One down - six to go...

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2005)

Most people will be wanting to compare the Narnia movie with the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings. How could you not? So how do you do it? You do not.
This film stands on its own and it does it well. The movie grabs you and pulls you into the universe of Narnia as well as the Lord of the Rings.
The effects are as good as LotR... but given that it was the same company, you would expect so. If you liked the Look and 'feel' of LotR, you will let yourself get swept away by this one.
The story line is as per the novel, with a few variations here and there. On the whole, I felt that the movie has an impact close to what the book had on me so many years ago.
Now we come to where the movie lost the point that would have scored it a perfect 10. The actors. Almost all are good if not terrific, however there is something lacking. To name names and point fingers, Peter and Susan. Lucy is great and Edmund is just as believable in the role as the self absorbed coming of age teen ager that redeems himself. Peter and Suan are weak and not all that believable, which is a shame, as you find yourself stretching to feel for them.
My hat is off to Liam as Aslan. I thought that he would be awful and not have the voice for it, but after 'seeing' him in action, I am more than happy to eat my words.
Where does this leave us? Do not go to see this expecting the next Lord of the Rings. Go to see this as the simple Narnia novel it is. Outstanding in it's own right.
Am actually hoping that they will continue and make the other 6 novels into equally great films.