As I sat down to write this review of Bridge to Terabithia (2007), a song came on called “Everything’s Gonna B Ok” by somebody going by Aviino.  It came on a YouTube channel called Chillhop Music, which I occasionally listen to when I am in a studious mood.  The description for one of their live broadcasts, after all, is “beats to study/relax to.”  I also like it because its mascot is a racoon.  Why am I telling you this?  Because today’s film took a couple of unexpected turns.  It is a teenage fantasy film, so the last thing I thought I would hear was a discussion about believing in the Bible and Jesus.  As gratifying as that was, the film had one more twist (of the knife) in store for me.  Instead of spoiling it here, read my synopsis of a movie with more emotional heft than you would credit based on what I have said about it to this point.  I will give you a hint, though: everything is going to be okay.

Before there is a Bridge to Terabithia, Jess Aarons (Josh Hutcherson) is a struggling sixth-grade artist.  His problems are also of the financial variety, at least for his family, who live on a small farm and have to grow some of their own food to survive.  He also strives to impress his father, Jack Aarons (Robert Patrick), but all the chores he does do not seem to capture dad’s attention as much as do his sisters, particularly his next youngest, May Belle Aarons (Bailee Madison).  At school, Jess also has to deal with bullies, female and male, who find his affinity for art tease-worthy.  The only bright spot of his day is when Mrs. Edmunds (Zooey Deschanel), the music teacher, comes in to give a lesson.  His schoolboy crush on her is noticed by Leslie Burke (AnnaSophia Robb), the new girl at school.  Like Jess, Leslie is different from other kids because of her attraction to self-expression, this time in the form of writing.  Their first significant interaction does not go well.  Wanting to prove himself, Jess had been hoping to win a foot race against his tormentors, only to have Leslie pass them all and win.  He also does not appreciate her snooping on his drawings.  He cannot be easily rid of her, however, because they are neighbors, her family purchasing the house nearest to their farm.  Despite these initial setbacks, it does not take long for them to realize their common interests, and the fact that they are ill-treated by the same kids.  One day after school, they decide they are going to hang out with one another, journeying into the woods behind their houses.  He is a little hesitant to go, but her boldness gets him to follow.  As they venture deeper into the forest, they come across a rope slung across a creek.  She wants to swing across, but he warns that it is old and it could break.  Heedless, she jumps onto the knotted chords and glides across the narrow chasm, tilting her head back to gaze up at the clouds.  Eventually, she lands on the other side where he cannot see her.  He finally catches up and they find an old tree fort.  She declares it to be the Kingdom of Terabithia, full of magical creatures.  Being their land, they can do whatever they want there, and that which they imagine appears to become reality.  This forms a sanctuary for the two budding friends, and grows the bond between them extending into their real lives at school.  With it, they are able to get even with bully number one, Janice Avery (Lauren Clinton), who steals food one day from May Belle.  Importantly, their actions do not involve violence.  It also has the effect on Janice of making her see how awful has been her behavior, especially when she is later comforted by Leslie.  Leslie also helps Jess with his father.  One evening, Jack sends Jess to their greenhouse to retrieve some tools, giving his son his set of keys.  They go missing later, which is a big deal because they are the only way Jack can enter the premises at his place of employment.  Jack is angry with Jess, saying that it will cost them hundreds of dollars to replace all the keys and locks.  On the bus the next day, Leslie notices Jess’ angst, and May Belle acknowledges that she took the keys and gave them to Leslie to adorn their tree fort.  Jess’ determination to do right by his dad gives him the courage to face the magical creatures guarding its retrieval.  Things appear to be going well when one day Jack gets a call from Mrs. Edmunds to go with her to an art museum.  My youth ministry training made me cringe at this, but I digress.  As they are about to head out on the main road, Jess has one last look at Leslie’s house, thinking of inviting her, before deciding against bringing his young friend.  Upon returning, his parents are frantic, wondering where he had been, even though he told his mother, Mary Aarons (Kate Butler), before leaving.  Thus, you can imagine the confusion that turns to horror when his mom and dad inform him that Leslie had fell into the creek and drown, the result of the rope snapping.  Jess is devastated, blaming himself and not wanting to be around anyone else.  As such, he pushes May Belle to the ground when she tries to follow him into Terabithia, thinking that he had heard Leslie cry out from among the trees.  He is found there by Jack, who comforts Jess, telling his son that it is not the boy’s fault Leslie died and that it is going to be okay.  The dad talk helps Jess, and later he apologizes to May Belle.  To make it up to her, he formally introduces her to Terabithia, unofficially handing the kingdom over to her.

As sweet as Jess’ gesture to May Belle is at the end of Bridge to Terabithia, I was thankful for the song I mentioned in the introduction as I mentally processed the movie.  What a gut punch!  Perhaps selfishly, I would argue that Leslie’s death is not needed.  The story would work fine without that happening.  Perhaps it is because I am a romantic, but I wanted to see Jess and Leslie at least remain friends.  My shock over this not occurring was definitely higher than the other, aforementioned surprised moment, but they are related in light of her passing.  One scene I did not discuss is when Jess invites Leslie to go to church with his family.  On the way home, May Belle solemnly declares that you have to believe in the Bible otherwise you will go to hell.  Her childlike understanding of this is absolutely true, but Leslie’s response adds some depth.  She comments that she does not think the same God who made all that we see and ordered it so wonderfully is up there condemning people.  This is also factual.  Too often, particularly among non-Christians with an axe to grind with God, many see Our Savior as a judgmental deity that seeks little else but punishment.  Since May Belle brought up Scripture, I would rather divert their focus to 1 John 4:16, the second half of which reads, “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.”  This, too, fits with the theme of imagination in the movie.  It is hard for many, not simply atheists, to imagine an all-encompassing Deity whose first and foremost reason for being is to love.  Such ideas can seem too esoteric, especially for those dealing with the kinds of issues that make bullies.  What it takes to overcome these problems is faith.  Imagination and faith are also not mutually exclusive ideas.  What we conjure in our minds can be another tool in experiencing God.  In this way, the behavior of Jess and Leslie should be encouraged, though hopefully with less death.  More prayer would be preferable, too.

The fact that Leslie dies in Bridge to Terabithia mars my opinion of it.  Still, I have already stated my reasons for not liking this turn of events.  It is not a subject from which kids at that age should be sheltered, either.  This is just my desire for happy, or happier, endings.  Yet, it will truly be okay because God says so.