Everything I'd Hoped It Would Be

Rating: 10/10 (12 December 2005)

I have been a fan of the Chronicles of Narnia since I was seven years old. Of course, at that age, I had no idea of the symbolic significance of the stories. At 40, and a practicing Christian, these stories have grown with me. I had high hopes for this movie, as well as some apprehension upon going to the theater. Could anything measure up to the magic of Lewis' written words.
The answer? Absolutely. Aslan was portrayed with all the power, might and mystery that could possibly be conveyed in the two-dimensional world of film. I believe it says something when a person can enter a theater already knowing the story and still be awed.
In ways, it was better than Lord of the Rings. Not one element of the story was missing. Nor was anything added. The film adaptation of this classic is as true to the original story as a film can get. I highly recommend seeing this in the theater. I am sure it will transfer beautifully to DVD, but the big screen has a spectacular impact. Especially the sound.
I'm not usually a fan of child actors, but the children chose to portray the Pevensie children could not have done better. Liam Neeson as Aslan was just perfect. Some (very few) of the CG elements were obvious to the point of mild distraction, but that was truly the films only "weakness." If you are a fan of the series, this will not disappoint. If you are unfamiliar with the story, this will be a treat beyond your greatest imaginings.
Finally, the story's Christian subcontext is a reassurance to believers, a message to non-believers and yet it, like the books, avoids the trap of being too didactic or preachy. This is an amazing movie.