Don't Compare It To LOTR (Let It Stand On Its Own)

Rating: 9/10 (4 March 2017)

When I first saw "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" in theaters, I left with a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. The reason? At the time, I couldn't help but comparing it to the "Lord of the Rings" series. However, after reading Tolkien's classic novel again and then re-re-watching this movie, I can now see it as a great adaptation that is very true to the source material.
For a basic plot summary, this film tells the story of the Pevensie family siblings, who are shipped off into the English countryside to avoid the carnage of WWII. While at the mansion of their eccentric uncle, they find a wardrobe that mysterious leads to another world called Narnia. Little Lucy (Georgia Henley) goes in first and meets a Faun named Mr. Tumnus (James McAvoy). Then Edmund (Skandar Keynes) stumbles in and meets a much more nefarious personality...the White Witch (Tilda Swinton), self-proclaimed "Queen of Narnia". Later on, older siblings Susan (Anna Popplewell) and Peter (William Moseley) discover Narnia and find themselves in a conflict that they themselves have been deeply prophesized within.
The Narnia books were made for children (but well-written enough for adults to enjoy the experience), and that is exactly what this movie is like. If you try (like I once did) to compare it to LOTR, it will never measure up because you are not comparing like quantities. LOTR is an epic drama, while the Chronicles are a lighter-hearted children's drama. This film really captures that spirit, what with the great special effects, the sibling interplay, and just the general whimsical- ness of the overall production. It's "played straight", don't get me wrong, but there is a lot of fun involved too.
What might just stand out the most, though, is the acting. Little Georgia as Lucy almost steals the show at some points with her incredible emotional range for such a young child, while Skandar's Edmund is spot-on as the mischievous Edmund (a character who is so important in showing that even in Narnia it can be difficult to tell the good from the bad sometimes). Also, casting Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan, the true ruler of Narnia, was a stroke of genius. Each time the great lion speaks, it will send chills down your spine.
So, even though I didn't fully appreciate this movie when it first came out, I can now see it as a faithful adaptation to its source novel. Both mediums are meant for children and not to be compared to older, more adult fare. I don't know of a child alive who wouldn't be captivated by this movie, and I'm sure that's just the way C.S. Lewis would have wanted it.