A CGI Adaptation

Rating: Null/10 (30 March 2009)

Adapting a fantasy novel on screen is no easy task. Some succeed while others fail. I doubt this movie will be remembered in the coming decades mostly because it falls short in execution. 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' was one of my favourite books as a child and thus seeing it this way on screen did not exactly please me but the film is far from awful.
The pacing seems a little uneven. At times it looks rushed and at times it moves at a lethargic speed. Many of the characters lack the charm they had in the book. The Santa Claus character was very irritating. Edmund was portrayed as plain dumb. It is sometimes doubtful whether the lack of charm is mainly due to the poor acting. Of the four young protagonists, I was only impressed by Georgie Henley who played Lucy Pevensie. Jim Broadbent and James McAvoy shine in small roles. I had my reservations about Tilda Swinton as the witch but after seeing the movie I can agree that she was rightfully cast. She looks quite yummy too.
Now one of the major issues is the poor special effects. The characters are designed with detail but the stop motion, blue screen filter and the setting of them against the backdrop is painfully visible and takes away largely from the authenticity. It's nothing like the enchanting world in 'King Kong', 'Lord of the Rings' or 'Stardust' where the viewer feels involved.
Those who haven't read the novel beforehand might enjoy the film more than us. In spite of my criticism, it's not a terrible movie. It's passable entertainment if you have 2 and a half hours to spare.