The Spiderwick Chronicles (Widescreen Edition) | 
 enlarge | Actor: Freddie Highmore
Studio: Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $34.98
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Rating:  98 reviews
Sales Rank: 980
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 96
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: PARD343284D
UPC: 097363432845
EAN: 0097363432845
ASIN: B0017I04RI
Theatrical Release Date: February 14, 2008
Release Date: June 24, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Previously Viewed rental product. 100% GUARANTEED! May have stickers on case or disc. Fast shipping! Book, Video, Video Game & Music titles all in one location! Discover Your Entertainment at goHastings.
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Product Description
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 01/27/2009 Run time: 101 minutes Rating: Pg
Amazon.com
A very good adaptation of the popular series of books by Tony DiTerllizi and Holly Black, The Spiderwick Chronicles is one of the few family films in recent years to seamlessly integrate magical elements with a potent drama that will strike a chord with many kids. An exceptionally talented Freddie Highmore (August Rush) plays twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, caught up in a sad shock from their parents' divorce and coping with a decision by their mother (Mary-Louise Parker) to uproot the boys and their sister, Mallory (Sarah Bolger), from New York City to a small town. There, the broken family moves into a spooky old mansion passed on to them by the kids' great-aunt, Lucinda (Joan Plowright), who is spending her twilight years in managed care and whose scientist father, Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn), disappeared some 80 years ago. Jared, angry, defiant, and determined to live with the father who seems to have abandoned him, investigates strange happenings and discovers Arthur's secret notations on fairies, ogres, and other mythical creatures that live both in and outside the house. Having no idea where his curiosity is leading, Jared soon finds that he and his family are under siege from goblins and a powerful ogre (Nick Nolte) who wants Arthur's notebook. Suddenly, the boy who is a lightning rod for a troubled family becomes a resourceful warrior intent on saving his loved ones from powerful forces. The Spiderwick Chronicles benefits enormously from a script (partially written by John Sayles) that treats, quite seriously, the emotional pain of its human characters and makes Jared's will to survive the very real engine of an otherwise fantastic story. It helps, too, that director Mark Waters, who brings a warm and knowing touch to outlandish material (Freaky Friday), has a way of making the spectacular elements of The Spiderwick Chronicles genuine enough to stir real excitement and suspense. This is one of the better film adaptations of best-selling fiction for kids in some years. --Tom Keogh
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| Customer Reviews: Read 93 more reviews...
 The Spiderwick Chronicles February 22, 2008
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
Helen Grace (Parker) and her kids Mallory (Bolger) and twins Jared and Simon (both Highmore) are starting fresh after Helen's separation from the kids' father. They are moving into the Spiderwick Estate, a mansion that Helen inherited from her Aunt Lucinda (Plowwright). The estate has an interesting history though. 80 years ago, Arthur Spiderwick (Strathairn) wrote a "field guide" to the world around him. This guide includes all kinds of fantastical creatyres. By writing it, he unleashed some terrible forces and now an army of goblins is amassing. Led by the ogre Mulgrath (Nolte), they seek to take the book away from the protection of the house. The kids are all that stands between Mulgrath and world domination.
"The Spiderwick Chronicles" is a surprisingly well done movie. For a movie that covers five books, there isn't a feeling that much was lost in the translation. There is a lot of action that keeps the moving quickly. The child actors do a good job in the roles, especially Highmore in dual roles. The story is not complex, but is not simple either. Plus, it deals with serious issues like divorce, a topic that many kids will relate to. "The Spiderwick Chronicles" is an excellent move for kids from about 6-7 on up to adults. I highly recommend this film.
Enchanting February 16, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Without boring you with a long drawn out review, I just wanted to say it's a wonderful tale. It's a fastasy adventure for all ages.
A great surprise of a movie March 2, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This movie was an incredible surprise and the acting was TOP-notch! My favorite actor was Aunt Lucy. I was at tears at the end. *No Spoilers!* The effects were great, the story was well paced, and the action actually had me at the edge of my seat sometimes. I gave it 5 stars because I honestly believe that this movie was BETTER than ANY of the Harry Potter films to date.
Spiderwick Chronicles... May 7, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
An exciting kids (and parents too!) movie. Our Family enjoyed watching it together. It is based on a set of five books. Of course, the only disappointment in the movie was the veering away from the books. There is one scene that is a bit graphic (child stabbing father) It is quickly explained though. I can recommend for the whole family.
"A Gift Only A Hobgoblin Can Bestow" August 2, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The '08 film `The Spiderwick Chronicles' is an exciting, exhilarating, enchanting and at times surprisingly eerie tale that absolutely bowled me over! There's nothing I enjoy more than a tale dealing with the denizens of the "Secret Commonweath" consisting of the elves, fairies, sylphs, goblins, trolls and the rest of the mythic creatures that move unseen behind every flower and stone, or on occasion a dusty book in the library for that matter.
There's not much in this movie that one could honestly point to as a totally original idea. Upon viewing `The Spiderwick Chronicles' one will immediately recognize the numerous bits and pieces of storyline borrowed from a rather broad spectrum of other well-known fantasy and horror films.
On the lighter side of the tale we see glimpses from such beloved family films as; `The Neverending Story' from '84, `Labyrinth from '86 and of course the immensely successful `Harry Potter' series.
However the plot of `The Spiderwick Chronicles' deals predominantly with the darker aspects of the Fairy Realm and this unexpected dark side of the film is what ultimately fascinates and beguiles its audience. The more children friendly films mentioned above are counterbalanced with cinematic aspects found in some surprisingly frightening adult films. You'll find overt correlations with such movies as; the legendary cult classic `Night of the Living Dead' from `68` and the '87 teen favorite `The Lost Boys'.
However the greatest source of inspiration for this storyline surely must have been an obscure little film from '03 titled `Inhabited'. In fact there are simply too many similarities for it to be a nothing more than a coincidence.
Having said all this let me also say that I don't share these similarities to dissuade you from viewing this film. I share it as an observation and nothing more. Afterall there's nothing new under the sun that hasn't been done before so the goal is to take what's already there and do it better and that's just what `The Spiderwick Chronicles' accomplishes. The film grabbed my rapt attention from the beginning and never let up. There's absolutely nothing I didn't enjoy about this film which is sure to become a classic in the years ahead.
Message to Parents: If you have small children who want to watch this please take the time to view it with them. The goblins and troll will appear quite frigntening to a young audience so be forewarned.
Postscript: Also remember to keep plenty of honey on hand and don't forget tomato sauce kills goblins.
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