Bridge to Terabithia 2007

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune: Elaborately mounted, expensively produced and filmed with style and empathy, it's an adaptation of Paterson's Newbery Medal-winning book that manages to expand the original vision, yet preserve much of its intense emotion. Read more

Alex Chun, Los Angeles Times: A wonderfully heart-wrenching love story for tweens, teens, and even adults who fondly remember when a friendship could be ignited by a gesture as simple as offering a stick of Juicy Fruit. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: Bridge to Terabithia the movie, like the book, is buckets-of-tears sad. Director Csupo and company manage to get that -- the simple power of a story about kindred souls, about loss, about the limitless possibilities of a lively mind -- just right. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: A fanciful, emotional and entertaining movie. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: Terabithia has buckets of gentle sincerity. Since there aren't any dumb jokes or hip visuals, it's easy to get caught up in the simple messages: Be good to your sister, don't be a bully, use your imagination in a pinch. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: It's the sort of movie I admire more in retrospect than I did while watching it. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: This screen adaptation of Katherine Paterson's now-classic novel for young readers tells its story with agreeable simplicity in between computer-generated monsters. Read more

Tom Keogh, Seattle Times: There's a lot to recommend Bridge for a young crowd. Hutcherson and Robb have excellent chemistry, Jesse's palpable hunger for his father's approval is quietly poignant, and a third-act tragedy deepens and sweetens everything. Read more

Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: Despite its small scale, Bridge offers a lot of things you won't see in most children's movies, including honest dialogue, actions that have consequences and some truly moving moments. Read more

Christy Lemire, Associated Press: Effortless performances from the two young stars ultimately make this movie worthwhile, regardless of the age of the kids watching. Read more

Melinda Ennis, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: While the filmmakers have beefed up fantasy elements from the book, this is a very human story. Read more

Tasha Robinson, AV Club: This is Csupo's feature directorial debut, but as creator, producer, and writer of Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys, among several other series, he's had a long career in animation, and he handles the CGI setpieces masterfully. Read more

Kathy Cano Murillo, Arizona Republic: One of the most grounded, realistic kid films to come along in a while. It's comical, cute and adventurous, but it also shares true-to-life emotional issues that many preteens face. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: Very Sad Things prompt Very Big Questions, and this movie is smart enough to avoid Very Easy Answers. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: Has inspired moments but too often feels like an extended after-school special, albeit one with good production values. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: Terabithia picks up a lot of emotional punch as it rolls along, and anyone leaving the theater with a dry eye should be checked for a pulse. Read more

Gregory Kirschling, Entertainment Weekly: In Bridge to Terabithia, the two middle schoolers who stumble onto a whole new world don't seem all that wowed. And the movie ... never decides if it's a fantasy or coming-of-age story. Read more

Rafer Guzman, Newsday: One problem with Terabithia is that the director, Gabor Csupo, puts too much stock in the abilities of computer graphics to make things real. Read more

Bruce Diones, New Yorker: The special effects suggest a Narnia-like romp, but the movie has a darker, more sorrowful landscape to explore and it does so brilliantly, with true nuance and heartfelt sincerity. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Everyone involved genuinely seems to believe in the power of imagination to enliven -- and enlighten -- the darkest realities, and that's a magic this film captures beautifully. Read more

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: Consistently smart and delicate as a spider web, Bridge to Terabithia is the kind of children's movie rarely seen nowadays. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: This is easily the best family feature of the early year. Read more

Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail: Bridge to Terabithia is not only faithful to the novel but also stands to become a beloved family movie. Read more

Susan Walker, Toronto Star: For all that Bridge to Terabithia does to encourage children to exercise their imaginations and pursue the arts, the movie's producers give only glimpses of the wonderful creatures and magical kingdom dreamed up by two children. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: An affecting inquest into the nature of courage, mortality, grief and the healing power of faith. Read more

Joshua Land, Time Out: As humane a Hollywood film as we're likely to see all year. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: The story is a pleasant enough diversion with a positive message about seeing the troubled person behind the bully and the importance of keeping an open mind. Read more

Justin Chang, Variety: The imaginary world dreamed up by two youngsters in Katherine Paterson's coming-of-age classic has been realized imperfectly, but with intelligence and sensitivity nonetheless, in Bridge to Terabithia. Read more

Jessica Grose, Village Voice: Far from a computer generated escapist fantasy, this film is an unpretentious and touching tale of preteen companionship and loss. Read more

Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: The beloved children's book has not just survived but thrived in its adaptation to the screen, its delicate combination of coming-of-age angst, tragedy and fantasy handled with assurance and taste by first-time live-action director Gabor Csupo. Read more