I just recently returned from a very relaxing, tropical beach vacation on Marco Island, so why am I so tired?…*grin*… both my daughters own timeshares at the lovely Eagles Nest Resort right on the Gulf Coast of Florida and for the last few years my daughter Lisa has invited us to stay with them since her boys love to sleep on the "magic couch" freeing up the second bedroom for us…usually we go for just 3 or 4 days but this time I stayed a week since both our hubbies had to return early in the week for work…so, it would be just me, Lisa and her two sweet, rambunctious boys, ages 4 and 8...since her unit has a DVD player we decided in advance that one of our evenings was going to be movie night…funny, she asked me if I had heard of Spiderwick Chronicles and when I told her it was number one on my queue she was surprised, lately it seems I've been very into animated movies for some reason…so I brought this movie with me along with a bag of movie snacking goodies.

It turns out that Spiderwick Chronicles is much more then just a kids movie.

I wasn't familiar with the fact that this story was based on a series of popular fantasy books until I watched the movie extras which fascinated me. It was mentioned that these stories were based on true events but I doubt it, feeling it's just another part of the mystique of the film the director, Mark S Waters, throws out at the audience, if I'm wrong, so be it! What I do know, is that this was one very entertaining story and one that the boys seemed to enjoy as well as my daughter and I… towards the middle of the movie our 4 year old decided he was tired and went to sleep before the movie was over. Well, after busy day on the beach and in the pool for 8 hours, it's no wonder. Lisa thought it was a bit too intense for him.

As the movie begins, we meet Arthur Spiderwick, (David Strathairn), who is writing a journal, well, a Chronicle, about all the strange creatures and fairies he has discovered on his property, apparently he sees things that others don't and he decides to write about his experiences with these fantastical beings. Thus, The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Eighty years later a car pulls up to a gloomy old mansion set in the woods in the middle of nowhere which appears to be quite eerie and spooky looking. The family moving into the house has no idea what is in store for them. This family unit consists of a newly divorced woman, Helen Grace, (Mary-Louise Parker-"Weeds"), her teenaged daughter Mallory, (Sarah Bolger), and her twin sons, Jared and Simon, both played by (Freddie Highmore), who have just left the big city for a new life in the country…lucky for them, this mansion, owned by the daughter of Arthur Spiderwick, is now in a mental institution and has given the house to the Graces who are her relatives. Hmm, what put her in the mental institution? Well, it won't be long before we know.

As they look around the house they notice salt on the window sills and doorways… they also find some very odd things, cabinets filled with jars of honey, tomato sauce and salt. Why so many, they wonder, it won't be too long before they find out!

Soon, a few of their things disappear and when Jared uncovers a hole in the wall which leads to a dumbwaiter he climbs in to investigate, coming across a secret room where he finds experimental objects that belonged to his uncle. Then the big find, "Spiderwick's Field Guide to Fairies". As he reads some of the pages he realizes this in no ordinary journal. And, he is living in no ordinary house.

When more unusual things occur, he eventually meets his first little critter, Thimbletack, a "Brownie", who is friendly but changes into a Boggart when he gets angry. Feed the Boggart honey and he will turn back into Thimbletack. Aha, the reason for all that honey

Thimbletack explains what is going on to Jared and that there are many magical creatures living in the woods, some friendly, others not so friendly and one very nasty shape-shifting Ogre named Mulgrath who is after the Chronicles… it is very important to keep that book out of the Ogres hands which he would use to gain enormous powers and control this land of the fairies. It is also very important to stay in the protective circle of salt which his uncle had put around the house…but Jared can’t see the circle or the creatures until Thimbletack gives him a seeing stone through which he can view all the fairies and goblins. He can't believe his eyes. Now he knows the reason for all that salt.

As the story progresses Jared is given the ability to see the creatures without the stone when a goblin spits in his eye. Soon Simon and his sister Mallory are caught up in the race to save the Chronicles from the Ogre…They visit great-aunt Lucinda, (Joan Plowright), in the mental hospital and they soon realize she doesn’t belong there. At the same time Grace doesn't understand what is happening with her kids who are truly acting as crazy as Lucinda.

The rest of the story involves Simon, Jared and Mallory's attempt to keep the book out of the Ogres hands…But Mulgrath will do anything to get it and his shape shifting characters are quite frightening and ingenious. He even stoops to posing as the kids father to try to trick them. When they learn how and what would hurt the creatures they conceive of an ingenious plot to stop them. (hence the tomato sauce)…They eventually meet their great-great uncle who is living in the land of the Sylphs and has not aged since he disappeared.

But I don't want to give anymore of this most entertaining story away except to say there are so many great characters and creatures, including a friendly flying Griffin, Hogspiel, who is a Hobgoblin, Redcap, a very nasty Bull-goblin and his army that look like big toads. There are also the Sylphs and friendly Flower Sprites. All these creatures come together to create an ingenious and delightful movie, The Spiderwick Chronicles

What I will say is that there is a magical and captivating ending.

The movie held my interest throughout and I even watched it again when I got home to be able to get the names of the critters right. I thought I would just watch bits and pieces but ended up watching this fanciful film in its entirety.


What I loved and enjoyed most about the Movie

Freddie Highmore…what an outstanding job he did as both brothers, he is quite a talent and very versatile showing his emotions so skillfully in this dual role. I haven't seen him in all his movies but was impressed with him in this film, Spiderwick Chronicles A Good Year and Finding Neverland. This movie really showcased his many talents.

I loved the dazzling and amazing special effects, the cinematography, the make-up and costumes, all really first rate from the smallest Flower Sprites to the giant Ogre and, of course, little Thimbletack and his alter ego the Boggart. All the creatures were so original and fun to watch.

Speaking of the Ogre, Nick Nolte does quite a good job as the Ogre, in its different personifications. When you could see him through the make-up he was still frightening looking...;)

I enjoyed the extras but since I returned the movie already I couldn't tell you what they are called but there was one that explained how the stories came to be written, and, as I said earlier, the director wants us to believe they are based on a true story. Oh well…..

101 minutes long


Main Cast:
Freddie Highmore - Jared/Simon
Nick Nolte - Mulgrath
David Strathairn - Arthur Spiderwick
Martin Short - Thimbletack
Mary-Louise Parker - Helen
Sarah Bolger - Mallory
Joan Plowright - Aunt Lucinda
Seth Rogen - Hogsqueal
Andrew McCarthy - Richard

Director:
Mark S. Waters
Writers:
John Sayles, Karey Kirkpatrick, David Berenbaum
Producers:
Mark Canton, Karey Kirkpatrick, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein

Rating:
PG…. but warning for real little ones, (4 and under), the Ogre and some of the other creatures can be quite frightening and intense

I'm submitting this review to Elvisdo's Canadiana write -off since it was filmed in Montreal and in my English/ French Write off since Freddie Highmore is British as well as Joan Plowright.



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV