A very well made adaptation

Rating: 9/10 (8 January 2006)

I went into this movie expecting it to be okay. Not great, but okay. I read the novels (all seven of them) when I was a very little girl, and then again recently, and I found them to be. . . well, good children's books with a hit-you-over-the-head allegory. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with a Christian message (one should expect that from a Christian author), but I always felt that subtlety can't be over done in writing. But then, they ARE children's books. But I digress. The movie totally surprised me. Blew me away. It was a very faithful adaptation of the book, so it's not as though much was added to change my opinion. The director and the four children cast as the leads, as well as the effects, however, reminded me why I loved the story as a little girl. It was exactly how I'd imagined it when I was seven but couldn't quite imagine it again at 19. Narnia was beautiful and vibrant and just scary enough, as was Aslan, who seamlessly fit into the work. I could gush and gush about the effects, but I won't. Just go see the movie. The same goes for the acting of the four actors playing the Penvesie children. The little girl playing Lucy was incredible to watch, she was so convincingly amazed by everything. The children had great chemistry with each other, fighting and coming together like real siblings would. I was just really impressed with every aspect of the film. If you want to be swept off your feet and feel like a kid again, go see this movie. It'll remind you of why you used to push on the back wall of your closet when you were seven.