Poster art for "The Spiderwick Chronicles."

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Avg. Critic Score: 62 out of 100 Generally favorable reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
8 OK for kids 8+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 88
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    A well-crafted family thriller that is truly scary and doesn't wimp out. Read full review

  • 75
    San Francisco Chronicle |

    A mostly superb cast, superior special effects, a sparkling musical score and a fantasy-filled plot . Read full review

  • 70
    The Hollywood Reporter | Michael Rechtshaffen

    An enjoyable adventure fantasy that pushes all the requisite buttons while still managing to throw in a pleasant surprise or two. Read full review

  • 70
    Wall Street Journal | Joe Morgenstern

    The children's real world, or what passes for real in a fantasy, could hardly be more inviting, for reasons that are hardly mysterious: the strong performances, under Mark Waters's accomplished direction; the smart, bright language, much of it taken from the books; the stylish cinematography, by Caleb Deschanel. Read full review

  • 70
    Variety | Justin Chang

    A work of both modest enchantment and enchanting modesty, grounded in a classically Spielbergian realm where childlike wonderment crosses paths with the tough realities of young adulthood. Read full review

  • 70
    Los Angeles Times | Carina Chocano

    Suffers slightly from that not-so-fresh feeling. Read full review

  • 67
    Entertainment Weekly | Lisa Schwarzbaum

    Spiderwick is set in the present, but goes for an overall design look of dainty, cozy, William Morris-y arts-andcraftiness. Read full review

  • 63
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    We're supposed to be agog at the fantastical creatures and dazzling special effects. But the more wrenching story of disillusioned children nags in the background, distracting from any enchantment. Read full review

  • 50
    Washington Post | Ann Hornaday

    For the uninitiated? Man, it's a bummer. Read full review

  • 40
    The New York Times | A.O. Scott

    Instead of the kind of inspired imaginative synergy that distinguished the "Lord of the Rings" and later "Harry Potter" pictures, this movie, directed by Mark Waters ("Mean Girls"), feels more like a sloppy, secondhand pander. Read full review

View more reviews for The Spiderwick Chronicles on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 8+ Book-based family fantasy is magical fun but also scary.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this fantasy adventure has been aggressively promoted on Nickelodeon (which helped produce the movie). But even without the heavy rotation of commercials and cereal tie-ins, fans of the best-selling book series will want to see this big-screen adaptation; expect kids as young as 5 to express interest. But the under-7 crowd might be scared by a couple of intense sequences involving the goblins, head ogre Mulgarath, and the Grace children, who do get hurt (with bloody scratches) in the action. Although the movie is connected to merchandising deals with a few products, there isn't that much product placement in the actual film besides Quaker Oats and honey in plastic-bear containers. There's also no age-inappropriate language or sexuality.
  • Families can talk about the movie's themes. How do they compare to other fantasy movies and books? Which specific books or movies does this one remind you of? Why? If kids have read the Spiderwick books, ask them what changes they noticed. Was the film better than you expected? Families can also why Jared was accountable for figuring out how to defend his family from the ogre's wrath. Why are kids rarely believed by adults in fantasy movies? Who does believe the kids?
The good stuff
  • message true3 Positive messages: Jared learns how to take responsibility for unlocking the fantasy world that puts his family in danger. He also realizes that he has to give his mother a chance and that it's not her fault her marriage fell apart. Mallory is a fearless fencer who can defend herself and her younger brothers. While many films dismiss or make fun of the elderly, this movie makes 86-year-old Aunt Lucinda instrumental in saving the Grace family.
What to watch for
  • violence false3 Violence and scariness: Siblings bicker and call each other names ("stupid," "idiot"); Hogsqueal catches and eats birds of all sizes; the ogre Mulgarath shape-shifts from human to monster form. The goblins hurt all three kids, leaving bloody marks on their legs/bodies. The climactic battle scene is pretty intense/frightening.
  • sex false0 Sexy stuff: Mallory tells her brothers that their father has "found someone else" and is living with the woman.
  • language false0 Language: Minor: "hell," "idiot," "stupid," "crazy."
  • consumerism false3 Consumerism: Mom drives a Ford Explorer; the house is stocked with rows and rows of Quaker Oats and honey bears; the kids have New York Giants and Yankees memorabilia in their room.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false0 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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