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The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (1 Disc Edition)C.S. Lewis's classic novel The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe makes an ambitious and long-awaited leap to the screen in this modern adaptation. It's a CGI-created world laden with all the special effects and visual wizardry modern filmmaking technology can conjure, which is fine so long as the film stays true to the story that Lewis wrote. And while this film is not a literal translation--it really wants to be so much more than just a kids' movie--for the most part it is faithful enough to the story, and whatever faults it has are happily faults of overreaching, and not of holding back. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tells the story of the four Pevensie children, Lucy, Peter, Edmund, and Susan, and their adventures in the mystical world of Narnia. Sent to the British countryside for their own safety during the blitz of World War II, they discover an entryway into a mystical world through an old wardrobe. Narnia is inhabited by mythical, anthropomorphic creatures suffering under the hundred-year rule of the cruel White Witch (Tilda Swinton, in a standout role). The arrival of the children gives the creatures of Narnia hope for liberation, and all are dragged into the inevitable conflict between evil (the Witch) and good (Aslan the Lion, the Messiah figure, regally voiced by Liam Neeson).
Director (and co-screenwriter) Andrew Adamson, a veteran of the Shrek franchise, knows his way around a fantasy-based adventure story, and he wisely keeps the story moving when it could easily become bogged down and tiresome. Narnia is, of course, a Christian allegory and the symbology is definitely there (as it should be, otherwise it wouldn't be the story Lewis wrote), but audiences aren't knocked over the head with it, and in the hands of another director it could easily have become pedantic. The focus is squarely on the children and their adventures. The four young actors are respectable in their roles, especially considering the size of the project put on their shoulders, but it's the young Georgie Henley as the curious Lucy who stands out. This isn't a film that wildly succeeds, and in the long run it won't have the same impact as the Harry Potter franchise, but it is well done, and kids will get swept up in the adventure. Note: Narnia does contain battle scenes that some parents may consider too violent for younger children. --Dan Vancini ... Read More » |
Average User Rating: 80% (49 Reviews) | |
| 5 / 5 | An Excellent Adaptation
Tim Bentley (Shetland, UK) - 16 July 2006 There have been critics of this movie, and to a certain extent they have a point - The large battle scenes will never rival those of the Lord of the Rings, however, this movie was aimed at a younger audience as were the excellent books. When viewed in context, this movie hits the spot. From the first moment the Pevensie children set foot in the land of Narnia through to their return through the wardrobe this movie delivers an exciting and magical adventure. The movie started in an inspired way with the Luftwaffe air raid over London introducing the audience to the reason why Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy were staying with Professor Kirke in the first place, and then rolled on with a consistent and easy flow. The locations were magnificent, and the use of animatronics amazing - as were the CGI and CGI augmented creatures! A particularly nice touch was the way that Mr Tumnus shook away the snow from his hooves by stamping on the mat - his 'backwards' goat legs really looked the part. The witch was not as frightening as she could have been, but had I been six years old I'd have been terrified. Aslan was surprisingly lion like but managed to convey the majesty of the king. I liked this movie and I look forward to the coming of "Prince Caspian" in 2008.... Read Full Review » |
| 5 / 5 | not quite Narnia but pretty close
A. Craig (London United Kingdom) - 2 March 2006 Anyone who remembers the dreadful BBC adaptation of this children's classic will have shared my unease. In the event, it's very enjoyable. The film opens unexpectedly with shots of Nazi bombers over London. The four Pevensie children have to get to their Andersen shelter in the garden, but Edmund won't go without the photograph of their father - a nice touch, not in the book, which gives him more resonance as a character who betrays them all. From then on it's all pretty faithful to the book. Sent away to the big old house of Professor Kirk, they children play hide and seek and Lucy (a wonderful little actress) discovers the enchanted cupboard that is the door into Narnia. Here she meets Mr. Tumnus, the friendly faun who invites her home for tea and plays her music intending to betray her to the evil White Witch who keeps Narnia so that it's "always winter and never Christmas" once she's asleep. This scene made me deeply uneasy as a child, and it's done beautifully - the actor playing Tumnus has just the right mixture of guilt and kindness. Lucy is not believed by her older siblings when she returns - but then Edmund, who has sneered the most, also finds his way into Narnia. Unfortunately, the person he meets is the White Witch (Tilda Swinton reaching her apotheosis as a piece of mobile installation art.) The film moves swiftly, with all four children acting well, and the special effects managing to not intrude. The extra bits such as a talking fox, a chase by the wolves by a frozen waterfall and an annoying unicorn called Philip manage not to be too silly. Even children under 6 will not be too frightened by the monsters, and Liam Neeson's Aslan is suitably noble. The problem is, it isn't Narnia but New Zealand, and Adamson isn't Peter Jackson. The landscape the was ravishing in Lord of the Rings has become a bit too familiar. Moreover, the sense of spiritual mystery that Lewis, love him or loathe him, was able to convey, is missing. It's a jolly good magical adventure film, but I wanted the something extra, the sense of sadness and mystery of another world beyond our reach.... Read Full Review » |
| 5 / 5 | Into Narnia
E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - 1 March 2006 For several years, fantasy films were MIA, except the occasional hack job. Then "Lord of the Rings" came and went, leaving some pretty big shoes to fill, as far as fantasy films go. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" doesn't quite fit the shoes, but it comes a lot closer than any other movie has. In Andrew Adamson's adaptation, C.S. Lewis's classic fantasy novel comes alive with remarkable fidelity, sparkling special effects, and some truly excellent acting by almost everyone concerned. If "Lord of the Rings" was stern older brother Peter, then this movie is Lucy -- bright, swift and thoroughly charming. With WW II raging, the four Pevensie children are sent to the countryside, at an eccentric professor's mansion. But during a game of hide-and-seek, little Lucy (Georgie Henley) hides inside a wardrobe -- and stumbles into a wintry wilderness, with a faun she befriends. Alas, her brothers and sisters don't believe her -- but they don't know that Edmund (Skandar Keynes) has also gone through, and befriended a sinister, beautiful Witch (Tilda Swinton). Eventually all four end up going through the wardrobe, but but they soon find that the Witch is hunting for them, in fear that they will fulfil an ancient prophecy. But Edmund has run off to join the Witch. And so the remaining three must join up with Aslan (Liam Neeson), the leonine god-king of Narnia. But the price for victory against the Witch may be too high. Since "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" is labelled both a kids' book and a Christian fantasy, it's easy to get put off by the description of it. Don't be. Director Andrew Adamson ("Shrek" and "Shrek 2") has obviously given this his whole heart and soul, and it has the right mixture of majesty and humor that a film like this needed. And Adamson does a spectacular job. The the taut race across a frozen river, the bombing of London, tea with the faun Tumnus, and even the cameo by Father Christmas (who gets a medieval makeover) -- all of these come to life with remarkable skill and grace, but with respect for its audience's intelligence. The make-or-break scene is Aslan stalking to the stone table, and the horrifying sacrifice scene that follows does justice to Lewis' novel. But Adamson doesn't let it get overinflated on its own ego. When Edmund tells his horse, "Whoa, boy!" it retorts peevishly, "My NAME is Philip!"; elsewhere, the beavers snipe at each other like an old married couple. Those moments of lightness -- and giving Aslan a sense of humor -- keep the film from seeming self-conscious. And of course, the special effects. WETA workship deserves an award (it's been nominated for a few) for the amazing CGI, ranging from goat-legged Tumnus to the lion Aslan, who looks almost real. They are especially good in battle scenes, which are startlingly savage and brutal, but filled with outstanding moments, such as a centaur leaping over the Witch and nearly beheading her. Young Georgie Henley is probably the most capable actress here, conveying misery, awe, delight, childish glee and sorrow. All this from a small child, when a lot of adult actors can't manage that much. Skandar Keynes and Anna Popplewell turn in good performances as Edmund and Susan. Swinton and William Moseley (Peter) start off rather woodenly, but they both blossom when the four arrive in Narnia. Though Lewis was reportedly against a live-action adaptation of the Chronicles, it's hard to imagine him having a problem with this rapid-fire, sparkling adaptation. (And stay for the credits for an extra surprise...) |
| 5 / 5 | Narnia with the allegory left in
Bramble family "bramblesabroad" (Dudley, West Mids.) - 14 March 2006 We had heard good things about Narnia and were expecting a good fantasy flick, but were wowed by the way the meaning was left in. When the White Which demands to keep the traitor (Edmund) to appease the Deep Magic, and Aslan goes to the Stone Table to die so that Edmund can live... what a clear picture of Christ's sacrifice for us. Amazed and delighted that Hollywood would keep it in, in such an undiluted form. |
| 3 / 5 | Enjoyable, but not great.
Phil Hattie "Stuff lover" (Glasgow, Scotland) - 10 March 2007 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is Disney's attempt at buying into the fantasy franchises that have become more and more popular recently. The success of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy has helped open the door for classic books, especially those that will involve swords and sorcery, and some of these have been more successful than others. Thankfully this is a qualified success, almost very good but not quite. This film is the tale of the four Pevensie siblings evacuated from London during the dark days of the blitz. Peter is the eldest and is trying to be responsible for his younger sisters and his moody and often irresponsible brother Edmund. Susan, the eldest sister is the sensible one while young Lucy is friendly and imaginative. When placed in the home of an elderly professor they accidentally discover a wardrobe that acts as a magical gateway to the land of Narnia where it is always winter, never Christmas thanks to the dark rule of a White Witch. The scenery is one of the stars of this film with bleak ice castles, snowy woods, beaver dam-houses, and grassy plains all being extremely easy on the eye. A large part of the film was shot in New Zealand and the same craggy fields that so vividly brought Middle Earth to life do so again here. The effects are also generally good, the film employs a number of fantasy creatures and talking animals and if these had been badly rendered it would have failed. There are a few dodgy looking beasties, especially in the eye-popping final battle scene, but for the most part they're well done- especially the important animals like the beavers, wolves, and of course the eponymous lion Aslan. The cast vary greatly in their quality and its one of the films failings. The children are the focus of the movie and needed to be very good. However, not all of them are up to par. Georgie Henley manages to avoid the trap of being too cutesy that so many child actors fall into and invests her Lucy with a likeability that the film would have struggled without. Similarly, Skander Keynes as Edmund is also very good, conveying the greed, selfishness, then fear and eventual heroism with conviction. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for Anna Popplewell, whose "sensible" Susan is merely whiney and annoying, and William Moseley as Peter, more wooden than the wardrobe in the title of the film. The supporting cast is strong, Jim Broadbent only appears for a few minutes but suffuses his scenes with warmth. Liam Neeson provides the voice of Aslan and does well enough, similarly James MacAvoy puts in a good performance as Mr Tumnus, a faun and Lucy's erstwhile kidnapper and first friend in Narnia. The best performance though comes from the ice cold Tilda Swinton who, even when she's practically dripping with malice, never becomes a caricature and always convinces as Jadis, the White Witch. Overall The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is a decent film with a strong moral message about family togetherness and responsibility that is good for kids. While mostly bloodless there are a few moments that might be a bit strong for younger children, especially in the final battle. Its impossible not to compare this film with the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter and it fares pretty well against this esteemed competition. This is also only the first in a series of films so there's plenty of opportunity for improvement. As a stand alone film its solid, enjoyable, pretty, and bears repeated viewing which is all it needed to do.... Read Full Review » |
RRP
£22.00
Release Date
3 April 2006
Price Range
£3.99 - £15.69