By By Michael Gleason
With movie studios looking forward to the Christmas season, Disney has fired its opening volley: the movie adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ book The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, Tthe Witch and the Wardrobe. The movie has epic scale, but pales considerably when compared with its spiritual antecedent, the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Taken in its own right, though, it is a deeply satisfying movie that is sure to delight audiences of all ages. It is solidly recommended, especially to those looking for a family-friendly epic.
The story opens as four children (Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter Pevensie) are sent from war-torn London to live with a professor in the countryside. The children miss their parents and chafe under the rule of the professor’s housekeeper. One day, during a hide-and-seek round, the youngest child, Lucy, discovers a mystical land called Narnia inside an old wardrobe. This land is ruled harshly by the tyrannical White Witch (Tilda Swinton), but the appearance of the children gives hope to the resistance, led by a noble lion named Aslan (voiced ably by Liam Neeson). From there, events proceed inexorably to a final battle, where the fate of this land will be decided.
The movie covers all this ground at a relatively brisk pace. Indeed, at times the movie moves a bit too fast: we are led to believe that the children go from timid and battle-shy to tested warriors in a matter of days. The pace also robs the movie of a chance to build tension, as the first time the two sides truly battle is also the last. The large, climatic battle also feels a bit off: the only characters that we know enough about to care for are the children, so the battle feels rather unreal. Add that to the steps taken by Disney to ensure a profit-friendly PG rating, and the unreality is only enhanced. Battles show the bare minimum of gore, and thus the audience feels removed from the scene.
The acting in the movie is very believable, especially for a work so dependent on child actors. The clashes between brothers Peter (William Moseley) and Edmund (Skander Keynes) feel like actual sibling struggles. Tilda Swinton is effective as the White Witch, playing the role with a rather appropriate iciness. Liam Neeson, as usual, turns in an excellent performance as Aslan the lion, lending the character a noble bearing. The other characters are well-played, but there is nothing especially notable in their performances. Other than the beavers, the rest of the characters are depressingly flat and fail to establish an emotional connection with the audience.
The directing is handled well, but without any particular flair. The traditional, sweeping shots during battles and chase scenes are featured and add a good bit of drama to the proceedings. However, certain sequences seem to lack the urgency that is necessary to carry this picture. Also workman-like was the musical score by Harry Gregson-Williams (among others). The music swells and flourishes at the right times, but a memorable theme is elusive.
Flaws aside, the Chronicles of Narnia is a positive movie-going experience. The film is definitely a worthwhile use of two hours, as it teleports viewers to a distant land filled with magic, mystery, triumph and sorrow. For a fantastical escape, one would be hard-pressed to find a better movie this season. Chronicles of Narnia is what a movie should be, but it falls short of classic status.
Final Grade: B+