One Paragraph Review: The Spiderwick Chronicles

Another movie I saw on a plane, another movie with an actress I've got a thing for. Mary-Louise Parker does a good, if restrained, job in a movie that is entertaining but ultimately very ordinary. The Spiderwick Chronicles moves very quickly, never getting bogged down with the backstory of the main characters, the details of the fantasy world, or the motivations of it's characters. This is at once great for the kids and not-so-great for those who might want to know more, as it leaves a lot unexplained and a bit untidy. Still, scene-to-scene the movie kept my interest and the very young actors do a surprisingly well with their roles. Entertaining, but probably not worth looking for if you missed it.