Grade: B+ | The film adaptation of “Bridge to Terabithia” does a great job engaging children, while also providing something interesting enough for adults to enjoy.

Junior high can be an extremely tough time because of the doubt and insecurity kids face. This story does a wonderful job showing those insecurities of all sorts of kids. It shows the insecurities of the bully as well as the kid getting picked on. Even though Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb aren’t old enough to drive, they draw the audience in to their struggles and fears as teenagers.

Hutcherson plays a stifled artist struggling through the oppression of his father and the bullies at school. His life is changed forever – this is not an overstatement – when Robb, a new girl at school, teaches him how to let go of his problems and live life to its fullest.

One of the best aspects of the movie has to be Zooey Deschanel’s portrayal of Ms. Edmonds, a music teacher who helps to inspire the children, especially Hutcherson. Some of the most captivating moments of the movie are when Deschanel is singing in front of the class while playing an acoustic guitar.

One of the only things this movie could have done better was explaining the land of Terabithia. Hutcherson and Robb’s characters made up this land as a place to escape to, but the audience only catches small glimpses of it. This is no doubt on purpose, because one of the main points of the movie is that children need active imaginations. However, one without an active imagination will have a hard time dealing with the fact that Terabithia is only shown in very small doses.

There is no earth-shattering realization in this movie, but it does a wonderful job of keeping the audience engaged and interested through a talented and universal themes.

For those who have inactive imaginations and a hard time connecting with their inner child, this movie is definitely not for you, but for everyone else, this movie is very fun to watch.