Pulls through despite wooden acting...

Rating: 8/10 (11 December 2005)

I must say, this film delivers as much as can be expected in this day and age. Most blockbusters are horribly contrived action-fests that try to excite us with their fancy special effects. This is a little different, but before I get to the good parts, the cons:
The acting is terrible and the script isn't great. If you don't like hearing action film-esquire one-liners, then try to block the twenty of them or so out of your hearing. If you are going to see four no-name actors delight you with their unexpected Oscar-worthiness, you will be SORELY disappointed. I think the best acting was done by Liam Neeson as Aslan, but as such you don't even see him.
Now, what pulls this through to an 8.
It actually follows the story to a T...some of the lines were right from the book, and that made me very happy. The special effects, despite some poor blue-screen, were unbelievable. Aslan was perfect...there were times were I thought it was a real lion (I know, I know...that is the dumbest thing I could ever say...I know). Also, just the feelings that the audience feels (if they are into the movie) are phenomenal. The scene containing Aslan's walk to sacrifice carries a power and emotion that I have been waiting to see in an adaptation of this book. (Those who haven't read it will be in great suspense at this point...the looks on some of the faces in the theatre were pretty amusing).
So, yes...as is often the case these days, ignore the wooden characters and enjoy the overall story and the beauty of Narnia and its inhabitants (and take the kids).