| The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe |
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| With all the hype and evangelical controversy surrounding this film (see Polly Toynbee's article), I was really not sure what to expect. I've never read the books, so the only thing I could compare the film to is the BBC version from the '80s, which I loved as a child. Based on this knowledge, I can say that I absolutely loved the film. It really drew me into the mythical world of Narnia, with its scenery, characters, and troubles. The soundtrack was superb, and is on my list of things to purchase, and the special effects were spectacular, without being over-the-top. I didn't really get the impression of a blatant Christian subtext, although of course there were pretty clear comparisons to be made with Aslan and Jesus. Then again, the theme of sacrifice is not unique to Christianity, but is a theme in a lot of folklore, so even that need not be a clear marker to the Christian message. As a child, I managed to enjoy Narnia without once getting embroiled in the religious debate, and I'm sure that children watching the modern version will be the same. The story is wonderful, and very suitable for children- who wouldn't want to find a magical world on the other side of their wardrobe? I also thought that the relationship of the siblings was very believable, as they weren't happy and perfect all the time, but bickered just as siblings usually would. Edmund's treachery was also more believable, as the White Witch did seem very persuasive and kind in the beginning of the film when Edmund meets her, while she always seemed frightening to me in the BBC version. All in all, I would recommend going to see this, for an hour and a half of escapism into a magical world of griffins and centaurs, regardless of what your opinion is of C. S. Lewis' Christianity. |