Narnia delivers.... in a good way

Rating: 9/10 (20 August 2006)

I never saw this movie in theaters. I expected it to be a cheap, children's version of Lord of the Rings, but when it showed up at the local rental store I figured I'd give it a shot.
Narnia has got heart, that's the first thing I'll give it. This shows through in the interaction from the four kids, who IMO give realistic performances as really being brothers and sisters.
The acting is also quite good. Edmund was probably the best; he starts out as selfish and rude, and during the course of the film he becomes brave and responsible. Also, Lucy is about the cutest, most adorable kid on screen that I've seen in a while, and she is quite believable. Susan and Peter were good, but they fall short when compared to Edmund and Lucy. I believe this is because they didn't get to flesh out their characters as much as the younger two.
The visuals in the film are spectacular. There are a few minor points where you can tell its CGI, but these are extremely minor details and I'm being nit-picky. Everything looks brilliant though, the locales in which the movie was filmed were well thought-out. The world of Narnia is a bright, colorful and interactive place.
As for all this talk about Narnia VS. LOTR, they are two very different films, with Narnia perhaps geared more in the children's direction. I'd have to say that I prefer Narnia, but maybe it's because I'm worn-out on LOTR.
Narnia is a great film that will probably appeal to children of all ages, and I think that any teenager or adult with any bit of childhood still left in their heart will enjoy this movie too.
9 out of 10 stars.