Scan and Pan
Friday, February 15, 2008
The Spiderwick Chronicles
After the Grace family--rebellious Jared (Freddie Highmore), his more intellectually inclined twin Simon (also Highmore), their older sister Mallory (Sarah Bolger), and their mother (Mary-Louise Parker)--move into an old country home that used to belong to a relative, strange things begin to happen for which Jared, prone to emotional outbursts after his parents' recent separation, is quickly blamed. In the attic, he finds a book written by his great-granduncle Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn), along with a handwritten note warning against reading it. Jared disregards the warning and discovers the book is a field guide to magical creatures, good and bad. As a new world unfolds before his eyes, he learns that the ogre Mulgarath (Nick Nolte) will stop at nothing to obtain the book and its secrets, and soon Jared's entire family is in mortal danger and it's up to him to save them all.
Although it begins a bit slowly and initially has the feel of a telefilm, once the fantasy elements kick in you'll find yourself won over by its charms, as I was. Director Mark Waters (Freaky Friday, Mean Girls) employs a light touch that serves the story well, transforming the books into an exciting adventure that will appeal to fantasy fans of all ages, but especially to younger ones. I haven't read any of the books, but reportedly elements from all five of them were used as the basis for the screenplay by Karey Kirkpatrick (James and the Giant Peach), David Berenbaum (Elf), and John Sayles (The Secret of Roan Inish), and successfully so. It never once feels like bits and pieces of several stories have been cobbled together.
Cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (The Black Stallion, The Passion of the Christ), production designer James Bissell (Jumanji, 300), and costume designers Odette Gadoury (Lucky Number Slevin) and Joanna Johnston (Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan) do a wonderful job of realizing the look of DiTerlizzi's illustrations on the cinema screen, aided by excellent visual effects courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic and the Tippett Studio. The pleasant score by James Horner (Jumanji, Apocalypto) completes the spell.
The young cast seems a little uncertain early on, but quickly find their footing. Highmore is a suitable lead and quite convincing as both brothers, Irish actress Bolger is spirited as Mallory, and Parker is a solid presence as their mother. Strathairn and Joan Plowright are perfectly cast as Spiderwick and his now elderly daughter. Andrew McCarthy has a cameo as Jared's father. Nolte only has a little face time before giving way to voicing a CGI character, but he's an appropriately menacing Mulgarath. The rest of the voice cast shines as well, including Martin Short as Thimbletack and Seth Rogen as Hogsqueal.
The Spiderwick Chronicles is one of the early surprises of the 2008 release schedule, a wonderful little family-friendly fantasy film. It may lack the scope of other recent films in the genre, but it reliably captures the magic of a boy finding a world of wonder in his own backyard.
[4 out of 5 stars]
The popular series of illustrated fantasy books by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi are brought to the screen in an entertaining fashion.
After the Grace family--rebellious Jared (Freddie Highmore), his more intellectually inclined twin Simon (also Highmore), their older sister Mallory (Sarah Bolger), and their mother (Mary-Louise Parker)--move into an old country home that used to belong to a relative, strange things begin to happen for which Jared, prone to emotional outbursts after his parents' recent separation, is quickly blamed. In the attic, he finds a book written by his great-granduncle Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn), along with a handwritten note warning against reading it. Jared disregards the warning and discovers the book is a field guide to magical creatures, good and bad. As a new world unfolds before his eyes, he learns that the ogre Mulgarath (Nick Nolte) will stop at nothing to obtain the book and its secrets, and soon Jared's entire family is in mortal danger and it's up to him to save them all.
Although it begins a bit slowly and initially has the feel of a telefilm, once the fantasy elements kick in you'll find yourself won over by its charms, as I was. Director Mark Waters (Freaky Friday, Mean Girls) employs a light touch that serves the story well, transforming the books into an exciting adventure that will appeal to fantasy fans of all ages, but especially to younger ones. I haven't read any of the books, but reportedly elements from all five of them were used as the basis for the screenplay by Karey Kirkpatrick (James and the Giant Peach), David Berenbaum (Elf), and John Sayles (The Secret of Roan Inish), and successfully so. It never once feels like bits and pieces of several stories have been cobbled together.
Cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (The Black Stallion, The Passion of the Christ), production designer James Bissell (Jumanji, 300), and costume designers Odette Gadoury (Lucky Number Slevin) and Joanna Johnston (Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan) do a wonderful job of realizing the look of DiTerlizzi's illustrations on the cinema screen, aided by excellent visual effects courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic and the Tippett Studio. The pleasant score by James Horner (Jumanji, Apocalypto) completes the spell.
The young cast seems a little uncertain early on, but quickly find their footing. Highmore is a suitable lead and quite convincing as both brothers, Irish actress Bolger is spirited as Mallory, and Parker is a solid presence as their mother. Strathairn and Joan Plowright are perfectly cast as Spiderwick and his now elderly daughter. Andrew McCarthy has a cameo as Jared's father. Nolte only has a little face time before giving way to voicing a CGI character, but he's an appropriately menacing Mulgarath. The rest of the voice cast shines as well, including Martin Short as Thimbletack and Seth Rogen as Hogsqueal.
The Spiderwick Chronicles is one of the early surprises of the 2008 release schedule, a wonderful little family-friendly fantasy film. It may lack the scope of other recent films in the genre, but it reliably captures the magic of a boy finding a world of wonder in his own backyard.
[4 out of 5 stars]
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