Spellbinding!

Rating: 9/10 (10 December 2005)

The Chronicles of Narnia has been on my "to read" list for years, but I've never quite got round to it. There was always something else to read first. So I went to the movie with no preconceptions and only a vague idea as to what the storyline was. Visually, the film is absolutely enchanting. From the lavish landscapes to the amazing fantasy creatures, it all works. The audience I was with was silently spellbound thru most of the picture. We were sitting in the back row and we didn't even see very many people getting up for restroom breaks! Storywise, things move right along (as you would expect in such a hefty novel translated to a single film) but it never feels rushed. The actors all do a superb job and casting Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan was simply inspired. The only thing I would have done differently would be to have cast a different actress in the role of the Witch. Tilda Swinton does a creditable job and is suitably menacing when she needs to be - and she looks good in the combat sequences - but I think if an actress who was a bit more overtly feminine had been in the role, the aura of menace would have been enhanced. As it was, you know the Witch is up to no good from the first moment you lay eyes on her, and you wonder how Edmund could fall for her BS. But this is a minor quibble. Overall, an amazing movie that leaves you wanting the next installment. You have to hope that the production team returns more or less intact for the next one, they did such a good job here.