Bait and switch

Rating: 5/10 (27 February 2010)

I haven't read the book, so I'm just gonna judge the movie.
This one to me is like a bag of wasted opportunity. It starts out nicely, more fairytale than fantasy. The first hour is everything that Harry Potter could never be.
And then someone stepped in and put the Lord of the Rings in Lewis' head. So all the magical atmosphere is tossed aside and this film just rushes through the motions.
With a lack of visual feedback hinting otherwise, I have to assume that all of this grand epic story takes places over the course of two days. Two days in which the four brats are declared long prophesied saviors, have their fair share of uncertainty and doubt, step up to challenge, meet new "people" who become family after 10 minutes and then lead their army into battle.
Because after all, this is no fairytale, this is quickly becoming a bad LOTR wannabe. The battle is ridiculous, but who cares.
And it feels totally weird throughout. These are four middle-class kids, who become noble generals. There is one scene that shows them train with weapons, but there is no conveying the sense that they are actually getting prepared. There's no explanation as to why the army would follow them, there is this prophecy thing but it never really transpires.
I was seriously considering giving it a 9, and then it slips badly to become everything the Lord of the Ring never wanted to be. Giving it a 5 is mighty flattering of me. But so am I, a grand ol' flatterer.