A worthy family film that's a bit slow out of the gate but enchants both young and old...

Rating: Null/10 (9 December 2005)

One of the most anticipated films of the year is the adaption of the beloved book by C.S. Lewis "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". With a cinema filled of families and people of all ages (there were more adults than kids), I was very excited about enjoying a film that I had waited impatiently for weeks to see.
Just to get the negatives out of the way, Narnia is a bit slow. The first 40 minutes crawl by at a snails pace and the lead up to the meeting of Mr. Tumnus and Lucy is dragged out too much. But when all four kids get through the wardrobe, the story really gets to picked up by likable characters (the beavers come to mind) and tense scenes with the White Witch.
As for the positive notes, the scenery was top notch, with many people in the audience audibly playing "Where in the country was this scene filmed?" The animation and special effects are brilliant as well. Most notably, Aslan, the lion saviour, is wonderfully animated and incredibly realistic. At times, you could just as well be looking at a real lion. Other effects of centaurs, fauns, griffins, beavers, and bull-headed monsters are also top notch.
On an entirely different note, I really don't understand what all the fuss is about with the religious allegory. The symbolism is there for all to see including all the elements of sacrifice, and forgiveness, but it's not "in your face" or distracts you from the rest of the story. If you enter the cinema seeking an allegory on Somebody's sacrifice, you'll be content with what you see. And if you plan seeing this film just as a family friendly holiday movie, you'll be content too.
In all, Narnia deserves a worthy 7/10. It may be a bit slow out of the gate and outstay it's welcome length, but it's a worthy family film that enchants both young and old and transports you effectively into the land of Narnia.