My Hopes Were Fully Realized

Rating: 10/10 (15 January 2006)

Though, as a CS Lewis disciple, I went to this movie with the fear of disappointment in the back of my mind, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" turned out to be a marvelous film! I'd recommend it to anyone, whether they've read the books or not. There were some liberties taken to make the story a bit more "gripping," but I felt they were all in the spirit of CS Lewis' story. And the movie hewed to the book to a remarkable degree.
All the actors were excellent, particularly the little girl who plays Lucy. The wonder in her eyes the first time she sees Narnia is so genuine. Lucy, as you may know, ends up being Aslan's favorite of sorts -- rather like St. John -- and with this portrayal of Lucy one can see why ( even though that facet doesn't really come out strongly till later books).
The transformation of Edward from self-deceived traitor to all-out knight of Aslan is wonderfully handled -- not just a two dimensional cardboard cutout by any means. He saves the day during a crucial moment in the climactic battle between Aslan and the White Witch.
Peter's character develops resolutely but a bit slower than I'd expected. But then, one does not grow from older brother to High King of Narnia in a day (though for some reason I didn't notice the term "High King" being used -- a small egalitarian flaw, if I'm correct).
And in Susan you can see both why she is known as "Susan The Gentle," and perhaps the seeds of why she is no longer a "friend of Narnia" in the final book. Both are there, as her character is drawn in this screenplay.
Aslan is fantastic, voiced by Liam Neeson, one of my favorite actors. The Lion is mostly computer-generated, very realistically, and the voice is both magnificently strong and gently understanding. His "resurrection," I must confess, brought me almost to tears of joy.
The other animals and mythological beings are created magnificently. The epic battle between good and evil is movingly, powerfully done. Lewis himself had described it in a few deft strokes so the movie maker's skill was set free to a great extent, and they acquitted themselves well.
There are a few things added to the book that, frankly, I think they could have done without. A courageous fox who does not appear in any of the books, appears to help the children and Mr. and Mrs. Beaver escape cruel pursuing wolves. He is noble and fine in his own right but I think he was extraneous to the movie.
There is also an entire added scene where Peter performs some desperate daring-do to escape the same wolves a little later on. He also almost kills Lucy in the process and the whole thing is a bit over the top. The movie is 2 1/2 hours and although it is exciting, that whole scene could have been cut out and the film shortened with no real loss.
On the other hand, a scene with Edmund and Mr. Tumnus imprisoned by the White Witch (which did not happen in the book) was a great addition, contributing to the motivation for Edmund's change perhaps more powerfully than the way CS Lewis wrote it.
This is the kind of movie I will definitely go back and see it again, if I get the chance. I certainly hope The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe does well at the box office because I'd dearly love to see the other six books filmed as well.