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 PrintableVersion The bridge to TerabithiaA big surpriseTHE BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA From its trailer, The Bridge to Terabithia appears to be a Narnia-type film where children enter a magical land and engage in an heroic struggle between good and evil. Misleading or what! The film itself, mostly rooted in daily life, is far more profound. Jesse Aarons is an artistically-talented boy in a financially-struggling, blue-collar family. Jesse has his own struggles. He feels rejected as he compares his father’s abrupt manner towards him with the warm affection shown to his younger sister. School bullies compound his misery. But his life is transformed by his friendship with vibrant Lesley, who draws him into her imaginative world. Their fantasy adventures help his real-life problems — he becomes more confident, and understanding of others. In churchIn one scene Leslie joins Jesse’s family at church on Sunday. Afterwards, the children are stunned to learn that Lesley is entranced by what she has heard about Jesus. She is amazed that they, who ‘have to believe’, dislike it, whereas she, not having to believe, thinks it’s all wonderful. Family films don’t do this! They don’t ever mention Jesus Christ, let alone allow a story to demonstrate his powerful fascination so attractively. Unlike Titanic or Gladiator, when death strikes there is no false comfort at the end; in fact, the deceased is never seen again — pretty stark viewing for a child. Our nine-year-old was sobbing by the end, but he is also already asking for the DVD! NormalityThere are many things to like about this film: it’s normality (no idealised suburban palace for Jesse), the quality of acting, and the issues that it touches upon: friendship, imagination, growing up, love, death — and, for Christians, the utter importance of people knowing about Jesus before it is too late. Anne Woodcock,
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