Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

Review by Clint Morris

You know how sometimes, when looking for a Christmas present for a child, you find yourself in the store playing with some of the cooler toys yourself?

It’s usually their pretty packing or their wondrous gimmick that draws you to them, and for a short while, you’re a tyke all over again.

It goes without saying though, that it’s the kid’s that are going to get the most out of it, because you’ve got it either all figured out within a minute, or suddenly realised that it’s a tad infantile.

Those feelings can be transferred to an adult watching the first film adaptation of the 'Narnia' books, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

Based on the book by C.S Lewis, Narnia centres on four youngsters who discover a secret portal into another world in their new guardian’s wardrobe. Beyond the fur coats lies Narnia; a Snowy, magical land that’s full of talking beavers, centaurs, satyrs, wild dogs, horse-men and predominantly, an evil white witch (Tilda Swinton) that’s got nothing but wrong-doing on her ‘to do’ list.

And it seems the kids are written into the prophecy as the ones that will save Narnia, and with the help of the valiant Lion Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson), they rise to the challenge and take on the pastel Ice Queen.

It’s as epic - and just 50 minutes shy - as Lord of the Rings, and nearly (and I stress ‘nearly’) as wondrous as Harry Potter, and as fantastically feel-good as The Never Ending Story. In fact this reminded me a lot of that classic '80s gem - for good and bad, but one thing it isn’t is unanimously entrancing.

Little Johnny’s going to be on the end of his cushion for the film’s entire 140 minutes, but Mum and Dad, though they will enjoy it, will be probably wondering what all the fuss was about: there’s just not enough here for them.

And if you’re one of the many who are taken ‘from the moment’ with sloppy effects or overused blue-screen - then prepare to be transported back to the foyer in several scenes.

The film might have been made in New Zealand, but a lot of it looks like it could easily have been on the WETA studio backlot. There are more palpable super-imposing, overlays and fake backdrops here than the options menu on Photoshop.

More to the point though, is it a good translation of the book? Yes, it is, and probably the best we could hope for. The script is reasonably tight, the actors have been aptly cast (especially the wonderful Tilda Swinton as the evil Queen of Narnia), the music is sweepingly strong, the cinematography is gorgeous (and when they actually do use New Zealand’s real backdrop for a scene, it looks a treat) and nothing’s been left from the pages of the book, so purists will be stoked.

At the end of the day though, many will no doubt be hoping Narnia will be the next Lord of the Rings - and it isn’t.

It’s simply the equivalent of a fine Never Ending Story sequel -- and that is not a bad thing, it just means it’s a tad less accomplished and not something that’s going to robotically gobsmack audiences.

A few more days spent on those I-macs fixing up the effects, a handful of animatronic creatures rather than computerised variety (they just look cheap and unrealistic), and a spatter more ‘wow moments’ (there’s not a lot of Harry Potter-esque spectacular-spectacular sequences), and it might’ve been just that bit better.

Well worth a look though.

3 out of 5

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
Australian release: Monday the 26th of December, 2005.
Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy.
Director: Andrew Adamson.
Website: Click here.

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