It’s Freddie Highmore times two. The Fredster plays two parts in this fantasy based on a best-selling series of children’s books, that of twins Jared and Simon, who move from their beloved New York City with their mother (Mary-Louise Parker) and older sister Mallory (Sarah Bolger) to an old mansion deep in the country. Jared, the more rough and tumble of the twins, has some serious anger issues regarding the move, making him a real crank about everything. The old mansion belonged to their great aunt, who was unfortunately institutionalized when she started complaining about her house being overrun by fairies. Of course, it turns out that the old woman wasn’t off her rocker after all.
When Jared uncovers a book--written by his great-great uncle--which serves as a
field guide to fairies, goblins and all other fantastic creatures of the deep woods, he’s unwittingly discovered a hotly contested prize in an ages-old battle in which he and his family find themselves right smack in the middle of as they fend for their very lives against an army of goblins. You know, I wish I had a nickel for every children’s story that started out with the kid moving to a new home and hating it, and when I saw that was happening here, I was pretty much prepared to write off The Spiderwick Chronicles as being predictable.
But the film turns out to be a pleasant surprise as it dives heads first into its imaginative fantasy world, which is treated unflinchingly and with great care. The CGI effects work great here without taking over the film, and that’s also because the screenplay keeps the focus on the family, whom you care about. The cast--Parker, Highmore and Bolger--are all very good, and they’re joined by such superb actors as Nick Nolte, David Strathirn, and Joan Plowright, who raise the bar on this film a great deal. There’s no commentary, but several different ‘making of’ documentaries (all with captions) on the film, as well as the books. If you’re looking for a fun flight of fancy, give the Spiderwick Chronicles a try.
--SF
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