Mediocre children's film

Rating: 5/10 (9 December 2005)

Let's get one thing straight - this is not the next Lord Of The Rings. That trilogy set the bar so high for fantasy films that it would take something pretty amazing to even equal it. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is not that film.
Amazing (but sometimes a bit wonky) effects sequences, wonderfully animated talking creatures, beautiful sweeping New Zealand scenery and odd flashes of humour can't stop this being very clearly an old school children's' film with a simplistic story, cheesy bits (like the appearance of Father Christmas to hand out the 'magic weapons') and two-dimensional characters.
It also doesn't help that the four central child actors are very annoying - lacking the charisma, talent or maturity of, say, the stars of the Harry Potter series.
Thankfully the Christian subtext is subtle and Liam Neeson turns in a warm vocal performance as Aslan, but it's the CGI Beavers and wolves that will really stick in the mind. A mild distraction, Narnia is a pleasant piece of gore-free fluff that will - eventually - become a Saturday afternoon television staple to distract the wee kiddies from their Playstations once ITV's copy of the Railway Children has worn out.