Splendid adaptation of a childhood favourite

Rating: 9/10 (4 April 2006)

When I heard that Chronicles Of Narnia was coming to the screen as a big budget epic, I was ecstatic to say the least. Although I had never heard of the director before, he seemed in interviews to be really trying to stay true to the heart of the book. Finally, the first clips began to hit and I knew then that he had succeeded. Upon release of the film, I am proud to say that this is a near perfect adaptation of the first novel in the series The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. From the period setting to the special effects that are full of wonder to the epic grandeur of the tale, Narnia delivers in every respect. All the children, though unknowns, turn in fine performances and Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan is inspired casting. His rich tones give a sense of greatness to the lion king. The best performance of the film is that of Tilda Swinton as Jadis. She is just purely evil. The only real complaint that I have about the film is that the cyclops and a few other background creatures look incredibly fake. After wowing with so many other things in the movie, was there not enough budget left to create a makeup that didn't look like a Halloween mask? In the end, however, I am left hoping that this series will do well and get to carry on with further installments.