Product Description

Fifth grader jesse aarons hopes of becoming the fastest runner in his class are dashed when new girl leslie burke outruns everybody including him. However jess & leslie soon begin a friendship & discover a magical fantasy kingdom in the forest where the two of them reign as king & queen. Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 08/15/2008 Run time: 96 minutes Rating: Pg

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2459 in DVD
• Brand: Buena Vista Home Video
• Released on: 2007-06-19
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 94 minutes

Amazon.com
Based on Katherine Paterson's young-adult novel and filmed in picturesque New Zealand, Bridge to Terabithia has lessons to impart about empathy and self-expression, but the tone is never heavy-handed. Jesse (sleepy-eyed Josh Hutcherson, Zathura), a fifth-grade loner, lives in the country with his parents and four sisters, including pesky May Belle (Bailee Madison), who adores him. His strict father (Robert Patrick, The Terminator 2) works in a hardware store. Money is tight and classmates make fun of his hand-me-downs, so Jesse finds refuge in running and drawing. Everything changes when two writers and their daughter Leslie (wide-eyed AnnaSophia Robb, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) move in next door. Leslie is faster than all the boys, which initially puts Jesse off, but the two soon bond over their love of make-believe. In the forest, they find a creek that can only be crossed by rope. Leslie names the land on the other side Terabithia, where they imagine themselves rulers of the kingdom. Jesse and Leslie also connect with their unconventional music teacher, Ms. Edmonds (Zooey Deschanel, Elf), who encourages their creativity. Despite the tension at home, Jesse's personal life is finally coming together when the unthinkable happens. Will he revert to his anti-social ways or will he grow from the experience? Though aimed at all ages, pre-school students may find Terebithia's creatures frightening. For grade-school kids and up, however, there's much to savor in this smartly written, sensitively acted film. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

On the DVD
The 14-minute featurette "Behind the Book: The Themes of Bridge to Terabithia" discusses such topics as friendship and family as presented in both the book and the movie through interviews with the young lead actors, the book's author, Katherine Paterson, and several librarians and school teachers. Paterson and her son, producer-screenwriter David Paterson, also recall how an actual incident in David's life inspired the book. A six-minute visual-effects featurette looks at the film's creatures from sketch to computer design to screen, including how the features of the school kids helped shape the creatures. Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb, "chaperoned" by producer Lauren Levine, recount their experiences on one commentary track, while the second, by director Gabor Csupo, writer Jeff Stockwell, and producer Hal Lieberman, is drier but informative. Topics covered include praise for young Bailee Madison, how Zooey Deschanel wouldn't have been considered a predator back in the '70s, and the somewhat-controversial marketing campaign that focused heavily on the film's fantasy elements. Also included is Robb's music video for "Keep Your Eyes Wide Open." --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

The Bridge to Compassion - An Important Life Lesson
I disagree with the opinion that this film is not for children. Our children have watched this film more than once and it has taught them (and me) something new every time they view it. It becomes an important lesson in living...living each moment and taking nothing for granted. It teaches them about companionship, compassion, loyalty, trust, fairness, equality, the Golden Rule, the importance of parenting, family, dreaming, striving, overcoming obstacles, the cruelty of discrimination and indifference - all critical lessons of becoming fully human and alive. I ask myself why these key qualities of the film would not be good for a child and come up with nothing. One should not wait till he or she is an adult before learning such life lessons. This film is presented in such a way that, with parental care and interaction, introspection and processing feelings can be shared with the utmost care for those who want to view the film. There is nothing ugly or distasteful about this film. It is an accurate account with respect to the circle of life we will often experience sooner than later. Children want truth and they become stronger, less cynical and more trusting when it is presented to them with the dignity and respect it deserves. Films that should be unfavorable for children are those with foul-mouthed language and sexually obscene content. This film respectfully conveys the realities of life that we often wish away until it is too late for the so-called grown up who, in actuality, never really grew up at all! This movie is stunning and deserves to be seen by all, though with parents who are actively present during the viewing to discuss their children's feelings with them following the presentation.

Slow and thoughtful childrens drama suffering from a serious case of mislabeling
The advertisers and composers of the trailer for this film did a great deal of disservice to "Bridge to Terabithia" when they likened it to "Narnia" and some of the other YA fantasies out there.

While there is a fantasy element in this story, "Bridge" is more about the harsh reality of growing up--and being different in the harsh 'playground world' where sameness=comfort and acceptance.

Jesse (Hutcherson) doesn't fit in. He's a growing boy in a household of four sisters and poor to boot. So he's got to wear his sister's hand-me-down sneakers with pink stripes and he definitely catches it from the guys.

He finds friendship with the new girl, Leslie Burke (Robb), who may be able to outrun him, but has similar problems with being different when she discloses she has no television after an essay is required based on a TV show. Together, they explore the woods behind their next-door homes and build a world of fantasy only they share.

While you do see trolls and other creatures, the story is more about kids imaginations than made-up worlds. "Bridge" is a lovely tale and another step kids need to take to adulthood.

I would not advise this film to parents with really young kids--and even those contemporary to Jess and Leslie may have some issues with some of the subject matter (death). The story is well worth a family viewing and may well be a treasured favorite for some for years to come!

Rebecca Kyle, November 2008

This is an award winning children's book.
Sometimes as a librarian, I find a movie better that the award winning book. This was the case with this movie. It shows the compassion that children can exhibit to one another. The movie arrived in great condition and I really enjoyed it.