Magnificent, gentle, just, and valiant

Rating: 10/10 (16 December 2005)

I have seen The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe twice now and it was even better the second time! I loved it even more the second time because I didn't have to take it all in and have to miss something while doing so.
DO NOT read if you have NOT seen the movie yet.. Be warned, many spoilers!!!
Usually you'd find the performances begin to dull after multiple viewings, but I thought the acting was still great! I often read about other people saying how great Georgie Henley (Lucy) was and stole the show, but I personally thought that Skandar Keynes (Edmund) was the best. I thought Skandar is a really good actor and I think he is even more so now, especially for his age.. And I just thought Georgie was as adorable as ever. Maybe I'm biased because Edmund has been my favorite character, but I really noticed Skandar's more subtle performance the second time. All those times, you could really see Edmund's guilt about all the things he's told the White Witch. After the incident with the White Witch and the fox, those teary eyes of Edmund's were so real.. BIG SPOILER ahead: Oh! and the scene when he's dying... amazing! I really do start to like actors when I like the characters they play... ;)
I think I like this movie even more than Harry Potter. I thought this was more emotional and the kids did a marvelous job at conveying the emotion. Some people say the acting was wooden and worse than Harry Potter, but it didn't seem cheesy to me at all. They were all able to transform from sadness to happiness and vice versa realistically, and their relationship was very believable. I think the actors in Harry Potter are great as well, but I felt basically one emotion in each scene. Well, I don't know.. I just didn't like the scene when Ron begrudged Harry for supposedly putting his name in the Goblet of Fire. I thought that was kind of stiff and unrealistic.. but then I don't know if that's how guys really act like in these kinds of situations.. Other emotional scenes also seemed kind of forced in the Harry Potter movies.
Of the four children, I think Skandar gave the best, most powerful performance through his subtle transition. Edmund's character is more complex and I believe Skandar played the part wonderfully. Georgie handled her scenes professionally; she was so cute and I felt genuine awe and love from her character. I particularly loved her relationship with Edmund and how Lucy was so quick to forgive. William Moseley (Peter) was great as well and some scenes were emotional, especially at the end of the battle.. Anna Popplewell (Susan) was as I expected and was there at the right moments.
Tilda Swinton (the White Witch) was cruel and menacing. I loved her scenes with Edmund and seeing her evil on screen, providing a great obstacle to the four Pevensies. Her combat skills were also quite amazing. James McAvoy (Mr. Tumnus) was also brilliant and perfectly cast.
Aslan was so tangible and Liam Neeson as the voice was perfect! It was not as easy to tell that Aslan is computer generated. Obviously, you can tell since you already know, but it is still immensely realistic nonetheless.
The action was also very entertaining. I loved the battle scene. The visual effects for this part were amazing. I didn't remember much about the battle in the book because there wasn't much, but it fits in the movie and it's great. I also loved other added scenes in the movie like the beginning London Blitz with the evacuation. That really was emotional for me. There were quite a few humorous moments as well. :)
The music was beautiful and the sound effects were great. The silence and heartbeat sound effects really reflect the audience's feelings, and they were very effective. The music has beautiful themes and helps convey the feel of every scene. My heart beat louder at the moments of silence and when the music swells to epic tunes.
You'll enjoy this movie a lot more when you don't have any expectations. I think this can be like a "Lord of the Rings for kids" because it isn't as dark, but everyone will still enjoy it. I think Lord of the Rings is more professionally made and well done, but Narnia does not look cheap and it still works out. You can't expect a perfect film to fit to your exact tastes because you will most likely never enjoy many movies if you nitpick about things. Go see this movie without preconceptions and be surprised. I was so excited to see this film when I first saw the trailer and I loved the books. I tried to lower my expectations, but I knew I'd like it anyway. However, I was still surprised by how good it was even though I already knew what was going to happen.
Overall, this is still a high-quality film that is emotional, exciting, and enthralling. I recommend this to anyone, and I think everyone would enjoy it. I personally enjoyed this more as a movie than Lord of the Rings only because it is a more comfortable length of time for a movie, and it did not drag on as much. Sometimes Lord of the Rings just felt too long. I think I can watch The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe more often than Lord of the Rings simply because of this. I think I am still a kid at heart too, so Narnia sparked a childhood excitement in me.
Here's to another lovely children's movie that's enjoyable for all ages. I hope we'll get to see six more movies in the near future.