good for younger kids and fans

Rating: 4/10 (11 December 2005)

I just saw the cut down version (age 6, cut down from age 12) and was somewhat disappointed. Thats mostly because from the trailers I expected a fantasy movie and not a movie for children with fantasy elements.
It is said the movie is true to the books, which are intended for a younger audience. So thats it. But being true to a book should never be a factor in judging a movie. If one wants a true adaption, thats like having an audio book with pictures - better read the book in the first place.
So I will only rate the movie, and not being a kid (or a fan), the movie could not quite live up to my expectations of an entertaining evening.
I am sure if I had seen this as a 7 year old I would have been swooped into the story, but as an adult I just see a lengthy non fantasy prelude with character development of the 4 young and unwilling heroes, a well made first contact scene between fantasy creature and normal girl, again some lengthy zig-zag till the story seems to get a direction which turns out to be a not-to-bad-for-a-kids-movie battle scene. Not to forget the obligatory reward scene and the return to normality scene.
For (young) kids this should be a great fantasy film to begin with. For older audience it's a little more difficult. Just because you liked other kids movies this does not mean Narnia is the right kind of movie for you.