Spiderwick Chronicles

[The Disney Bunch]

Anyone see it or know anything about it? We were invited to a birthday party next week at the movie theater & this is the movie - I am hearing that it is a bit scary - I have 7 year old girls & a 4 year old. The party is for 7 year olds. Just would like some opinions.
Thanks!

 

[bellebud]

glad you started this thread... mine are 6 and 8 and I think the commercials looked too spooky/weird - I can see my 6yo having nightmares - but would love to hear what others thought.

 

[packofjedis]

Have you read the books? My 11 yr old loved them, but they were too suspenseful and intense for my 8 yr old. He actually left the room while I was reading them.

My DH and 11 yr old will be seeing Spiderwick, while my 8 yr old and I see Alvin and the Chipmunks


(spoiler below)

I didn't think the books were too bad (but mine are older), but there were scenes where goblins and such were slowly approaching the kids. Lots of creatures who want to harm the kids. At one point one of the kids gets kidnapped by some creature and it seems like I remember whatever the creatures are want to harm him in some way.

I can let you know tomorrow after my husband sees it, if you want. We should be going to an early afternoon one Saturday.

 

[hmerritt]

Love to hear too. I have a 9 year old and they have been reading them in class. So although he is scared of the goblins, he wants to see the movie. But I also have a 6 year old too who will barely do anything without her big brother. So curious if anyone out there has any reviews?

Heather

 

[My2Cinderellas]

My girls are 7 & 9, in 2nd and 4th grade. DD7 is going to a sleepover birthday party tonight, so I think we will take DD9 to this movie. We haven't read the book, but she loves sci-fi/fantasy and I think she will be fine. if we go, I'll post a review tomorrow.

 

[Keara'sMom]

Someone else on the DIS suggested looking at dove dot org for movie reviews, and I find this site helpful. It tends to be a little on the conservative side, which at times I appreciate and at times I find a little overbearing, but the reviews are pretty good.

I'm considering taking my dd11 this weekend or next week, since we have a week off of school...

 

[K and K's Mommy]

My almost 9 year old has read the books and wants to see it. He saw the previews when we saw Enchanted and thought the movie looked more intense than the books. My younger ones will stay at home.

 

[tadamom]

Can't wait to hear what others think too. Both of my kids (DS6 & DD3) want to see it but I don't think I will let the 3 yr. old go. I know that my son would be fine, he has seen all of the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings & Star Wars movies and was never scared for a minute.

 

[Matt'nMeg'sMom]

We saw the movie last night as a field trip with my son's 3rd grade class. They had read the book aloud in class.

I thought it was scary. My desensitized 5 year old (who has seen all six star wars, all spider mans, all harry potters, and every other PG13 movie) found it to be scary.

The 8-9 years olds loved it. "Cool!!"

The teacher's opinion: She was "horrified" by the fact that the movie focused only on the scary creatures. The book spent a lot more time on the good fairies and magical creatures. The movie centered around the magical world which was trying to kill them.

My opinion: I disliked how much the story focused on the divorce. It was about how the boy believed his father was coming back for him, but actually his father ran away with someone else and wasn't coming back. (I don't remember ANY of that in the books!!!)

I think it would be intense for the 5 and under set, unless you have pretty desensitized kids.

 

[bellebud]

my friend just took her 10yo and 12yo dd's today... she said she thought it should have been rated PG-13 for scariness. She said people were walking out. Her dd10 spent half the movie hiding her face, and dd12 wasn't really scared (but thought it was scary )

I won't be taking my ds6 and dd8... they'd probably have nightmares.

 

[KitKate]

We saw this movie last night and I would not recommend it for children under 8-9 depending on their exposure to other movies. My DD8, did like it though I asked her several times if she wanted to leave if it was too scary. Like an earlier poster, I was dissappointed on the focus on the scary creatures and only minimally on the lovely fairies. From an adult perspective I just did not think it was that great of a movie.

 

[collcass]

Definitely not for younger children but my ten yr old loved it.

I thought it was an okay movie - didn't seem to include too much of the book, though.

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

We went last night w/ my dd who is 7 and she really liked it. She said the only part that scarred her was the snake. I haven't read the books but I do wish they would have done more about the good magical creatures than just the fight against the goblins.

 

[gower525]

Can't wait to hear what others think too. Both of my kids (DS6 & DD3) want to see it but I don't think I will let the 3 yr. old go. I know that my son would be fine, he has seen all of the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings & Star Wars movies and was never scared for a minute.

I also have a ds6 and a dd3. We went to see it today. It was very scary, but DS6 LOVED it. He has also a huge star wars fan - so he is used to some violence. He hid his face for many parts of it, but it was a fun kind of scared. DD3 actually fell asleep b/c it was during her typical nap time. I don't kow how she would have reacted if she had seen it all. I would leave the little one home if possible.

It does focus on the dad leaving the mom for another woman. Our family is going through the same thing right now - so that was interesting to see DS's reaction.

I have not read the books, so I have nothing to compare it to. I really enjoyed it though!

 

[stacy6552]

DH just took the kids today and said it was totally inappropriate for our 8 yr old. Not because it was too scary, but stuff like the kid shanking his father was just not right for children.

 

[Lady V]

Went opening day and me and my son, 8, loved it. I can't wait to go see it again. I thought it was great and not very scary. There was one time we both jumped but other than that I thought it was great.

 

[The Disney Bunch]

more reviews from a 7 year old girl opinon? The boys seem to be ok with it but I want to know from a girls' perspective

 

[mrs.beast]

We (me, DS6,DD4) went yesterday afternoon. Both kids loved it. They have seen HP 1-3 and Spiderwick was not as intense. In reality, it was a LOT less violent and dark than the books. The divorce was very prominent in the book and the children were violent and sullen. In the movie they are "nicer" kids and the divorce is downplayed. They left out a few very violent scenes and even did not cover the plot of one entire book. My son said it would have much better if they had all of the story in the movie.

 

[lindakmonty]

we went Sat. and my ds6 and I both loved it. DS said it was the best movie he'd ever seen! we go pretty often too! He didn't think it was scary or creepy. Of coarse it takes a lot to scare him

 

[irene_dsc]

Wow - what a range of reviews! Ds6 asked to go see it last week, and since I wasn't familiar with it, I looked it up, and only found a couple reviews. But, I ended up saying it would probably be too dark for him - he got really scared watching the movie (I'm blanking on the name right now) where the kids are playing a game and their house starts flying, etc. He also was very worried for the kids in the Polar Express. Otoh, he loves Star Wars - but the more it seems like scary stuff could happen to real kids, the less he likes it. So, I'm thinking maybe when he's older...