Enjoyable to fans of Lewis, Chronicles, and fairy tales

Rating: 8/10 (23 February 2006)

This is not a movie I especially wanted to see but my companion did because she'd read it while being a teacher's aide.
It's a "pretty" movie -- pretty scenes fitting for a fairy tale. The children are all quite handsome, too (and excellent actors).
I've not read any of the Chronicles. (Years ago, I'd read Lewis's Screwtape, Mere Xianity, Great Divorce, etc.) From reviews, I understood that Lewis intended the Chronicles to introduce children to some important concepts in Christianity -- Aslan stands for Jesus and His sacrifice (e.g., note the similarity of his death to that of Jesus, complete with the 2 mourning women); the witch stands for the devil, evil and the hurtful pride, selfishness, ambition, pettiness, etc., that turns people from the divine. The seduction of Edmond by the witch (appealing to his desire for power over his older sibs) very strongly reminded me of the tactics recommended to Screwtape by Wormwood in Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters." I found the battle scene overly long and very reminiscent of the final movie in the Lord of the Rings series complete with orcs. (I think it's a little too much for young children.) All the special effects were extremely well done -- e.g., Aslan speaking, expressions and postures expressing different moods, etc.
Most fans of Lewis, the Chronicles, and fairy tales will especially enjoy this movie.