A movie that took me by surprise.

Rating: 10/10 (10 April 2008)

You have to thank the Harry Potter franchise for starting the fantasy- books-into-movie-transition-hype because ever since 2001 when the boy wizard made it's movie debut, other fantasy novels such as The Lord of the Rings decided to rule the movie box office where no longer did action movies pumped up with hardcore violence and blood or mindless plots grabbed audience members but literary heroes with good hearts.
The Chronicals of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe tells the story of four children who go off to live with their eccentric uncle (Jim Broadbent) while World War II is breaking out all over Europe, including England where the children used to live. Lucy (Georgina Henley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmand (Skandar Keynes) and Peter (William Moseley) try to make the best out of living at their uncle's mansion where they are not allowed to make any kind of noise until one day when the kids are playing a game of hide and seek that young Lucy discovers that a coated closet takes her to another world of magical creatures including a half faun/man by the name of Mr. Tumnus (Scottish Actor James McAvoy) who is forbidden to make contact with humans along mentioning that The White Witch (Tilda Swinton) will punish those who break law in Narnia.
The older kids don't believe Lucy until the following day they discover for themselves that their closet their younger sister hided one time leads them to Narnia where it seems strange to be talking to creatures who can talk back. They meet with Mr. Beaver and his wife where they tell the kids that they're meant to be heroes and save Narnia from the White Witch just before Edmund betrays them.
(Note: I have never read the books just like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, but I do follow with the characters and plot through Internet) I did wanted to see The Chronicals of Narnia back in theaters, but I was glad that I got to see the film on DVD where everything looks beautiful just like the film itself. Apart from the acting, I thought that each of the four child actors did a good job in convincing me that they could take charge when put into peril. Another thing about the film that took me by surprise was the voice credits from tough guys Ray Winstone (The Departed) doing the voice of Mr. Beaver along with Michael Madsen (Kill Bill) as Grimel, the head wolf of the White Witch. Liam Neeson is the voice of Aslen, protector of the creatures of Narnia which surprised me since he played both a hero and a villain that same year with him being the villain in Batman Begins and a good guy in this movie.
This is a good movie to all ages!