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The Spiderwick Chronicles: 2-Disc Field Guide Edition
by Reg Seeton
STUDIO: Paramount
RELEASE DATE: June 24, 2008
STARRING: Sarah Bolger, Freddie Highmore, Seth Rogen, Mary-Louise Parker, Nick Nolte, David Strathairn, Andrew McArthy
WRITTEN BY: Karey Kirkpatrick, David Berenbaum, and John Sayles
DIRECTED BY: Mark Waters
FEATURES: Spiderwick: It's All True!
It's A Spiderwick World!
Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide
Spiderwick: Meet the Clan
Making Spiderwick
The Magic of Spiderwick
A Final Word of Advice
 By now everyone should know that when a movie breaks the bank at the box-office, a string of inevitable look-alikes, or genre-similar films will follow in the hope of cashing in on precedent setting success. Sometimes it works, and other times it doesn’t. Star Wars certainly paved the way for the Battlestar Galactica franchise. However, after the blockbuster success of the Harry Potter movies, cashing in on success isn’t easy. In some respect, I’d hate to be a director in today’s Hollywood, especially one who decides to take on a fantasy epic. Why? Well, because every fantasy film will be compared to the aforementioned hit franchise. There’s no way to avoid it. The fact is: not every fantasy movie aimed at kids can be Harry Potter, nor should it be. In the case of The Spiderwick Chronicles, based on the best-selling children’s books of the same name, young "right-brained" fans receive a decent journey into the fantastical. For "left-brainers", not so much.
When the dysfunctional Grace family makes the move from New York to the family’s old, forgotten Spiderwick Estate in small-town New England, leaving dad (Andrew McCarthy) behind, Helen (Mary Louise Parker) and her three children - twins Jared and Simon (both Freddie Highmore), and older daughter Mallory (Sarah Bolger) - soon encounter a series of unexplained phenomena in and around their new Victorian digs. It's not long before Jared meets Thimbletack (Martin Short), a tiny enchanted creature who serves as the guardian of the perilous "Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You", a roadmap to understanding fairies, ogres and other fantastical entities. As the kids later discover, their long-lost, loony Uncle Arthur(David Strathairn) is the author of the book, which Jared and the kids use as a guide to fend off a slew of otherworldly creatures and their evil leader, Mulgarath (Nick Nolte). However, Arthur is seemingly nowhere to be found but his daughter Lucinda is alive and not-so-well - committed to an asylum after revealing that her father disappeared at the hands of fairies.
Although The Spiderwick Chronicles is a keep-it-in-the-family clash between good and evil, with a positive message of hope for kids caught in the crosshairs of a dysfunctional marriage, it’s hard to find fault with what it tries to achieve. Since Freddie Highmore, in the dual roles of Jared and Simon, is a representation of the inner turmoil children often feel when parents go their separate ways, The Spiderwick Chronicles has its own unique and rewarding consciousness. Much like a child’s imagination at times of conflict, it uses fantasy to help cope with an often-destructive reality. While the film does have its flaws along the way - namely one glaring, unconnected, and ultimately unsatisfying non-act that throws Jared’s heroism in to question - the story is held up by its vibrant flowery garden of CGI rendered visuals and its stable acting foundation. It’s a well-acted movie that looks great, offers a few fantastical thrills and scares, quirky characters, and will ultimately satisfy kids looking for an escape. Those looking to break the film down on a level of flawless fantasy filmmaking, will undoubtedly be let down. It’s a classic clash between "right brainers" and "left brainers".
 As a DVD, Paramount gives fans of the film a huge dose of kid-friendly extras that compliment the film well since they’re all presented as sincerely as the movie. On Disc 1, director Mark Waters walks fans through the film via "Spiderwick: It’s All True", from characters and creatures to the many fantastical elements within the story, all is if they’re true. Adults will have less patience with this one, but much younger kids should be able to buy into the theme. Next, "It’s A Spiderwick World" delves into the differences between the film and the books and the challenges of bringing the film to life, with interesting interviews with the real Spiderwick authors plus the cast. Rounding out the first disc is "Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide", which offers interactive entry points into characters and creatures within the film, complete with pages from the book. It’s a great primer for kids who have yet to enjoy the literary side of Spiderwick.
Disc 2 gets going with "Spiderwick: Meet the Clan", which is exactly what it sounds like - a deeper exploration of the film’s characters and actors. Next, "Making Spiderwick" offers the standard behind-the-scenes value with a look at cast, crew, and visual construction while "A Final Word" sees the return of director Mark waters as he further explains the truth of the Spiderwick universe, which might aims to spark magic in the much younger kids who see the movie. Aside from a couple of deleted scenes and the usual promotional footage for the film, that’s it for the 2-Disc Field Guide Edition.
The Spiderwick Chronicles aims high to give young fantasy fans another relatable big screen adventure, but it invariably gets lost in its own visual world. It’s another case of getting the fantastical visuals right while only sporadically hitting the emotional high notes necessary to leave a lasting impression. The special features drive home the fact that this is a movie aimed at young kids. If you’re not 10 years old, you’ll probably roll your eyes more than a few times in 101-minutes. Still, for the kids that loved the film, the The Spiderwick Chronicles: 2-Disc Field Guide Edition offers a weekend’s worth of fun entertainment.
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