A Family Film in Every Sense

Rating: 9/10 (14 April 2006)

As a parent, I deeply admire this film for adhering to a PG rating. It could have gone over the top in the battle scenes and with gore and completely ruined itself. Its jaw-dropping box office success was due to the fact that is was the best family film of 2005 and one of the better ones in many years.
Narnia's story is well known. Four young English children trying to escape World War II are sent to a large country home. There, they stumble upon an old wardrobe which leads them to the mythical land of Narnia, where strange and friendly creatures live. Narnia is cursed to a permanent winter while it is under the rule of the icy White Witch, devilishly played by Tilda Swinton. The four siblings soon find themselves in a battle for their own lives and for the very freedom of Narnia itself.
The parallels to LOTR are many, but Narnia comes across as LOTR-Lite. The battle scene at the end is exciting, not scary and Andrew Adamson has perfect sense in when to cut a scene and how far to take things. Yes, its frightening, but just enough.
And, as an allegory of the life of Jesus, it has a strong moral message that allows for some great conversation with your kids after the film.
Well made, wonderfully acted, good (but not great) FX, this is a film worth owning if you have kids, and maybe even if you don't. ***1/2 out of ****.