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As a general rule I don't like stories that centre on kids, be it in film or novel form. I never have, not even when I was a kid myself. Kid-centric films have the added problem of finding child actors who can actually act, although often I think that a child actor's performance has more to do with the skills of the director. Well, going on this evidence, Gabor Csupo knows how to direct children, as the predominantly young cast of Bridge to Terabithia give excellent performances. The 'Terabithia' of the title is a fantasy world that is created by the imagination of the two lead characters, but despite what the advertising implies, the fantasy aspect is not really that prevalent in the film (the marketing is extremely misleading - nearly all of the CG shots in the film are in the trailer). In that respect, then, the film is something like a PG-rated Pan's Labyrinth. The few fantasy diversions that Bridge to Terabithia possesses are beautifully realised with the help of Peter Jackson's Weta Digital (only one scene fails to convince with some sub-par greenscreen work, which seems to be Weta's Achilles heel), but the film is primarily about the friendship between two school kids, one a sporty but relatively unpopular boy (Josh Hutcherson) and one a quirky new girl (The Reaping's AnnaSophia Robb). Therefore it's easy to see why it has been marketed as a fantasy adventure.
Don't let the plot synopsis put you off. As I've said, I don't generally like movies that focus on children (Mean Creek and Stand By Me are two noteworthy exceptions) and yet I found it quite enchanting. It's hard to explain exactly why it works so well without delving into spoiler territory, but suffice to say that a totally unforeseen twist about two thirds of the way through puts an entirely new slant on the film and elevates it to more than just another family movie. It's a surprisingly touching story that deals with childhood in a convincing manner, and although some typical plot points are encountered, such as the school bully who gets her comeuppance, it also takes some commendable risks that paid off for this viewer. It's certainly far from faultless - there are some slow parts and it does start to feel like it's holding back on the fantasy escapades a little too much after a while - but these were overcome by its sheer warmth. Not many films really engage you with the plight of their protagonists but Bridge to Terabithia is one that does, and the fact that most of the characters are children makes that all the more unusual.
The summary
An engrossing tale of childhood with a hint - and only a hint - of the fantastical. A pleasant surprise.
