The most faithful adaptation

Rating: 10/10 (12 December 2005)

*** CAUTION -- MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***
I have seen a lot of film adaptations of books I've read. Sometimes the film is better than the book (Lord of the Rings actually improved on some parts of the book by consolidation and editing). Some are dreadful.
However, this time I feel they got it right. Yes, there were elements cut out, including some I loved (the lion at the White Witch's castle, that was so wonderful in his jubilance is just a shadow of the book), some things were added (more tension when the children are leaving the Beaver's home by a tunnel rather than the front door, when Mrs. Beaver has to take a second to lock it) and even characters and scenes either added (the fox) or changed (the river crossing).
All these seem picky, however, as EVERY MAJOR POINT of the book was in the movie.
The transformation of Peter from young boy who holds a sword in awe to knight who can fight is given, the forgiveness of Edmund, the mice chewing at Alsan's bindings at the Stone Table, these are all there! I loved the Narnia books as a child. Even though I read both Tolkien and Lewis and probably thought Tolkien better as a child, Narnia has stayed with me longer.
No, I am not a practicing Christian. I was an Anglican, but one of the things I loved about Lewis was his depiction of the more Anglican view that all Good Works that are done by someone are Good in the eyes of "God." (See "The Last Battle") That God is not some egomaniac as many seem to believe, that needs "credit" for a good work (if it isn't done in the name of Jesus, these people say, it isn't a Good Work), seems far more convincing to me of an omnipotent, omniscient God.
Narnia is wondrous because you can read it as a story, as a moral tale, as Christian allegory (though Lewis denied this) and more. It has something for people of every age and every level of complexity. The film managed to preserve that.
I hope Disney makes a TON of money from this film, and completes the series, giving this same level of attention to every film, every book.