The Spiderwick Chronicles (film)
A 2008 fantasy film about a hidden fairy field guide.
The Spiderwick Chronicles is a 2008 American fantasy film directed by Mark Waters. The screenplay was written by Karey Kirkpatrick, David Berenbaum, and John Sayles, adapting the book series by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. The cast includes Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker, and Sarah Bolger, with voice performances from Nick Nolte, Seth Rogen, and Martin Short. The story takes place at the Spiderwick Estate in New England, where three children come across a field guide to fairies and meet magical beings like goblins, ogres, brownies, boggarts, hobgoblins, and trolls.
Paramount Pictures released the film on February 14, 2008. It earned $163 million worldwide against a budget of $90–92.5 million. Critics generally gave it positive reviews.
**Plot**
In 1928, Arthur Spiderwick finishes writing a field guide about the fairies he has encountered. Fearing that a shapeshifting ogre named Mulgarath will use the book’s secrets for evil, he hides it away.
Eighty years later, recently divorced Helen Grace inherits the abandoned Spiderwick estate and moves in with her children: 13-year-old Mallory and 9-year-old twin sons Jared and Simon. Jared is angry about the move and wants to live with his father in New York. After finding a hidden dumbwaiter, Jared discovers Arthur’s study and the Field Guide. When he tells his family about the book and magical creatures, they don’t believe him. The next morning, Jared meets a brownie named Thimbletack, who is angry that Jared opened the book he was supposed to protect from Mulgarath. Jared calms him with crackers and honey, and Thimbletack gives him a holed stone that lets him see invisible fairies by looking through it.
Thimbletack explains the protective mushroom circle around the house. Jared sees Simon being kidnapped by goblins led by Redcap. Simon is taken to the goblins’ camp, where Mulgarath, disguised as an old man, confronts him. Jared sneaks in and meets Hogsqueal, a hobgoblin who spits in Jared’s eyes, giving him the ability to see fairies without the stone, in exchange for help getting revenge on Mulgarath for killing Hogsqueal’s family. Mulgarath releases Simon to fetch the book. Jared finds Simon, and they fight over the book before being chased by goblins. The twins flee back to the house, where Mallory fights the goblins off with her fencing sabre.
The children visit their great-aunt Lucinda Spiderwi
- release_date
- February 14, 2008
- director
- Mark Waters
- budget
- $90–92.5 million
- box_office
- $163 million
- runtime
- Not specified in article
- rating_on_Rotten_Tomatoes
- 81%
- rating_on_Metacritic
- 62 out of 100
Lore & Background
The film's plot begins in 1928 with Arthur Spiderwick writing a field guide about fairies, which he hides from the shapeshifting ogre Mulgarath. Eighty years later, recently divorced Helen Grace moves into the abandoned Spiderwick estate with her children: 13-year-old Mallory and 9-year-old twins Jared and Simon. Jared discovers the field guide and learns of magical creatures, including a brownie named Thimbletack and a hobgoblin named Hogsqueal. The children must protect the book from Mulgarath and his goblin army, leading to encounters with a mole troll, a griffin, and sylphs.
Reader's Guide
The Spiderwick Chronicles received generally positive reviews from critics, with an 81% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a consensus calling it 'an entertaining children's adventure, with heart and imagination to spare.' Critics praised Freddie Highmore's dual role as the twins, with one remarking that 'the most special effect is probably Highmore.' The film was criticized for its reliance on special effects, with some reviewers noting that 'the sense of wonder and magic is lost in the shuffle.' Despite mixed reviews, the film grossed $163 million against its $90–92.5 million budget and earned an A− grade from audiences surveyed by CinemaScore.
Did You Know?
- Freddie Highmore played both twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace.
- Sarah Bolger had five weeks of intense fencing training and three hours nearly every day with the Canadian Olympic fencing coach.
- The film's budget was $90–92.5 million and it grossed $163 million.
- Roger Ebert gave the film three and a half stars out of four.
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