Bifrost
02-04-2006, 02:37 PM
THE DETAILS
Director: Andrew Adamson
Writer(s): Ann Peacock; Andrew Adamson; Christopher Markus; Stephen McFeely (with C.S. Lewis)
Starring: Georgie Henley; Skandar Keynes; William Moseley; Anna Popplewell; Tilda Swinton; James McAvoy; Jim Broadbent
Released: 2005
Distributed by: Walt Disney Pictures (http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/)
IMDB Link: Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363771/)
OK, I'm going to say it - Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is no Lord of the Rings. If it was ever going to be as incredible an experience as Lord of the Rings, Narnia was going to have to depart a great deal from the source material (C.S. Lewis' classic fantasy series of books).
This, the first of an expected 5 Narnia films introduces us to the principle characters of Peter (Moseley), Susan (Popplewell), Edmund (Keynes) and Lucy (Henley). They are the four children of the Pevensey family, sent from their London home by their mother following a spectacularly crafted World War II bombing sequence. Relocated to the rural mansion owned by a mysterious Professor (relationship unmentioned), the children stumble across a wardrobe in a random room which leads to the wintery fantasy world of Narnia.
Having read The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (and none of the other books) as a child, I felt a tingle go down my spine as I first set eyes upon the lamp post which marked the wardrobe's gateway to Narnia. I had forgotten all about the lamp post and yet as soon as I saw it on the screen, towering above the tiny frame of Lucy, its importance came flooding back to me.
This familiarity is the best part of this film for me. Every set, every creature and every character looks just the way I had imagined they would. As with the book, the White Witch is the finest character and Tilda Swinton carries her extremely well. She is cold, mercilles and can handle a sword convincingly well. Unfortunately, this is where I feel the movie fails.
Much as any adult would question with the books, I question the capability for an untrained 14 year old boy to be able to match it with the best minotaurs, ogres and witches Narnia has to offer in a bloodthirsty medieval battle. Is Narnia, as a whole, truly that shit as fighting? I felt more could have been made of thair training, even if the books didn't bother.
Still, this really is a children's film. I went and saw the film with a group of genuine Narnia fans and every one of them thought the film was brilliant. Every one said that they felt the film is extremely faithful to the book.
As a film translation of the children's classic book, Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a triumph, though for me, the story itself does not really stand the test of time or perhaps more, it does not stand the test of adulthood. I'm sure C.S. Lewis would be proud.
-- Bifrost
Director: Andrew Adamson
Writer(s): Ann Peacock; Andrew Adamson; Christopher Markus; Stephen McFeely (with C.S. Lewis)
Starring: Georgie Henley; Skandar Keynes; William Moseley; Anna Popplewell; Tilda Swinton; James McAvoy; Jim Broadbent
Released: 2005
Distributed by: Walt Disney Pictures (http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/)
IMDB Link: Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363771/)
OK, I'm going to say it - Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is no Lord of the Rings. If it was ever going to be as incredible an experience as Lord of the Rings, Narnia was going to have to depart a great deal from the source material (C.S. Lewis' classic fantasy series of books).
This, the first of an expected 5 Narnia films introduces us to the principle characters of Peter (Moseley), Susan (Popplewell), Edmund (Keynes) and Lucy (Henley). They are the four children of the Pevensey family, sent from their London home by their mother following a spectacularly crafted World War II bombing sequence. Relocated to the rural mansion owned by a mysterious Professor (relationship unmentioned), the children stumble across a wardrobe in a random room which leads to the wintery fantasy world of Narnia.
Having read The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (and none of the other books) as a child, I felt a tingle go down my spine as I first set eyes upon the lamp post which marked the wardrobe's gateway to Narnia. I had forgotten all about the lamp post and yet as soon as I saw it on the screen, towering above the tiny frame of Lucy, its importance came flooding back to me.
This familiarity is the best part of this film for me. Every set, every creature and every character looks just the way I had imagined they would. As with the book, the White Witch is the finest character and Tilda Swinton carries her extremely well. She is cold, mercilles and can handle a sword convincingly well. Unfortunately, this is where I feel the movie fails.
Much as any adult would question with the books, I question the capability for an untrained 14 year old boy to be able to match it with the best minotaurs, ogres and witches Narnia has to offer in a bloodthirsty medieval battle. Is Narnia, as a whole, truly that shit as fighting? I felt more could have been made of thair training, even if the books didn't bother.
Still, this really is a children's film. I went and saw the film with a group of genuine Narnia fans and every one of them thought the film was brilliant. Every one said that they felt the film is extremely faithful to the book.
As a film translation of the children's classic book, Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a triumph, though for me, the story itself does not really stand the test of time or perhaps more, it does not stand the test of adulthood. I'm sure C.S. Lewis would be proud.
-- Bifrost