THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES
Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
It's a new month, so it must be time for another fantasy-adventure aimed at children and/or young adults. This is the universe that Harry Potter, Narnia and Lord of the Rings have ushered in, and when a great deal of money and a high-profile cast is thrown at these projects, we get cold, uninspired disasters like THE GOLDEN COMPASS. But the makers of THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES apparently had a radically different idea: focus on a solid script, and hire a team of less recognizable actors who actually add something to their characters. And perhaps don't worry so much about franchise potential, instead concentrating on making one solid, well-crafted excitingly original work for the ages. SPIDERWICK achieves nearly all of these goals with a spirit of fun and adventure (and, yes, even a bit of life-or-death peril) that puts far more expensive and sweeping epics to shame.
I've never read the series of books (from authors Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black) that this film was based on, but it's my understanding that the five-part series has been condensed into this jam-packed work. Without going to deep into the surprisingly complex plot, the general premise is that there is a largely invisible world living just outside the visual realm of humans. It's a world filled with goblins, ogres, fairies, sprites, hobgoblins and brownies. Many years ago, a scientist named Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn) found a means to see and interact with and chronicle all of the secrets of this other world. He created a scrap book/field guide to these creatures and their powers and abilities, but when it was discovered that he had set down these secrets in a book, he disappeared, leaving the book behind for decades. Descendants of Spiderwick arrive at his rundown house to live there, and almost immediately things turn bizarre. Freddie Highmore plays twins Jared (the spirited troublemaker) and Simon (the dutiful son to mom Mary Louise Parker). The twins' older sister (Sarah Bolger) is also on hand to act as disciplinarian when mom goes to work. Jared finds the field guide and, despite a note attached the cover warning him not to, he opens it. All hell breaks loose.
It took me a little while to realize it, but the entire film takes place in about 24 hours, which isn't terribly important, but it does explain why the story never stops moving. As much as there are three screenwriters credited with Spiderwick, one in particular caught my eye: John Sayles. Sayles has been writing genre films for decades now, but much of his more recent work has either gone unproduced or he's worked behind the scenes polishing things up and not getting credit for it. So for long-time Sayles fans, it's great to see his name attached to a film like this, knowing that he had a lot to do with the crafting of this tale. Inspired casting isn't limited to the human cast. Martin Short voices the ILM-realized the "house brownie" Thimbletack (who looks like a cross between a rat and a man); Seth Rogan lends his pipes to the revenge-driven hobgoblin Hogsqueal; and Nick Nolte (who also appears in the film briefly) is the voice of the ultimate evil ogre Mulgarath, who wants the field guide for himself and will kill anyone to get it.
Director Mark Waters (THE HOUSE OF YES; MEAN GIRLS) has dabbled with fantasy before in films like FREAKY FRIDAY and JUST LIKE HEAVEN. He handles this material admirably, not putting too much emphasis on the special effects and remembering that this is the story of a family in crisis (a broken one, since we find out early that the kids' father has left Mom and is preparing to marry another woman). There's an emotional component to SPIDERWICK that I haven't found in even the better fantasy films of late. This is not to say that Waters skimps on the "wow" factor. The creatures in this film are across-the-board hideous to look at (that's a good thing), and I was even impressed by the "twin" effect of Highmore (CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY; FINDING NEVERLAND). After about 10 minutes, I thought I was looking at two separate actors, which is as much a credit to Highmore's skills as an actor as any special effects creation.
As much as the books may have been written for smaller children, this movie has seen the story and the threat level grow up a bit. The goblin attacks on the kids are ferocious, and death is a very real danger in this tale. When these little bastards bite, they draw blood. Although the film is rated PG, parents familiar with the books should keep that in mind. But overall, this is a film is a blast. I loved exploring and learning about this world and its rules probably as much as Arthur Spiderwick did when he was writing his discoveries down. I'll admit, I was surprised how much I admired this film, but when I look at the talent that went into making it, I guess I shouldn't have been. These are storytellers who know how to make an action-packed adventures story feel like small, personal filmmaking. I'm always impressed by this rare gift, and THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES is thoroughly entertaining, bordering on spiritually fulfilling.
Capone
I like Stripper Ass on either side of my nose!
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