Simply phenomenal...

Rating: 9/10 (21 December 2005)

This movie was simply magical and wonderful.
The timeless classic story by C.S. Lewis has been faithfully and well adapted to the movie screen.
All the cast members were well cast with each of the Pevensie kids really filling their respective roles just how they were written in the books. Edmund and Lucy especially I think were the two challenging roles that Skander Keynes and Georgie Henley did an absolute wonderful job in. From the sibling jealousy and bitterness felt by Edmund in the beginning to his sincere feelings of remorse and guilt in the last half to Lucy's accurate and realistic portrayal of child-like joy and sorrow, the kids nailed their parts.
And who can forget the performance by Swinton as the White Witch? I honestly believe she deserves an Oscar nod. As a devout fan of the book I had real doubt in her ability to pull off the White Witch and even when she first appeared in the movie I thought she was miscast. But by the last half of the movie she sheds all doubts as she portrays Jadis the White Witch in all her icy, fierce, terrifying ways. When she first appears on the climactic battlefield with her cold eyes intently gazing as she's being drawn by her chariot I was blown away. Swinton was simply amazing.
There are two things about this movie I think that is leading to the negative reviews and opinions of this movie.
The first is the fact that this movie comes after the success of similar veined movies so that one cannot help drawing comparisons to others such as the wonderful Lord of the Rings trilogy. As a PG-rated movie, this movie shows no blood and the fighting is less violent (though certainly not disappointing). But while the Lord of the Rings series (both the movies and the books) were geared towards a more older audience, the Chronicles of Narnia was geared towards an audience of all ages. Hence the slower pace and more simple themes. The movie, like the book, is for an audience of all ages and demographics. The central theme of bravery, love, justice, forgiveness is not watered down and yet it is not too complex so that even a child can understand the messages behind it.
The second is the fact that this movie is so faithful to the book. While certain minor details (such as the witch having been said to be extremely tall in the book) may be different, no major act or scene is cut out. So for viewers of this movie who have not read the book before, they may find the movie drawn out or slow at times but if they had read the book, they would realize that the speed and sequence of events are for a reason. For example, they give a glimpse of the personality of the Pevensie children and some of the reasons why they are that way.
But bottom line, this movie will appeal to the kids, the kids in the adult's hearts, and anyone else in between. I've seen quite a few number of movies and I had goosebumps the entire last 30 minutes of the movie. But don't let my words hype it up for you. Go see for yourself and read the book if you have not yet. As wonderful as the movie is, the book is in a league of its own.
I sincerely hope that they continue making movies of the rest of the series. Not to replace the books of course but to hopefully draw other viewers to the original magnificence of the books themselves.