Bridge to Terabithia (PG) <!-- none onestar twostar threestar fourstar fivestar -->

Reviewed,Robert Hanks
Thursday 03 May 2007 19:00 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Subtract the magic, cruelty and leftist politics from Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, and this is what you're left with. As in Pan's Labyrinth, the story revolves around strange fairy creatures in the woods behind the house, and the way that for children imagination and reality intersect ambiguously. The setting here is modern rural America: a lonely boy from a blue-collar family has his life transformed by the bourgeois, bohemian girl who moves in next door and introduces him to the imaginary kingdom of Terabithia. The invented world is stolid, the logic of its relationship with reality muddled; but what really kills the film is the way it wears its uplift on its sleeve; so that even when death intrudes, you feel you're supposed to be improved rather than moved.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in