31st December, 2005

DAVID ADAMS

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (PG)

In a word: Stunning

IN A STRANGE LAND: Anna Popplewell as Susan, William Moseley as Peter and Georgie Henley as Lucy. PICTURE: Phil Bray. © 2005 Disney Enterprises, Inc. and Walden Media, LLC. All rights reserved. HOME PAGE IMAGE - LUCY AND MR TUMNUS: Georgie Henley as Lucy and James McAvoy as the faun, Mr Tumnus. PICTURE: Phil Bray. © 2005 Disney Enterprises, Inc. and Walden Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

With a storyline that holds true to that of C.S. Lewis’ book, breathtaking real and computer-created scenery and clever use of modern technology to bring to life the myriad of fabulous creatures - fauns, centaurs, minotaurs, dwarfs and all manner of talking animals - that populate the story, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a beautifully crafted film which should please fans of Lewis’ book while at the same opening it up to a whole new audience of filmgoers.

Director Andrew Adamson (Shrek and Shrek 2) has pulled out all stops to create the fantastic world of Narnia which, backed with superb casting, leaves the audience with an unforgettable cinematic experience.

While bringing to life characters from a book can always be a tricky experience (even more so when it’s a book as well known and loved as Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) all four of the story’s child stars - William Moseley as Peter, Anna Popplewell as Susan, Skandar Keynes as Edmund and Georgie Henley as Lucy - ably fill the roles put before them as does Tilda Swinton, playing the evil White Witch Jadis.

The story opens in wartime London and follows the journey of four children - Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucie Pevensie - as their mother ships them off to the countryside to live with their uncle, Professor Kirke, and his ever vigilant housekeeper, Mrs Macready, to escape the horrors of the Blitz.

Once at the Professor's rambling country house, Lucy stumbles into a wardrobe while playing hide and seek and discovers for herself the amazing world of Narnia that lies behind it. She meets the faun, Mr Tumnus (played by James McAvoy), and quickly discovers that there is a great evil that stalks the land in the form of the White Witch and her minions.

EDMUND AND THE WHITE WITCH: Tilda Swinton as the White Witch Jadis with Skandar Keynes as Edmund. PICTURE: Phil Bray. © 2005 Disney Enterprises, Inc. and Walden Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

The other children don’t believe Lucy at first but eventually they all end up travelling to Narnia where they find themselves at the centre of an epic struggle between good and evil.

The world of Narnia is created in amazing detail and there are some tremendous battle scenes as the forces of the great lion Aslan clash with those of the White Witch.

The animation is well-supported by a star-studded array of voice artists including Liam Neeson as Aslan, Ray Winstone as Mr Beaver and Dawn French as Mrs Beaver. Composer Harry Gregson-Williams has delivered a haunting musical score.

While the debate will continue over Lewis’ intentions with the story, to those even moderately familiar with the accounts of Jesus in the Gospels, the Christian symbolism leaps off the screen.

This film will not only drive home to any Christian the concepts of sacrifice and redemption but will provide the non-Christian with a window into the essence of what Christ’s redemptive death upon the cross actually means for us.

As it should. There are those who have unjustly attacked the film for the Christian allusions it contains but in this, as the rest of the storyline, Adamson has simply been faithful to what is contained within the book itself.

While it will never replace the experience of discovering the Narnia books for yourself, this movie is a sheer delight. One should be cautious about taking young children (it’s rated PG but there are some scary scenes for younger viewers), but The Chronicles of Narnia will amaze and thrill both the young and old.

We can only hope the creators take heart from ticket sales and make the remaining six books in Lewis’ Narnia series into similarly high class films!

For all the latest Australian and New Zealand news on 'The Chronicles of Narnia' as well as church and Bible study resources, visit www.narnia.net.au.

For Disney's Narnia website, visit www.narnia.com.