Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present a PG rated, approximately 90 minute fantastical family adventure film directed by Mark Waters and starring Freddie Highmore (Jared and Simon Grace), Sarah Bolger (Mallory Grace), Mary Louise Parker (Helen Grace), David Strathairn (Arthur Spiderwick), Nick Nolte (Mulgarath) with Jordy Benattar (Young Lucinda), Joan Plowright (86 years old Lucinda), Andrew MaCarthy (Dad) and voices by Seth Rogen (Hogsqueal) and Martin Short (Thimbletack/Bogart).
Arthur Spiderwick was a man set out to see beyond what anyone else could see, a fantasy world filled with secrets, creatures and mysteries that surround our lives everyday, yet go un-noticed. Through the years of his explorations surrounding his estate he discovered many elements of the unknown along with his brownie, Thimbletack, a protector who is seen only when he lets you, superbly voiced and brought to life by Martin Short. A rat like looking character with human qualities, that would turn green when angry but with the help of honey would calm down like that of a valium to a highly anxious human. As Arthur studied the creatures around him there were enemies out to destroy him and the world in which the faeries and mythical beings lived. One way for this evil ogre, Mulgarath, and his goblins, lead by Redcap, to do so was to take possession of Arthur's chronicle exposing the secrets of their world. In order to protect the secrets, Arthur hid the book and the flower-like, water-like, bird-like sprites hid Arthur, in their far away world where time is forgotten. By doing this they left behind his only daughter, Lucinda.
Eighty years later, Lucinda is living in Woodhaven Sanitarium because of her beliefs in the other worlds. Distant relatives, Helen Grace and her twin sons, Jared and Simon, daughter, Mallory, along with their cat, leave the city to start a new life without their father in a new town, new house, which happens to be on the border of quaint meets "Amityville Horror", new job and overall a brand new life. Jared, the rebel is quite the opposite of his brother Simon, the brainy and less adventuresome boy, both played brilliantly by Freddie Highmore. Jared, stumbles upon the chronicle, which by the way is covered with an instruction of not to open, not to read, which will lead to consequences. Of course, Jared reads it which opens up the world to the dangerous Malgarath and his not so merry goblins.
So the war begins upon the full moon between the Grace family, their new found friends, Timbletack and Hogsqueal, a pig-like creature with an odd fetish for eating birds, feathers and all, against the ogre, Malgarath, who can take many forms, along with the goblins. Humans of course cannot see these creatures unless they look through a magical oval stone or else by having Hogsqueal spitting in their eyes, a bit gross but funny since this mysterious creature was the true voice of laughter for the audience. The book in which Arthur wrote was not only his life work but truly his life. It held the secrets that were meant to remain just that, secrets. But Jared and his siblings along with others used its knowledge to fight the goblins and protect it from Malagrath. Who would have thought common household elements like tomato sauce, salt, vinegar and oatmeal, great product placement by the way, would have been used as goblin defenses.
But the ultimate weapon was to summon a 125 year old man and his pet, a beautiful griffin. The cinematography that followed the flight of this magnificent winged bird as the children rode upon its back was breath-taking and made you feel like you were actually along for the ride. But many things never go as planned and some times the last words you say to a loved one could be final. So along with the brilliant direction this film is written with many lessons to be cherished and learned about the true meaning of life. Albeit in the end Lucinda will always be daddy's little girl and life in many forms will go on thanks mostly due to Hogsqueal's fetish. An ending surely to bring a tear to your eye, or was that spit?
This phenomenally directed, produced and scored family drama with a touch of terror and violence is truly following in the footsteps of films like "Harry Potter", "Jumanji" and "Narnia" but stands on its own as a must see delight for people of all ages. The main characters were not only the creatures but of course the kids, Bolger was superb but the Oscar goes to Highmore who made you believe that Jared and Simon were two different young men rather than Freddie playing them both as twins. This young man is someone that we'll be seeing on the big screen for a long time to come. Parker and Straithairn along with Plowright were delightful in their supporting roles. Nolte although his on screen appearance was minimal as a human, his voice as an ogre was powerful. Short was an animated voiced genius but Rogen was truly the one swine that stole the show. Look for this film to be a hit at the box office for audiences both young and old. Like many of its genre before it the sequels are sure to follow. Fulfill your 90 minute fantasy and take a step to a theatre near you to enjoy the visions of the world in which we look past everyday told through the story of "The Spiderwick Chronicles" but remember PG means "Parental Guidance"!
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.