Marvelous

Rating: 9/10 (12 December 2005)

When this film was announced it was obvious that it would be compared to LOTR to no end. This review is not one to compare it to LOTR, because it is no Lord of the Rings. What is? In its own right, though, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" is a fantastic film that should please both C.S. Lewis fans and fans of fantasy in general.
Let me start with the acting: WOW. I have never seen such an incredible cast of young actors. All of them are really amazing, especially the young boy who plays Edmond. His character is so complex, and it must have been really hard to develop. He did it flawlessly and really makes the transformation believable and dynamic. The little girl playing young Lucy also gives an incredibly wondrous and endearing performance. The other two actors are also astounding and pitch-perfect. I can honestly say that this is the best cast of kids ever assembled.
Tilda Swinton as the White Witch is a really cool and truly evil villain. She did incredibly at being both a seemingly kind yet cold-hearted (sorry) and fierce tyrant. Another perfect choice. Liam Neesan is fantastic as usual. What else can I say? The acting was perfect.
The story is handled very closely to that of the book and when it makes changes, they work. The opening scene is very focusing on the time-period in which they live, and the writers did a great job of filling in when C.S. Lewis would, for example, leave this to the readers' imagination.
Special effects on a whole was pretty well done. Tumnus' legs are pretty unbelievable, and the Beavers work amazingly well as living, breathing characters. However, I saw the credits listing several companies responsible, and sometimes it shows. There are a few moments when the effects look herky-jerky or cartoony, but overall they are pretty top-notch. Aslan, Tumnus, and the beavers alone make this film worth an effects nod at the Oscars, and the big-battle scene is pretty amazing to look at with the sheer multitude of creatures.
Now lets get to what you've all been waiting for: the battle. Yep, it's amazing. It was really great how they handled this. In the book, the battle is only described as it came to a close. The film stretches it out over 20 minutes, and every minute is spectacular.
I had a few gripes with the movie, though. I found the wolves to seem kind of out of place with their somewhat tough-guy accents. The score of the film is different and not half-bad, although some may not like its electronic blips and synth lines. It fits pretty well with the mood, though. Some won't like the part with Father Christmas, but it was in the book and HAS TO BE IN THE FILM! "LWW" is a great entry in the fantasy genre and one of the best films of the year. It's a movie that everyone can enjoy, and it will probably become a classic. Not only that, but it could possibly be the beginning of a promising new fantasy franchise.