So much average

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

It's not the best fantasy movie ever but it's not the worst either. The story is interesting and good performed, the actors play their roles well, the effects are mostly good but also look sometimes a bit cheap and the most important thing: you get a feeling of Joy, when you watch it you wish you could be there, in Narnia.

I somehow did not watch this movie for 15 years, despite having enjoyed these books as a child and as a parent. I'm not totally positive what held me back, but it may have been the sense that even with great CGI (check), some strong performances (check), and faithfulness to the book (check) this would be hard to get totally right. I was mostly right about that. That said, we watched right after re-reading this book with my youngest, and I can say that it mostly worked. It is not LOTR (or anywhere close), but that's not a fair standard - especially for a children's book. The middle sagged, and the embellishments were unnecessary...but it was worth watching.

It was great to see an award winning book turned into a solid children's fantasy film. Especially to kick off the first movie in the Narnia franchise. I never would have guessed the movie was from 2005 considering that the special effects were so exceptional. The casting I believe was just as good. Tilda Swinton made a great White Witch and Liam Neeson nailed his role as Aslan capturing the selfless beast he was meant to be. Though the movie was fairly long, certain scenes did move rather quickly. Select portions of the story line passed by too quickly in the film like the ending fight scene between the White Witch's army and that of Aslan's. Also, more time could have been put into the training of Peter becoming a warrior instead of him hardly knowing how to use a sword against a wolf in one scene and being able to slay many of the witch's experienced army himself the next. All in all, it was still a great movie that I enjoyed very much and I'm looking forward to seeing the latest expansion in the franchise, The Silver Chair.

I wonder what would say old Walt about what his company has become: it wants to be the reference of entertainment, magic, dreams family values and child happiness and what they sell at the end is war, blood, violence, soldiers… Here the movie starts like a escapist fantasy, a bit cold with this snow Queen but funny with those talking beavers and then it turns into an army recruitment: a sort of Santa Claus brings guns to the kid, they must hail to the old lion king before going to the killing field fighting the usual ugly dark forces! It's a shame! I'm appalled! You will see a happy, courageous 8 years old girl with a knife and nobody reacts! Her siblings have swords, arrows and it's the same apathy! Where is the old, sweet, compassionate Disney ??? I always thought that using kids in a war was a crime against humanity but now, because it's Disney and the pal of Tolkien is become fun and entertainment! I wish audience could wake up and think AGAIN!... In a bizarre way, America keeps on putting good values on the package but the inside message is totally twisted (no democracy, no tolerance, enemy everywhere, massive weapons,...). I found the young team rather good and the siblings rivalry interesting but at the end i can't support such brainwashing and violations! (and i didn't comment the rather disturbing friendship of a young girl and a Satyr!!!)...