In Which We Discuss Terabithia

Honestly, I prefer the film.

This may be because I saw the film first, and therefore got the full emotional impact of it. I suspect that that's a large part of it. But, I also think it's because I feel more attached to Leslie Burke as played by AnnaSophia Robb, rather than simply written. She seems more real, and more alive.

Ithink part of it is also that, in the book, Leslie is exactly what Jess needs at that point in his life. In the film, Leslie is more ambiguous, and can be whatever anyone requires her to be, if that makes sense. She's not just Jess', and that allows the viewer to feel more of a claim on the character, and feel more emotionally involved.

I also like the slight changes to the plot and the characters, many of which were necessary to bridge the gap between now and the time when the book was written.

I'm not sure how people who read the book before seeing the film would feel, but I felt that the film had more in it. I also like the way they spend longer on Jess' reaction, near the end, while in the book, that section felt rather rushed.

In fairness, I usually think books feel rushed; I read them so quickly that they seem to race past me. I read Bridge to Terabithia on the way to and from work - less than an hour.

You can read my comments on the film here.