Spiderwick Chronicles, The

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Paramount Pictures (97 minutes)
and Mark Waters
Freddie Highmore , Mary-Louise Parker , Nick Nolte , Joan Plowright , David Strathairn , Seth Rogen , and Martin Short

Rating: PG for scary creature action and violence, peril and some thematic elements

Summary: From the beloved best-selling series of books comes The Spiderwick Chronicles, a fantasy adventure for the child in all of us. Peculiar things start to happen the moment the Grace family (Jared, his twin brother Simon, his sister Mallory, and their mom) leaves New York and moves into the secluded old house owned by their great, great uncle Arthur Spiderwick. Unable to explain the strange disappearances and accidents that seem to be happening on a daily basis, the family blames Jared. When he, Simon, and Mallory investigate what's really going on, they uncover the fantastic truth of the Spiderwick estate, as well as the creatures that inhabit it. (Paramount Picture)

Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times:
(88) A well-crafted family thriller that is truly scary and doesn't wimp out.

Carrie Rickey
Philadelphia Inquirer:
(75) The film underscores the power of reading, and applying what we read to problem-solving. The story suggests that we don't really see the natural world around us, and if we did our lives, like Jared's and his siblings', would be immeasurably richer.

James Berardinelli
ReelViews:
(75) Not great fantasy, but it's on more solid ground than "The Golden Compass" and will seem less baffling to some. There's enough here to keep adults engaged, which is an important component of any motion picture that wants to be known as "family entertainment."

Tasha Robinson
Chicago Tribune:
(75) A fast-moving adventure with more than dynamic glitz to recommend it.

David Wiegand
San Francisco Chronicle:
(75) A mostly superb cast, superior special effects, a sparkling musical score and a fantasy-filled plot .

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