After being subjected to Bridge to Terabithia’s marketing campaign, one would presumably place the literary-inspired work into the same box as The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter. However, Bridge to Terabithia is nowhere near the type of motion picture that one would expect. Let’s say it’s out-of-the box thinking. While the movie adaptation may be labeled magical, the magic is more practical rather than mystical.
Simply put, Bridge to Terabithia is a well-imagined, gloriously germane production. The film is considerate of the innate adult urge to become infused with the nostalgia of racing to the end of the road, building forts, and living with your “head in the clouds.” Despite its PG rating, Bridge to Terabithia is not a kid’s movie; it’s a tear-jerking drama for the kid in every fun-loving adult.
Jess Aarons (Josh Hutcherson) is an artistically talented and bullied fifth grader who lives a poor country lifestyle with his mother, father, and four sisters. After training all summer to be the fastest in his class, Jess manages to beat every boy in a race. On the other hand, he loses to a girl named Leslie Burke (AnnaSophia Robb). Leslie is a new student at Jess’s school, his new neighbor, and the well-off daughter of two authors.
Bearing in mind that Jess and Leslie get off at the same bus stop and picked on by the same bully named Janice (Lauren Clinton), the pair begins to bond. When they find an old rope that traverses a creek, they swing across and invent a magical land called Terabithia. In Terabithia, Jess and Leslie pronounce themselves King and Queen respectively. As the friendship between Jess and Leslie continues to blossom, Jess discovers how to live freely, love eternally, and “keep [his] mind wide open.”
Article comments
1 - JLM
Disney should be ashamed of themselves with this crapp movie. My children had the worst viewing night of their lives with our "pajama party" movie night!
What kind of scumbag writer would kill off a child in a movie?? Especially just to show some sort of wierd pervese connection to something...
I am sitting here as my wife tries to calm scarred children after this garbage death of a key actor and child no less.... Disney reeks!
Disney is off our list of quality anything after this...
Scumbag Disney writers!
2 - Joseph Hayes
That last comment is really outrageous...god forbid Disney should put out a film with a real human element...guess what people die and this film is a great way to open up a discussion with your kids about death. Not to mention its based on a freaking children's classic book!!! Most kids read this in school!!!