Review: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (***)

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
A film review by Steve Rhodes

Copyright 2005 Steve Rhodes



RATING (0 TO ****): ***



THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE is a magical
and marvelous rendition of the C.S. Lewis novel, which has a large following
among children and Christians. Basically a cross between the story of Jesus
and THE LORD OF THE RINGS, the film features large battle sequences that
feel like they must have been part of an extended edition of one of Peter
Jackson's adaptations of a J.R.R. Tolkien tale. But, being a big fan of THE
LORD OF RINGS, the similarity is a plus, not a minus for me.



Like all of the Harry Potter pictures, the movie will undoubtedly appeal
most to the devoted followers of the Narnia series of books. But, even
those, like me, who come late to the Narnia table, will find much to admire
and be dazzled by.



The story starts, strangely enough, in the aerial battles over London during
the bombings of World War II. Like many other British kids, the four
Pevensie children are sent to the relative safety of the countryside to last
out the war. Peter (William Moseley), the oldest boy, is a little bossy but
unsure of himself. The second boy Edmund (Skandar Keynes) resents the
authority that is bestowed on Peter just because he is the oldest. Susan
(Anna Popplewell), the second oldest, is the least defined character, while
the littlest Pevensie, Lucy (Georgie Henley), is a scene stealing charmer.
The kids come to enter Middle Earth, oops I mean a snowy and mysterious land
called Narnia, by way of a large wardrobe set in an otherwise empty room in
the house where they are staying.



The child actors, all relative newcomers, deliver fine but fairly generic
performances except for the aforementioned work by Henley as Lucy. But it
is the villain of the piece, Tilda Swinton (THE DEEP END) who performs so
magnificently that you shouldn't be surprised if you find yourself more
drawn to the dark side than to that of the good. As the White Witch (who
refers to herself as the Queen of Narnia), Swinton wants to kill the kids
since they are part of "The Prophesy." Battling her devil figure is Liam
Neeson, as the voice of Aslan, a handsome and imposing lion who looks like a
3D version of the LION KING. Aslan is a Christ-like figure who will die to
save others and who will later -- well, you get the idea. But just in case
you are dense and miss all of the biblical references, they keep calling the
boys, "the sons of Adam," and the girls, "the daughters of Eve."



The CGI used to create all of the animal-like characters is spectacular,
but, except for the battle sequences, the movie downplays its considerable
computer generated roots. This is first and foremost a story. The
technology, as it should be, is only there to advance the narrative.



The funniest and most endearing characters are a couple of beavers who lead
the kids to their promised land. A typically humorous interchange between
the two beavers occurs when the husband is trying to cross on the ice of a
rapidly thawing river. "You've been sneaking helpings, haven't you?" she
asks. "You never know which meal may be your last, especially with your
cooking," he replies good-humoredly.



There is very little wrong with THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE
WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, except that the movie, like its title, sometimes
feels like it will never end. And, given there are lots more books to be
adapted in the series, you should be seeing NARNIA movies for quite some
time to come. Finally, this is not a PG film, no matter what the MPAA says.
Several scenes are just about as scary and violent as THE LORD OF THE RINGS
series, which were all rated PG-13. If you're thinking about bringing the
little ones, just be warned that it could too intense for them.



THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE runs too long
at 2:20. It is rated PG for "battle sequences and frightening moments" and
would be acceptable for kids around 9 and up.



The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday December 9, 2005.
In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century
theaters and the Camera Cinemas.



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