FANTASTIC .... quite literally

Rating: 8/10 (16 February 2006)

My niece, who's a Post Doctoral Fellow in Warwick (UK), recommended the movie to me. She had already seen it and thought it was good ... though she felt that it didn't do justice to C.S. Lewis' book.
Since I have not read the book, I went to the hall with an open mind ... and was instantly transported into a world of fantasy! I was transformed into a small child as the movie progressed.
The story is essentially that of good triumphing over evil ... as is the case with all fairy tales. But in spite of this clichÃ©d theme ... there was something very novel about the approach and treatment of the storyline. For one thing, one can't truly identify with stories like "Cinderella" or "Snow-white". But "Narnia" was different. The children, who are essentially the protagonists of the movie, are very human ... with their strong points as well as their weaknesses. They are not mere "picture-book" characters ... not all "white" ... there are shades of gray in their characterization ... which makes them all the more appealing. Some of the scenes are quite dark ... a phenomenon that seems to be increasing ... with book like the "Harry Potter" series, etc. But children nowadays are better capable of handling these aspects than we were, as children. As a matter of fact, I think they appreciate these nuances.
I LOVED ASLAN!! Fantastic animation and characterization!! He's so superior, so majestic and regal in his bearing. I think it's extremely difficult to be able to portray a character like this, so very convincingly. The White Witch is terrible but it's not until she takes her revenge on Aslan, that she becomes a truly despicable character!
As an Indian, I had a serious regret even as I watched the film. Why can directors in this country not think of making movies like this one?! Why do films here always have to deal with rape, violence, eternal love stories with it's fair share of complications ...
"Narnia" offers clean, wholesome entertainment for everyone. Unless one is seriously "age-challenged" (which means that the person is so inherently an adult that he/she has forgotten what it is to be a child ... for even a couple of hours!), I would suggest that people should go out and watch this film. It makes you feel really good. Forget the minor discrepancies and failings ... the movie rejuvenates you. It brings back memories and feelings that we, as adults, have, in most cases, chosen to leave behind us in the past, or at any rate, try to disavow.
I look forward to other movies like this one ... and if you want to know what I'm trying to say ... please GO OUT AND WATCH THIS MOVIE!