Movie Review: Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web

Let's be honest, here: Charlotte's Web is not my kind of movie. But a friend who dearly loved the book saw the movie on opening night, and she couldn't stop talking about how much she'd enjoyed the film and how faithful it had been to her much beloved E.B. White tale. Having endured a movie the same night that was significantly less than faithful to its source (click here for my review of Eragon), the lure of seeing at least one good movie this weekend was irresistible, and so I bought my ticket.

Just as in the classic book, the story opens with the birth of Wilbur (voiced by Dominic Scott Kay) in the spring. Unfortunately, Wilbur is the runt of the litter. Since he's unlikely to survive, Mr. Arable (Kevin Anderson) prepares to take the piglet outside and do away with him. But his daughter Fern (Dakota Fanning) is having nothing to do with that kind of thing. She tells her father he's not being fair, and she promptly takes the piglet from his arms and promises she'll care for it herself.

Piglets, of course, don't stay tiny and bottle-fed indefinitely. Fern's mother (Essie Davis) insists that Fern give the growing piglet to her uncle (Gary Basaraba) to keep in his barn. Reluctantly, Fern agrees. Wilbur, of course, is lonely without his constant companion. He gradually comes to know the other denizens of the Zuckerman barn, but none will be his friend, largely because they all know something that he doesn't: in the fall, he's to be slaughtered and smoked into ham for Christmas dinner.

Late one night when Wilbur is feeling particularly lonely, a disembodied voice tells him to go to sleep. Wilbur soon learns that the voice is that of a spider named Charlotte (voiced by Julia Roberts). Not long after that, Charlotte becomes his first new friend. Wilbur's joy doesn't last long, though. That's because Templeton the rat (voiced by Steve Buscemi) doesn't have the sensitivity of the other animals, and he lets it slip that the smokehouse out back will be Wilbur's next home.

Needless to say, Wilbur is first stunned and then despondent. Charlotte, who doesn't have many friends herself, vows that she'll save Wilbur. The problem is that she has no idea how on earth she'll keep her promise. Eventually, though, she comes up with a plan. And over the course of the next weeks, all of the animals come to root for Wilbur and to admire one very clever and brave spider.

Charlotte's Web is a simple tale intended for relatively small children. That doesn't mean that it isn't filled with interesting characters, though, or that it isn't an entertaining story. It's both those things and then some. Those characters are brought to life by a cast the likes of which has rarely been assembled. Joining Julia Roberts and Steve Buscemi are John Cleese (a sheep), Oprah Winfrey and Cedric the Entertainer (geese), Kathy Bates and Reba McIntire (cows), Robert Redford (a horse), and Thomas Haden Church and André Benjamin (crows).

Of course, even such a stellar cast couldn't have made this version of Charlotte's Web what it is if not for some truly stellar special effects. The animals' mouths move when they talk of course, but so do their tongues and lips. They have facial expressions, and yet at the same time look just like pigs — or cows, or rats as the case may be. Add to this some gorgeous cinematography, inspired edits, and a delightfully adapted script, and you've got the makings of a very nice movie indeed.

As I said, Charlotte's Web isn't really my kind of movie. After seeing it, I have to admit that it still isn't. While I appreciated very much its many wonderful technical qualities, it didn't do a whole lot for me otherwise.

I will tell you this, though: I was sitting in a theatre full of young and obnoxious children (I know for a fact they were obnoxious because no small number of them were running wild in the lobby when I arrived). I was understandably more than a little unhappy at the thought of being trapped in a theatre for the next hour and a half with them. But the entire time Charlotte's Web was rolling, those kids were utterly enthralled. I didn't hear a sound but for laughter until the applause at the end. I can't give you a strong recommendation for the movie myself, but I'm pretty sure they just did.

FAMILY SUITABILITY: Charlotte's Web is rated G. I'd offer only one caution to parents: If your child doesn't know — and I mean really understand — where meat comes from, do not take him or her to see Charlotte's Web. The idea of slaughtering a sweet little pink pig who — more than once — heart-rendingly says he just wants to live, is not how they ought to find out. Older kids aren't going to care for Charlotte's Web much more than I did, either. But nostalgic adults and elementary school students are going to be utterly charmed, and with good reason.