'Bridge to Terabithia' has something speical that you've come to expect from Disney movies.

Story 

Jess Aarons befriends Leslie Burke, the new girl in his class and the two of them imagine a fantasy world called Terabithia to escape from reality.

This movie was adapted from the book of the same name by Katherine Paterson and although I haven't read the book, I absolutely love the story. It's original and feels like something new but familiar at the same time.

Acting 

The acting in this movie is very good, especially from the two leads, Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb. The chemistry between the two of them is incredibly organic and doesn't look or feel like they are acting at all. This really lends itself to the characters because you see the character rather than an actor playing a character, thus playing into the main theme of the movie.

We spend so much time with the main characters that the supporting characters don't really come up to scratch. They do add value to the story but they're pretty bland in comparison. (as I wrote that sentence I wondered that maybe having bland secondary characters was kind of the point so you would want to escape to Terabithia as much as the main characters)

Writing/Direction 

Seeing as this is a movie geared towards children, it does have what come across as cliche message about keeping your mind open. Even though it is one that I've heard time and time again, it's one that I still think is applicable 12 years later.

The movie was directed by Gabor Csupo directed this movie and he is a  director I haven't seen much of, (not surprising given his 6 directing credits) however he is heavily involved in a lot of shows I watched like Rugrats, All Grown Up, Rocket Power, The Wild Thornberrys and As Told of Ginger. He's clearly good at talking about themes that are more mature than your average kid's movie with a sense of ease that comes with watching a kids movie. There is very good pacing and even the tone of the film shifts it doesn't feel jarring and out of place.

CGI/Set Design

Considering the budget of $20-25 million, 99% of the CGI is pretty good and hold up nicely. You only start to notice the obvious CGI at the end of the movie, but at that point, you're moved by what is going on that you don't mind. Movies like this don't have a lot of bells and whistles and I like that, you can focus on the story and characters rather than what is going on. Even when Jess and Leslie are in Terabithia with all the magical creatures you never feel like they taking the place of the main characters.

Score/Soundtrack 

I like the score for this film a lot, it was composed by Aaron Zigman and perfectly fits the tone of the movie. It has elements of adventure and wonder, also mixed with sadness. It isn't what I typically expect from movies in this genre and it's one of the things that sets it apart from similar movies. I also really liked the soundtrack. A lof these songs I haven't heard in years but have stuck with me for a really long time like 'I Learned from You' and 'Keep Your Mind Wide Open'

 Overall Thoughts

When I watch movies that I saw when I was a child, I get a little wary because I tend to see all the flaws I missed when I was younger. Safe to say that this movie has aged very well. It filled me with a sense of child-like wonder while I watched it and I remembered why I liked the movie so much.

I haven't seen this movie in at least 7 years and revisiting one of my childhood favourites and having it be as good as I remember feels amazing. The best way to describe this movie is wholesome. It portrays love and loss through the eyes of a child beautifully.
This movie also made me think about when I was younger and all the world I used to create with my siblings and friends and it made me miss those days.