Time Capsule Containing Dated Material

Rating: 3/10 (31 December 2005)

What if you opened a time capsule and everything in it was just boring? For me, this Narnia story had a very dated atmosphere and affect. I have a sense that C.S. Lewis really strained to create the story because it is full of clichés (for example, children becoming kings and talking beavers), but ultimately conveys no emotion or awe and even contains no humor. In this sense, it is quite different from "The Lord of the Rings" which, in all its extravagance, arises out of a story tradition invested with emotionally realistic concerns and content. The Narnia film is really a children's' film. Probably, children will absolutely love it, and I think that some adults will love it because their children do. I give it a "3" because of the visuals.