3113
Hello Summer!
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2005
- Posts
- 13,823
Just saw Spiderwick. It's a very well done movie: fleshed out characters, good dialogue, drama, action, humor. The creators took a lot of care with the setting and the effects, spending their money (from all appearances) wisely and well. Which is to say that while this Kid's Fantasy has a lot of generic elements, it doesn't feel like a sloppy, made-for-tv movie. The actors, director, writers of this movie really seemed to care about it and wanted to make it good.
Story-wise, well, it's pretty standard for those sorts of young-adult kid books, the sort staring the angry kid who has been moved to some weird old home, then finds a connection to the supernatural in the home, and gets embroiled in an otherworldly battle. He has to convince siblings and mom that he's not lying about "ogres and trolls" and such. You've read it before, and you've seen it before. But when I see such movies, I always have to remind myself--just because *I've* seen it before doesn't mean the little kids have. It's new for them. And while I might quibble about certain holes in the story (which might or might not exist in the book on which the movie is based), they didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the film.
I appreciated, most especially, that the three kids felt like they were siblings, part of a family, and had distinctive personalities and roles to play, unlike some fantasy book/films where the hero does everything and his siblings (especially a sister) are useless. My husband did shake his head however, and said, "White folks have the darnest things happen to them"
I have to agree. Isn't it about time some of these families were at least bi-racial?
A little intense and dark for very small kids, but kids 8 and older will enjoy it. Good, exciting and well done family fare.
Story-wise, well, it's pretty standard for those sorts of young-adult kid books, the sort staring the angry kid who has been moved to some weird old home, then finds a connection to the supernatural in the home, and gets embroiled in an otherworldly battle. He has to convince siblings and mom that he's not lying about "ogres and trolls" and such. You've read it before, and you've seen it before. But when I see such movies, I always have to remind myself--just because *I've* seen it before doesn't mean the little kids have. It's new for them. And while I might quibble about certain holes in the story (which might or might not exist in the book on which the movie is based), they didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the film.
I appreciated, most especially, that the three kids felt like they were siblings, part of a family, and had distinctive personalities and roles to play, unlike some fantasy book/films where the hero does everything and his siblings (especially a sister) are useless. My husband did shake his head however, and said, "White folks have the darnest things happen to them"
I have to agree. Isn't it about time some of these families were at least bi-racial? A little intense and dark for very small kids, but kids 8 and older will enjoy it. Good, exciting and well done family fare.
