Childhood fantasy come to life

Rating: 9/10 (22 December 2005)

Who amongst us had not dreamed of being a King or Queen of Narnia as we breathlessly plowed through its mystical world? As a child I could not imagine that one day I would see it come to life on the big screen, told with remarkable accuracy. What a stupendous moment.
And yet, like the old world that the children leave in The Last Battle, the film, despite its remarkable special effects, is not quite as vibrant and deep as the Narnia I had created in my head. Is it because, as Movie Guy Blogs Com suggests in his review, some of the actors didn't show their character's true mettle (I agree Tilda Swinton could have done better - maybe she should have read the book first)? Or is it because, no matter how clever the special effects are, they cannot replicate the verdant fertility of the imagination?
Either way it was a trifling disappointment to bear in the face of what is a wonderful representation of the mastery of C.S Lewis. Bring on Prince Caspian!