Archive notice: This article was originally published on April 7, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
When the Grace family encounters the magical, sometimes terrifying creatures, they not only have to pass personal tests of courage, but also have to solve the family’s problems together. At the centre of the story are the three Grace children, Jared, his twin brother Simon (both played by Freddie Highmore) and their older sister Mallory (Sarah Bolger), along with their recently divorced mother Helen (Mary-Louise Parker).
The family moves into the isolated, dilapidated Spiderwick estate, the home of their great-great-uncle Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn) and their great-aunt Lucinda (Joan Plowright). The kids are not very enthusiastic about the move, but each adapts to the new circumstances in their own way: Simon explores the unusual house. Mallory practises fencing. Helen gets a new job in the next town.
When Jared notices unusual things happening in the magical house, he gets to the bottom of them. Ignoring all the warnings of the little brownie Thimbletack (Martin Short), he discovers his Uncle Arthur’s strange and not entirely safe book: “Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You”. Once opened, the book reveals the strange, wondrous and frightening world surrounding the Spiderwick estate. There is the cunning but friendly goblin called Hogsqueal (Seth Rogen), a horde of dangerous goblins, and the beautiful and mysterious fairies and sprites. But only those who look through the magical stone or with the souls of children can perceive these creatures …
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An enormous threat comes from the evil monster Mulgarath (Nick Nolte). The children begin to suspect that the “Field Guide” is not merely a product of their uncle’s imagination, but provides the key to all the wondrous beings they encounter. Anyone who understands these secrets gains unimaginable powers — which is why Mulgarath does everything he can to thwart the children’s mission.
With plenty of imagination, emotion, suspense and action, the film portrays the Grace children’s desperate attempt to protect the “Field Guide” and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. In the process, they young heroes discover and develop their own strengths with the help of extraordinary creatures from an unknown world.
