Directed by
Andrew Adamson

Written by: C.S. Lewis and screenplay by Ann Peacock

Starring:
Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Kiran Shah, James Cosmo, Judy McIntosh, Elizabeth Hawthorne, Patrick Kake, Shane Rangi

"Numbers do not win a battle."
"No, but I bet they help."

I have been waiting to see this little beauty ever since it was announced, so of course I couldn't pass up the chance to see a press preview last night. And, while there were some definite problems with some of the blue screen effects, the quality of the movie itself was nothing short of spectacular.
No, it didn't match 100% with what I think Narnia should have looked like, but it came closer to it then I would have thought Hollywood could do, in fact some of the scenes brought back the memories of warm summer evenings, curled up in a big arm-chair with a cold drink next to me, reading the book.
Ok, it wasn't my memory, but the one I wished I had. My memory of reading the book was more in a cheap motel room in Memphis waiting to see what happened next. But, it did succeed in choking me up several times; making me think and touching me.
The performances were some of the best I have seen this year, from Tilda Swinton as the White Witch (God, she had cold eyes. Her gaze alone could freeze you) all the way down to Lucy Pevensie (Georgie Henley) and I normally have a strong dislike for child actors.
But all of the actors were excellent, along with the voice actors like Liam Neeson who played the brave Aslan and even Ray Winston and Dawn French who added comedy relief and excitement as the Beaver family.
As for Aslan he dominates all your attention whenever he is on-screen and as the story unfolds, he becomes as human-like as any of the four children.
But for some of you, be warned! Aslan is not just a mystical beast. He is also seen as an almost biblical hero, which was what Lewis was aiming for. And even though there are a lot of parallels between Aslan and Christianity most people can watch this film no matter where you are on the religious-secular meter.
The creatures of the book were brought to life with a loving attitude geared toward making them seem both realistic and possible while keeping them magical and unbelievable at the same time. And that could not have been an easy job.
As for the rest of the child cast, Skandar Keynes as Edmund, the boy most likely to be beaten to a pulp someday, William Moseley as Peter, who tries to be a father figure after they are on their own and Anna Popplewell as Susan, the older sister who always tries to look out and think things through (and who has done more work then any of them) did a first rate job, especially when you look at their experience and the needed emotion that a film that this calls for.
The four children seem usual enough for children, what with their almost constant teasing and fighting among themselves, sibling rivalries about who is smarter, or who should be in charge, but when it really counts, they come together and exemplify the deepest characteristics of sacrifice, courage, loyalty and heroism. I think it should be easy for both children and adults will find inspiration and role models in these four children.
For anyone who has never read the novels, the story is based on a classic fantasy series written by a man named C.S. Lewis. It tells of four London children who are sent to a country home during World War II and Germany's bombing raids. Once there the youngest, Lucy while playing hide-and-seek discovers a magic wardrobe that leads to a mystical land called Narnia, which is being ruled by an evil witch and kept in perpetual winter. In order to beat the Witch, they must first overcome their own weakness and selfish attitudes and join with Aslan, the lion God of Narnia, and fight the battle between good and evil that is building during the whole story.
The special effects were amazing, almost as good and in some places even better then Lord of the rings.
My best friend Nana called it LOTR for kids and I find myself agreeing with him. The film was violent but not overly bloody and the violence fit the situation. And while the children were in danger, in reality children face danger everyday of their lives. True, not having to put on armor and lead an army in a war against evil type of danger, but still it exists. There was no nudity, the language was mild compared to some 'kids' films I have seen over the years and the moments of suspense were interspersed with lighter moments all designed to keep you thinking and on your feet, so to speak.
The direction was nice and never looked dull; Adamson succeeded in making you lose that sense of 'disbelief' just long enough to consider that Narnia might exist, and that a tough job. In his own way, he did something that only Peter Jackson has been able to do, and that is bring to life something that up to now could only be seen in the imagination.
The story, artistry and technology all work together to bring a classic to the screen and make it into a masterpiece.