6+
4.4/5
Lovely family watch
Elysian Film Group
Fantasy / Family Adventure
21 August 2026
For generations of British parents, The Magic Faraway Tree is one of those stories whose characters and places can trigger an immediate childhood memory. Turning Enid Blyton’s strange, sprawling fantasy world into a modern family film therefore comes with a fair amount of responsibility.
The good news is that this version understands the appeal. Rather than trying to turn the material into an enormous action franchise, it remains a colourful, eccentric story about childhood imagination and family.
A family moves to the English countryside and the children, initially unhappy with their new life, discover an enchanted wood and an extraordinary tree. At the top are magical lands that change, while the tree itself is populated by characters including Moon-Face and Silky.
The modern adaptation stars Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy as the parents, with a supporting cast packed with familiar British names including Nicola Coughlan, Rebecca Ferguson, Jessica Gunning and Michael Palin.
The BBFC describes the threat as very mild. Children visit magical places containing occasionally scary characters, but threatening scenes are brief and end reassuringly.
There is slapstick, very mild language, fart jokes and a brief reference to bereavement. For most primary-age children, this should sit comfortably at the gentler end of family fantasy.
That may be one of the film’s biggest strengths. Parents who remember the books get the nostalgia, while the cast and humour give adults something to enjoy independently of their children.
The story also has a family theme running beneath the magical adventures. The fantasy worlds are exciting, but the emotional point is ultimately about connection, change and appreciating family life.
This is a particularly good fit for children who enjoy imaginative books, fairy-tale worlds and gentler adventures rather than superhero-scale action. It may also encourage children who enjoy the film to discover the original stories.
At 110 minutes it is longer than Shaun the Sheep or PAW Patrol, so very young viewers may get restless. For school-age children, though, it is an appealing alternative to the louder franchises dominating family cinema.
The changing lands and eccentric characters offer something different from the standard superhero or animated franchise.
The adult cast gives parents plenty to enjoy, with familiar British performers clearly embracing the silliness.
Threat is kept mild and reassuring, making this useful for children who find louder action films overwhelming.
Children who enjoy the film have an entire set of classic stories waiting for them afterwards.
