There’s a thump in the night – in the kitchen, to be specific. It could be a rat in the walls of the old house or a squirrel. But when you’re at the latest fantasy family film, “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” you know it’s not a squirrel. It’s a brownie. What else?
The brownie in question is Thimbletack, an elfin creature whose voice (Martin Short) explains the history of the magical house to the three main characters of the film: Jared Grace (Freddie Highmore); his twin brother, Simon (also played by Freddie Highmore); and their sister Mallorie (Sarah Bolger).
The Paramount and Nickelodeon Movies production is based on the five-book series by author Holly Black and illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi. It records the fantastical adventures of the Grace children after Jared discovers a book in the attic of their new home, the Spiderwick house, entitled “Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You.”
The guidebook explains the secrets of all the fairy species in the unseen magical realm surrounding the Spiderwick residence. It warns that if the guide falls into the wrong hands, it could prove fatal to them all.
It seems like a lot of information to absorb and work with in the movie’s short running time, but writers Karey Kirkpatrick, David Berenbaum and John Sayles rise to the occasion – better than the other recent exposition-laden fantasy “The Golden Compass,” which was written by Chris Weitz.
The creators handle the plethora of creatures that come to life very well. There are the brownies/boggarts, hobgoblins, normal goblins, sprites, moor trolls, griffins, sylphs and the evil ogre Mulgrath. All were created using the best computer animation treatment, courtesy of Industrial Light ‘ Magic as well as Tippett Studios. The creatures shine because they blend so beautifully with the world into which they’re spun.
Aside from the effects, what else works well? Mark Waters, for one. Though this is the director’s first work with effects-heavy fantasy, his previous movies (“Mean Girls,” “Freaky Friday”) prove that he is extremely adept at handling stories with families who must face some obstacles.
Such is the case with “Spiderwick.” The Grace family moves to the Spiderwick estate after the separation of the Grace parents and, throughout the movie, Jared must deal with his anger issues (as well as the evil forces of Mulgrath) while protecting his siblings. Waters makes sure all the fast-paced fantasy action supplements the family drama, so much so that, at one point, Jared really does have to face his demons in a jarring way.
Finally, it’s also great to see a children’s film that isn’t afraid to scare. I honestly haven’t seen a movie this exciting aimed at young viewers since “Jumanji.”
The only parts of “Spiderwick” I didn’t enjoy were those filled with the prerequisite cheesiness of a family film and the semi-recycled feeling of James Horner’s (“Titanic,” “Field of Dreams”) musical score. Though this mysterious, gorgeous, enthralling music fits the film perfectly, one can’t help listening to Horner’s score in “Spiderwick” and be reminded of another family film about a certain friendly ghost (“Casper”).
Despite its flaws, “The Spiderwick Chronicles” is a worthy film: creepy, fun, a little gross and truly epic in its own right, without being drawn out like “The Golden Compass” or some of the earlier Harry Potter films.
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