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MOVIE REVIEWS

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
Starring:  Tilda Swinton, Jim Broadbent, James MacAvoy
Director:  Andrew Adamson
Walt Disney Pictures

-- reviewed by Courtney Bowerman

For the past couple of weeks, I have anxiously awaited the screen adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. As an avid fan of the Narnia series, I was concerned the movie would not only be not as good as the books, but also that it would be butchered beyond recognition. Anyone who has seen The Princess Diaries would know that Disney movies aren’t exactly known for their faithfulness to the original books. There is no need to be worried. Narnia is a wonderful film that remains true to the original books.

Even if you haven’t read the book, you will enjoy the movie anyway. The story is a lot less complicated than Lord of the Rings: four British siblings discover an enchanted land via a wardrobe. With the help of talking animals, led by the lion Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson), they must defeat the White Witch (Tilda Swinton) to break her spell of eternal winter.

Although most of the cast are basically unknowns, the acting was pretty good. The children steal the show, especially the youngest, Georgie Henley. Swinton’s performance oozes evil and, though I thought that someone like James Earl Jones should do the voice of Aslan, Neeson sounds mighty and regal as the lion king—no pun intended. The special effects aren’t as realistic as the ones in King Kong because the differences between real and computer-animated animals are very distinct, but they are spectacular all the same.

Disney has spent a considerable amount of time advertising the religious symbolism of the Narnia series. Many Christian organizations have praised these aspects, which may be the reason why there were mixed reviews of the film. I never caught on to the symbolism until I was in my teens, and even then it didn’t seem like a big deal to me. The themes of self-sacrifice and temptation can be found in practically any other movie; therefore, in spite of the fact I am Christian, I don’t think those aspects should be the main focus of the movie.

My advice is not to think of Narnia as “Lord of the Rings for kids.” Don’t even try to compare it to The Passion of the Christ. Simply see it for what it is: an exciting fantasy.