Plot
Upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of faeries and other creatures.
Release Year: 2008
Rating: 6.7/10 (28,451 voted)
Critic's Score: 62/100
Director:
Mark Waters
Stars: Freddie Highmore, Sarah Bolger, David Strathairn
Storyline Once upon a time, upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of faeries and other creatures. Unable to explain the strange disappearances and accidents that seem to be happening on a daily basis, the family blames it all on Jared. When he, Simon and Mallory investigate what's really going on, they uncover the fantastic truth of the Spiderwick estate and of the creatures that inhabit it.
Writers: Karey Kirkpatrick, David Berenbaum
Cast: Freddie Highmore
-
Jared Grace
/
Simon Grace
Mary-Louise Parker
-
Helen Grace
Nick Nolte
-
Mulgarath
Sarah Bolger
-
Mallory Grace
Andrew McCarthy
-
Richard Grace
Joan Plowright
-
Aunt Lucinda Spiderwick
David Strathairn
-
Arthur Spiderwick
Seth Rogen
-
Hogsqueal
(voice)
Martin Short
-
Thimbletack
(voice)
Jordy Benattar
-
Young Lucinda Spiderwick
Tod Fennell
-
Helen's Co-Worker
Mariah Inger
-
Nurse
Jeremy Lavalley
-
Tow Truck Driver
Lise Durocher-Viens
-
Mrs. Spiderwick
Tyler Patrick Jones
-
Additional Performer
Opening Weekend: $24,740,537
(USA)
(17 February 2008)
(3847 Screens)
Gross: $71,148,699
(USA)
(4 May 2008)
Technical Specs
Runtime:|
(unrated version)
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Film prints were shipped to some theaters under the fake title "Widow".
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes:
When Mallory and Jared are fighting at the beginning, Jared can be clearly seen to mouth Mallory's words.
Quotes: Hogsqueal:
Do birds live in these little houses? Jared Grace:
Yeah. Hogsqueal:
Oh my gosh, that's genius! Who thought of that? You can stick your tongue right in it!
[begins slobbering over a birdhouse]
User Review
The Spiderwick Chronicles Movie Review by The Massie Twins
Rating: 8/10
Regardless of how faithful The Spiderwick Chronicles movie is to the
original stories by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, the film is
tremendously entertaining and thankfully resolute. Unlike the recent
flock of fantasy epics including The Golden Compass and The Seeker,
which conclude feeling wholly unsatisfactory due to an abrupt
resolution that suggests further films in the series, The Spiderwick
Chronicles easily stands alone as a complete story. With sensationally
mirthful creature designs and likable human characters, topped with
state-of-the-art special effects, The Spiderwick Chronicles is another
big win for Paramount and a high bar for family films of 2008.
The moment the Grace family moves into the dilapidated Spiderwick
Estate, strange things begin to happen. Jared (Freddie Highmore) is a
curious, adventurous boy who quickly seeks out the hidden
cob-web-covered remains of great great uncle Arthur Spiderwick's
laboratory. He unleashes a mysterious force when he locates a field
guide full of the secrets of the magical creatures that inhabit the
forest surrounding the mansion. His twin brother Simon is calm and
reserved and very much the intellectual one, but is rapidly drawn into
the fantastical world of faeries and goblins. Older sister Mallory and
their mom are harder to convince, but after the almighty and ruthless
ogre leader Mulgarath (Nick Nolte) begins to attack the home, everyone
must band together to combat the hordes of goblins and ensorcelled
creatures that lurk outside.
The Spiderwick Chronicles is, on the surface, an alluringly delightful
fantasy that blends the very best of character designs, both human and
CG, into a story that effortlessly engrosses without stumbling out of
the realm of suspended disbelief. Everything within the story makes
sense as it unfolds, and we don't question why certain things are
feasible – because as the world of goblins and boggers is defined, we
have no reason not to become completely immersed in the fantasy.
Director Mark Waters doesn't rush the process of illustrating the
multitude of magic and myths, and doesn't overload us with jargon that
we couldn't possibly comprehend. The pacing is fantastic for a family
film, and doesn't fall into the three hour trap that The Lord of the
Rings sets.
The children have more appeal and charismatic personalities than those
of the Narnia kids, and the creatures are more lovable and waggish than
those in Harry Potter. Each computer animated monstrosity and cuddly
ally beautifully blend into the forested environment, and never reach a
level of utter annoyance. The designs themselves are ingenious, with a
mix of gelatinous abominations like Redcap, the angry henchman goblin,
a furry old hamster-like man (Thimbletack, voiced by Martin Short) who
speaks in rhyme, and a mighty griffin that soars above the picturesque
clouds. Eloquently wispy faeries and an enormous horned ogre are also
substantial parts of the Spiderwick mythology, and many other exciting
creatures frequent this action-filled fairyland.
The Spiderwick Chronicles undeniably makes fantasy and magic fun. While
a few scenes of unnecessary predicaments involving the children's
divorced parents could have been cut, the film manages not to be overly
preachy, even with its many positive messages and abounding morals.
With pleasing characters, family-friendly magical adventure and a
mind-bogglingly fantastical world of faeries, goblins and ogres, The
Spiderwick Chronicles is extraordinarily entertaining fantasy fun.
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