The Bridge to Childhood Innocence

It was early dawn. A boy put on his sneakers, watched calmly as his father drove off before he embarked on a jog. Along the trees he jogged, the road he past, before finally returning to his house drenched in sweat. He took off his torn sneakers and threw them aside and entered the house for breakfast. At first glance, this boy looks like any other normal boy but a lot can be drawn from the way he ignored his sisters working up a fuss over his sweaty body, from the way he stared intently on the ant crawling across the table, from the way he wore his old and worn sneakers with relish about his life.

That is the start of the movie I watched 3 days ago. The Bridge to Terabithia. Having seen the trailer only once, I actually had no idea what the movie was about and was pretty much inclined to dismiss the movie as boring and a waste of time after having watched the first ten minutes of the show. As the story progresses though, I grew to like how the characters were being developed how lying dormant behind the simple lives of 2 young kids are the wondrous and creative imagination of adolescents. Sitting down in that comfortable seat of the theatre, I watched the show as an 18-year old but with every passing second I grew younger, shrinking in size becoming a 10 or 11 year old kid constantly drawing parallels between what is going on on the screen and my own childish thoughts and adventures talking to imaginary friends and fighting imginary foes or monsters a decade ago.

Yes the theme of the movie is the same as Pan's Labyrinth, about the fantasy of an imagined realm by growing kids but that is about all the similarities that the 2 movies share. The Bridge to Terabithia is certainly not as mature nor realistically cruel as Pan's Labyrinth in the portrayal of the characters and the plot of the former is definitely more cheery and light than the solemn and dark atmosphere that the latter provides. The former is more suited as a movie for children, encouraging them to engage in creativity, creating worlds or creatures of their own in which they can find solace, a safe haven where they are free to express themselves without restraint and indulge in fantasies without being confronted with the pains of learning how to cope with the harsh realities and responsibilities of life. The latter though, seems more like a message to adults, reminding them that in every child lies an innocent soul who must be treated with care lest the fragile nature of it be broken.

The Bridge to Terabithia is a family show, one with a lot of different meanings to those who are watching it. For the children, it may simply be fun, for the parents, this movie allows them to travel through time back into their own childhood, reminiscing the past with joy.

For the kids who are about to watch the show, just relax and enjoy the carefreeness with which the protagonists express themselves when together in their own realm. For the adults who think you are too serious for a kid's show, remember that you were once a kid as well and kept locked somewhere within you is a pure youthful soul who wants to be let out. Keep an open mind, take a deep breath and relax. This is one of those rare movies which soothes your confused minds. Allow yourself to fall into the embrace of The Bridge to Terabithia, and feel its magic for it will help you erect the bridge to your very own innocent childhood memories.