The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Widescreen Edition)

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The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Widescreen Edition)

Starring: Tilda Swinton, Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Skandar Keynes, Anna Popplewell
Directed by: Andrew Adamson
Binding: DVD
Published: 2006-04-04

$14.99

Features:

AC-3
Closed-captioned
Color
Dolby

The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Widescreen Edition)

Editorial Review:

Prepare to enter another world when Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media present C.S. Lewis' timeless and beloved adventure. With the stunningly realistic special effects, you'll experience the exploits of Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter, four siblings who find the world of Narnia through a magical wardrobe while playing a game of "hide-and-seek" at the country estate of a mysterious professor. Once there, the children discover a charming, once peaceful land inhabited by talking beasts, dwarfs, fauns, centaurs, and giants that has been turned into a world of eternal winter by the evil White Witch, Jadis. Aided by the wise and magnificent lion Aslan, the children lead Narnia into a spectacular climactic battle to be free of the Witch's glacial powers forever! The Chronicles of Narnia, Narnia, and all other book titles, characters and locales original thereto are trademarks of C.S. Lewis Pte Ltd. and are used with permission. © Disney/Walden
C.S. Lewis's classic novel The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe makes an ambitious and long-awaited leap to the screen in this modern adaptation. It's a CGI-created world laden with all the special effects and visual wizardry modern filmmaking technology can conjure, which is fine so long as the film stays true to the story that Lewis wrote. And while this film is not a literal translation--it really wants to be so much more than just a kids' movie--for the most part it is faithful enough to the story, and whatever faults it has are happily faults of overreaching, and not of holding back. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tells the story of the four Pevensie children, Lucy, Peter, Edmund, and Susan, and their adventures in the mystical world of Narnia. Sent to the British countryside for their own safety during the blitz of World War II, they discover an entryway into a mystical world through an old wardrobe. Narnia is inhabited by mythical, anthropomorphic creatures suffering under the hundred-year rule of the cruel White Witch (Tilda Swinton, in a standout role). The arrival of the children gives the creatures of Narnia hope for liberation, and all are dragged into the inevitable conflict between evil (the Witch) and good (Aslan the Lion, the Messiah figure, regally voiced by Liam Neeson).
Director (and co-screenwriter) Andrew Adamson, a veteran of the Shrek franchise, knows his way around a fantasy-based adventure story, and he wisely keeps the story moving when it could easily become bogged down and tiresome. Narnia is, of course, a Christian allegory and the symbology is definitely there (as it should be, otherwise it wouldn't be the story Lewis wrote), but audiences aren't knocked over the head with it, and in the hands of another director it could easily have become pedantic. The focus is squarely on the children and their adventures. The four young actors are respectable in their roles, especially considering the size of the project put on their shoulders, but it's the young Georgie Henley as the curious Lucy who stands out. This isn't a film that wildly succeeds, and in the long run it won't have the same impact as the Harry Potter franchise, but it is well done, and kids will get swept up in the adventure. Note: Narnia does contain battle scenes that some parents may consider too violent for younger children. --Dan Vancini

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

Excellent movie, excellent transfer:

First the movie: It's a pretty faithful adaptation of Lewis' novel. There are minor changes but nothing major. Acting is decent, direction is good, and the special effects are outstanding. The novel was a remarkable children's story of redemption and salvation, and the filmmakers avoided simplifying it or softening some of the harder edges. There isn't blood and gore, but there are still fairly intense battle scenes. Great movie for families (and I do mean families, not just kids). It's got a story most... more info

DVD - New Condition:

The movie got to me in a very timely manor. It was exactly as the seller described.

3 stars out of 4:

The Bottom Line:
A perfect performance by Tilda Swinton as the White Witch, impressive set design, and a number of effective scenes are enough to recommend this movie despite the uninspired acting of its leads.

a satisfying, solid fantasy movie that even the harshest critic can enjoy (like myself):

I don't think I've ever used the phrase, "a movie everyone can enjoy" to describe a movie, but I'll do it here. OK, done. I'll give props where it's due, for a PG movie for kids, this was surprisingly engaging, non-cliché, and very, very well written.
There aren't a lot of fantasy movies I like, and that has to do with the way they're presented to you. They present the world to you in an already existing state, bombarding you with everything without gradually introducing you to its various... more info

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