An epic transposition of reality in the fantasy

Rating: 8/10 (28 December 2005)

Normally, I'm never skeptical towards child-target movies, but I were (little) afraid to waste 5 euros in the ticket of "The Chronicle of Narnia". A big budget and good advertisement not always mean a success.
What a great surprise ! The first 10 minutes, the rush during the war is emotionally stunning! I felt myself involved in the story since the first scenes, the sweetness of Lucy, the consciousness of the olders and the complex character of Edmund.
Writers of the script deleted the blood and the cruel scenes (present in the original book of Lewis) to package a bittersweet gift for children and "parents" non-voted to bloody action. This is an aspect I appreciated a lot. Children (and adults too) don't need any additional violence than the ordinary aired daily on TV.
An entire paragraph should be dedicated at the witch Tilda Swinton, a glacial actress I always loved in her past films; and her role in Narnia seems to fit her like a glove.
I found "The chronicles of Narnia" very instructive principally for (another) war between The Good and the Evil, but the experience of Edmund and his redemption, the love between brothers (or friends) is an universal rule, in Narnia like in the real world. The crystal winter where the land is trapped, the repression against the fauns are a representation of totalitarian regimes raised in Europe before World War II - and the springs can be read as the return to the peace. Don't we forget Lewis wrote the books around 1950, when the memory of the World War II was living.
All the actors, from the witch, the children and the minor characters fit their roles perfectly, giving off a sensation reality even in a queer world like that (inspired to the Italian city of Narni).
The negative side of this movie, very little, maybe are the 140 minutes, too long for a child and some boring scenes. Anyway I enjoyed this movie very much and I surely recommend it for the families, the adults and for the Lord of the Rings lovers too !
A must see.