a 21st century morality play with Christian elements and references to the middle ages

Rating: 7/10 (28 December 2008)

It is true that my relationship with the Narnia universe is rather haphazard since I have read half the book on which this movie is based, i have watched Prince Caspian and afterwards I saw this movie which was judged correctly as a suitable one for Christmas.
This movie along with Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter have done the most to popularize elements of the mythology of Northern European peoples as well as public school British culture than anything else. One could argue that they are powerful tools of creating a certain image of the western middle ages in the popular mind.
But of course these ideological aspects should not bar someone from enjoying the sheer artistry of the movie both on account of the acting as well as the special effects and costumes. It was a feast for the eye for those that enjoy watching wonderful and terrible creatures.
Sometimes the Christian overtones of the book were said to be underplayed, at least this is what I had read in critiques in magazines.It was a choice of the company for commercial reasons. As far as I was concerned at least in the case of the resurrection they could never have been more obvious:the presentation of the altar and the fact that women learn the happy news first.
The device of talking animals goes back to Aesop as well as Lafontaine for those with more westernized sensibilities and it was aptly used in this movie.
The schoolchildren destined to fulfill a prophecy is the main convergence with Harry Potter, the magical pseudo-medieval universe with Lord of the Rings.
Both boys and girls radiate charm and intelligence, as well as the trio of schoolchildren in Harry Potter movies and I confess that as a foreigner I developed a certain feeling of inferiority towards Anglo-Saxon schoolchildren. The Hobbits of Tolkien are I think rather more humble in demeanor therefore perhaps acquiring a vaster possible audience as role models.
The evil witch is typically a fairy tale personage, even more so when she appears good to further her purposes.
I recommend this movie especially for Christmas time.