I thought this was going to be a (dull) fantasy epic like Narnia but it was much more interesting. Like other good fantasy movies, (Wizard of Oz, Time Bandits) the fantasy world is linked to the real world and serves a purpose in it. 98% of the film is real world, 2% fantasy. Basically its a story about how some kids learn to successfully deal with the often harsh realities of life and how they teach others to do the same. Thats what "play" is. I enjoyed watching their friendship develop over the course of the daily routine of bus rides, school room struggles, home realities, and play in Terabithia. Some IMDb reviewers complained that it wasn't a 'kids movie' and others complained that there was no sexual element between the boy and the girl. This only illustrates that much of the movie-watching public and movie producers are total morons. I like this movie because it defied the widespread assumption that movies starring kids should be witless and meaningless and watched only by children. Also the assumption that movies starring adults should be sexual, violent, witless, meaningless and watched only by adults. This mentality is demonstrated by the fact that the word "adult" often equals "pornographic" and is also reflected in ratings systems which are usually age based. As if to say that an arbitrary level of sex and violence is right for a 17-year-old but wrong for a 14-year-old. Age based ratings systems are more about masking conscience than protecting children. And protecting them from what anyway? Their parents? The society they live in? Adults? I'm straying from the movie now but the is one more point I want to make. Children are, and have always been entertained by watching adults and adults are and have always been entertained by watching children. If you want to see some really good movies with kids and at the other end of the spectrum from the American movie industry, check out Iranian director Majid Majidi.