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Seth Rogen and Martin Short are two of the foremost comedians in the entertainment industry today. Rogen has garnered attention for his role in Apple TV’s “The Studio,” while Short is celebrated for his performance in Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building.” Both actors received 2025 Emmy nods for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, with Rogen clinching the award. If you dial back to 2008, these comedic powerhouses collaborated on “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” a delightful family adventure that’s now streaming on Paramount Plus.
In the 2000s, “The Spiderwick Chronicles” was part of a wave of children’s fantasy book adaptations inspired by the phenomenal success of the “Harry Potter” series. Directed by Mark Waters, known for “Mean Girls,” the film follows the Grace family as they relocate to a dilapidated rural mansion once belonging to their ancestor, Arthur Spiderwick, portrayed by David Strathairn. Young Jared Grace, played by Freddie Highmore, uncovers Spiderwick’s illustrated guide on mystical beings, unlocking a thrilling realm inhabited by faeries, ogres, and hobgoblins.
Martin Short lends his voice to Thimbletack, a diminutive, animated brownie who remains devoted to his vanished master. Meanwhile, Seth Rogen voices Hogsqueal, a bird-eating hobgoblin with a sorrowful history. “The Spiderwick Chronicles” stands as a family-friendly fantasy that tells a complete story without angling for endless sequels, making it a film worth revisiting.
With an impressive 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, “The Spiderwick Chronicles” was met with positive reviews, with particular acclaim directed at Freddie Highmore for his portrayal of the twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace. Critics and adults alike noted, however, that the film’s intensity may be overwhelming for some younger viewers.
Critics thought The Spiderwick Chronicles was too scary for kids
Sporting an 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes, “The Spiderwick Chronicles” was warmly received by critics, with special praise going to Freddie Highmore in the double role of identical teen twins Jared and Simon Grace. Another shared sentiment among reviewers and noticed by plenty of adults was that the film was too scary for some young children.
Produced by Nickelodeon Studios and given a modest PG rating, “The Spiderwick Chronicles” nevertheless features intense scenes of fantasy violence that may surprise audiences expecting lighter fare. Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert called the film “truly scary,” and while it was “terrific entertainment,” he concluded his review with caution: “if you’re under 8 or 9 years old, don’t say you weren’t warned.” The film features a dramatic siege on the Spiderwick Estate by an army of goblins at the command of Mulgarath (Nick Nolte), an evil shape-shifting ogre. CNN’s Tom Charity likened it to “something out of a home-invasion thriller (but with more goo).”
Young children may not be ready for scenes of knife-wielding teens defending themselves, or goblins painfully melting under acidic sprays of tomato sauce (one of their greatest weaknesses). But for older kids who enjoy edgier family films like “The Dark Crystal” and “Goosebumps,” “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” now streaming on Paramount Plus, is a must-see adventure with an all-star cast.
