Directed by:
Andrew AdamsonComposer:
Harry Gregson-WilliamsCast:
Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Kiran Shah, Elizabeth Hawthorne, Patrick Kake (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Four young adventurers playing hide-and-seek in the country home of an old professor stumble upon an enchanted wardrobe that will take them places they never dreamed. Stepping through the wardrobe door, they are whisked out of World War II London into the spectacular parallel universe known as Narnia--a fairy-tale realm of magical proportions where woodland animals talk and mythological creatures roam the hills. But Narnia has fallen under the icy spell of a mad sorceress, cursed to suffer through a winter that never ends by the White Witch Jadis. Now, aided by Narnia's rightful leader, the wise and mystical lion Aslan, the four Pevensie children will discover their own strength and lead Narnia into a spectacular battle to be free of the Witch's glacial enslavement forever. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (12)
The film’s reputation of being a mix of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings is absolutely nonsensical. The target child audience combined with a properly functioning fantasy world only works in terms of very broad themes. Andrew Adamson may be able to sit in front of a computer and work with his team to create the animated adventures of an ogre, but he hasn't managed to lay the groundwork for a new fantasy saga. Adamson relies solely on the visuals (which in many cases are quite shoddy) and completely disregards any kind of lifespan of Narnia as a world that is meant to keep the viewer hooked. The director tries to compensate the very lengthy first half with a more action-packed second half, but any drive is wasted thanks to the lack of heroism of the child characters, who become the saviors of Narnia more or less thanks to a few cuts between some sloppy dialogue. Adamson also lacks an eye for detail - how I wished that when Peter first drew his sword, the camera had slowly taken in its shining metal in all its glory. The cameraman was completely incomprehensibly restrained, which makes the magnificence of the final battle completely disappear and the film as a whole is a disproportionately long fairy tale, one that I would enjoy only after blowing out the eighth candle on my cake.
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After Renata Fučíková's illustrations and the BBC adaptation of the first four books, I got a Narnia I’d never even hoped for. I saw it on the big screen 4 times, countless times on DVD, and it was revived regularly and never forgotten. I'm happy and crossing my fingers that all seven adaptations will finally be made. Maybe on Netflix, and hopefully for the fifth time, a complete set.
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I can't help but feel that the first installment never really impressed me. The only things I really appreciate about it are the special effects, both the classic ones and the digital ones. They simply look great. But the story didn't grab me, nor did the characters, except maybe Aslan. I'm surprised the series is still going and more installments are expected.
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For adult viewers, this bit of Disney brainwashing is almost indigestible. It conceptually rips of The Lord of the Rings in numerous scenes (mainly through identical camera runs). It’s actually The Lord of the Rings for the youngest children, who can be made happy just by showing them colorful characters running around in a meadow. You won’t find even a nod to adults here.
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No grateful spectacle from the dawn of the age of successful teenage fantasy, quite the contrary. If it weren't for the last 20 minutes, this would be the model of a truly unpleasant film for me. The children argue the whole time except for the ending, and their actors (possibly except for Lucy) are incredibly annoying. When combined with special effects that make your eyes hurt, the lecturing Aslan, and the not-so-likeable supporting characters, it's truly a big defeat.
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