Everything I could possibly want and so much more

Rating: 10/10 (18 June 2007)

When I heard they were doing a motion picture of Narnia, I had a little checklist of things in my head that the movie absolutely had to do right for me to be happy coming out of the theatre. They had to show the interaction between Lucy and Tumnus well. I didn't want Tumnus to come across creepy and squicky, especially. I wanted to see the scene between the Queen and Edmund. I wanted to see the presents from Santa, even if we didn't see Santa. And they absolutely HAD to have grown-up Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy on a hunt at the end. I was not disappointed by any of those scenes. They were all there, and they were all wonderful.
Tumnus was perfect and timid and just wonderful to watch, and the costume and effects for his hooves were perfect. Even his scarf was lovely. The scene with him lulling Lucy to sleep by playing his pipe, and Aslan breaking the spell is absolutely gorgeous. And his horror at what he's been forced to do was well-played.
Tilda was lovely, if extremely understated. I'm still trying to decide if I would have wanted someone more over-the-top for the Queen. I love Tilda, but I was expecting more histrionics, I guess. On the other hand, she was gorgeous, and definitely coldly cruel. And the scene where she made a hot drink and Turkish Delight for Edmund was perfect.
The scene with Santa was almost exactly word-for-word from the book at the beginning, though I did miss him giving them the presents for Edmund as well, and apparently the beavers deserved nothing... I do understand why they cut that part of the scene, but still.
But my favorite scene was the Hunt. I was so worried they'd sell it short and keep them kids, but I desperately wanted to see the older versions of them, and the return to the "real world" as it were. It was so perfect, and the falling out of the wardrobe kids again was exactly how I'd hoped.
Now, I'm a long-time fan of the Narnia books. Read them several times over the years. And though I didn't see the Christian imagery when I was a kid, it's blatant to me now. And while I'm stridently anti-religion, and those sorts of things usually annoy the heck out of me, I can honestly say that the scriptwriter did an excellent job on transferring it all across. There was no new imagery to "suggest" further religious stuff, and I don't particularly think they toned down what CS Lewis actually had in the story itself. I thought it was actually quite well-handled, considering.
Other bits and pieces:
* Jim Broadbent as the Professor. Such an excellent casting choice. He really does the childlike surprise and interest well.
* Aslan. I would have liked a stronger voice, actually. I love Liam Neeson, but I don't think he was strong enough for the part when it came right down to it. I guess it felt to me like Aslan was holding back a bit.
* The Beavers were fabulous. The animation was perfect, and the interplay between the two of them was wonderful. And Dawn French was fabulous, as usual.
* I have heard others say that Edmund steals the movie, but really, aside from one scene at the beginning of the movie, everything I saw in the movie with him was stuff that was straight from the book. And the boy they got to play him did an excellent job.
* Peter--the young man they got to play him was excellent. He is how I have always seen Cedric Diggory in my head, if a touch younger than Cedric in GOF.
* I quite liked how they illustrated the realities of the children's situation before they got on the train, and also how much the kids really felt like siblings. Whoever was responsible for that did an excellent job.
* My husband was thrilled at "Aslan's on the move." Rather important line, and nicely done. Sent a thrill through me when I heard it. And another wonderful line that I'd totally forgotten about until it was said: "Ward Robe in the land of Spare Oom..." Which makes me think of Rock and Rule now, but it's an adorable line.
* The wardrobe itself was an absolutely gorgeous thing. WETA outdid themselves, and not just on that, either. The costumes after they arrive at Aslan's camp, and the weapons and crowns were all gorgeous.
* Tumnus's punishment. I was practically biting my nails waiting for Edmund to stumble across Tumnus in the Queen's courtyard, but when they showed him it was utterly perfect and so miserable. Poor Edmund...
* And OMG, the swordfighting. I kept snickering at Peter using his sword like a gun, keeping it trained on whoever he was fighting, but I love that in the final battle sequences they were actually swordfighting--meaning that they weren't fencing with the ruddy things or using them like clubs. Tilda especially shone in the battle sequences.
So, yes. Good movie. Watch. It's worth it.