Diet "Lord Of The Rings" - 65%

Rating: 6/10 (18 June 2006)

It has taken some time but finally, the right time and film came along to mark my 200th film review. I had bought this for my Better Half for her birthday in April but we hadn't watched it until today, when we shared a lazy Sunday morning in bed together. Having fond memories of the BBC TV adaptation in the Eighties, I had high hopes for this. It also seems determined to mimic another recent fantasy outing filmed in New Zealand and one that I enjoyed from start to finish. But while "The Lord Of The Rings" has a more adult feel to it, "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" is strictly aimed at younger viewers and has a more kiddie-friendly feel than Peter Jackson's stunning trilogy.
The first "Chronicle Of Narnia" focuses on the four Pevensie children Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter (Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Anna Popplewell and William Moseley respectively) who are evacuated during the Second World War to the home of a reclusive professor (Jim Broadbent). During a game of Hide And Seek, Lucy discovers a strange wardrobe which leads to the white wintry world of Narnia. Before long, they are all caught up in a titanic clash for the future of Narnia between the dark forces of the White Witch (Tilda Swinton) and the amassed armies of Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson). Can they all survive the battle ahead, especially when it appears that there is a traitor in their midst?
As if further proof were required, New Zealand is the place to go for shooting films with jaw-dropping scenes of snow-capped mountains and rich, lush forests. And, as "Lord Of The Rings" also proved, CG creatures have come a long way since Jar Jar Binks. From Aslan to Mr Tumnus (James McAvoy), each and every creature looks fantastic and believable. Sadly, there are moments when there are slight gaps in the CG sheen where it becomes apparent that characters are stood in front of a green screen instead of a beautiful sun-drenched valley. Make-up and costumes are also of an extremely high standard as are the performances of the four main actors. Henley is probably the best of the four, proving to be the equal of her older contemporaries.
The problem this film has is mainly one of pacing. Whereas "Lord Of The Rings" has the luxury of spreading itself out over three massive films (and still not get everything in), "The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe" has to cram everything in during its 140 minute duration and it sometimes feels rushed or like it doesn't have time to explain things - for example, it never explains that you don't find your way into Narnia if you're looking for it. It is also trying too hard to be "Lord Of The Rings" - thrown in Gandalf and you'd honestly never know the difference. And while I agree that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, director Andrew "Shrek" Adamson displays precious little imagination when it comes to telling this story which is a shame, given the vivid imagination of the original author, C.S. Lewis. But while this is basically Diet "Lord Of The Rings", this is still a fantastic film and one which tells this classic tale better than it ever has before. It's bright and thrilling and exactly what a children's adventure movie should be. Don't wait until you've hit 200 movies - go and get the special edition DVD and treat the kids.