Great vision-- difficult actors/unhelpful script...

Rating: 8/10 (28 December 2005)

In Andrew Adamson's newest film concoction, "The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," C.S. Lewis masterpiece came to life. It is a pity, however, that this film did not completely match up to Lewis' vision. This is not to say, on the other hand, that the story itself was bad. To be honest, the writing for the story was fine. Throughout this motion picture, I could not help but dislike Edmund and Peter. I was indifferent towards Lucy, Suzanne had her annoying parts, but they weren't as bad as the two whiny brothers.
Peter, CLEARLY alluding St. Peter, founder of the Roman Catholic Church, disappointed me greatly. Even though an adolescent, I expected much out of his character. The way William Moseley portrayed Peter was not very helpful at all. The fact that he didn't acknowledge his obligation in Narnia to lead the Army did not bother, but how the actor portrayed his lacking of acceptance to take on a task did. He sounded too wimpy. Now, with this being said, it wouldn't surprise me if Moseley had not seen Star Wars- Episode IV: A New Hope, especially the parts when Obi-Wan Kenobi would ask Luke Skywalker to come with him to Alderaan to hand over the plans to destroying the Death Star. Luke reluctantly declines, but in a manner that becomes believable. In a more defined perspective, I was looking for something of a Harry Potter, not a Ronald Weasley. Moseley has much to learn as a young actor, then again the screenwriters and Adamson did not exactly put Moseley in his element.
Where Peter was too wimpy to lead any Army, Edmund's character was not fully revived. I had no sympathy for Edmund's character at all. He was perceived just like any normal child growing up in the shadow of an older brother, however, I did not KNOW Edmund in this movie. I viewed him more as an annoying and spiteful brother, and should he have died at any point in the movie I could have cared less for the Pevensies and the fate of Narnia; which was never the initial case. Adamson did not revive the goodness within Edmund. I was waiting for that throughout the whole movie, and didn't see it once.
Probably one of the most important elements in a good film is the dialogue. There were certain parts in this movie when I couldn't help just but saying, "Ugggh...." For example, when the Pevensie children were at the ruined home of Mr. Tumnus, birds were trying to get the attention of the Pevensie children. The birds would go, "Psst!" It killed me when Suzanne said, "That bird just 'psst'ed at us!" At such a critical point in the plot, I couldn't but help being disappointed. I didn't buy into the line at all. I sunk into my movie seat while shaking my head after hearing that line, and had done this a handful of other times while watching this film.
Adamson did a good job at bringing the world of Narnia to life, but failed to bring along most of the characters. The only characters that I cared about were the Beavers, Mr. Tumnus and Aslan. The Beavers, Tumnus and Aslan were the only characters that I actually had a sense of who they were. The rest I could care less for.