING STORY”
45 years old female.
“VERY TOUCHING”
31 years old female.
“IT WAS ALMOST BETTER THAN CRONICLES OF NARNIA”
9 years old boy.
“IT WAS GREAT, YOU SHOULD TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT IT!”
11 years old boy.
“YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS MOVIE RIGHT AWAY AND BRING TISSUES.”
10 years old girl.
“VERY ENTERTAINING”
49 years old female.
“VERY PASSIONATE AND EMOTIONAL”
41 years old male.
“A GOOD ACTION MOVIE, I REALLY LIKED IT A LOT.”
14 years old boy.
“VERY GOOD. IT IS LIKE THE CRHRONICLES OF NARNIA”
11 old boy.
“WONDERFUL IMAGINATIVE MOVIE ABOUT FRIENDSHIP AND FANTASY.”
47 years old female.
“EXCELLENT, GOOD FAMILY MOVIE WITH A MESSAGE OF HOW IMPORTANT FRIENDS ARE…”
60 years old female.
“MAGICAL AND TOUCHING”
38 years old female.
“IT IS A VERY GOOD MOVIE, YOU SHOULD SEE IT RIGHT AWAY.
(INFO) BRING TISSUES.”
10 years old girl.
“EXCELLENT. EMOTIONAL, CLEAN, GREAT ADVENTURE”
22 years old male.
“MAKES ME VERY THANKFUL FOR THE FRIENDS I HAVE.”
16 years old female.
“IT’S THE GREATEST MOVIE YOU’LL SEE IN THE WHOLE YEAR!
THE PERFECT MOVIE TO SEE!”
11 years old boy.
