Good, but LOTR is still better...

Rating: 9/10 (18 February 2007)

Narnia was a very good film in terms of all-round quality. It had the epic feel, the big budget CG and a screenplay that remained loyal to the text, creating the most epic realisation of Narnia that has yet been seen. While the world of Narnia has lots of spirit and is beautifully made, I couldn't help feeling that New Zealand's beautiful landscapes could have been used more. It is evident that a lot of the sets were either CG or studio-created, and while it did look good, it just didn't possess the natural beauty of Peter Jackson's Middle Earth. And the battles weren't quite as epic or intense as in LOTR, though to be honest, this is aimed at younger people than LOTR, although I'm sure everybody has heard of The Chronicles of Narnia and will delight in seeing this epic film that brings it to the screen once again. It has the emotion and the grandeur, but Narnia needs more natural beauty - it could have quite possibly been done in the UK, and let's be honest, NZ has far more in the way of scenery to offer. But aside from that, Narnia was another great adaptation of C.S Lewis's work - and one that definitely had me checking inside my wardrobe back home (you may be surprised to hear that there wasn't a fantasy world in sight...) 9/10