The
first feature-film adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s children’s book beautifully
transports the viewer into a magical, frozen kingdom and delivers an emotional
experience while keeping the fantasy intact. Georgie Henley, as the youngest of
four siblings, and Tilda Swinton, as a wicked queen, are respectively adorable
and imperious.
Although generations of schoolchildren have read C.S.
Lewis’s 1950 book, the first-written of his Narnia series, this is the first
feature-film adaptation. (A couple of TV adaptations, one animated, preceded
it.) The idea of being transported into a magical world is a staple of fantasy
and of children’s literature, and in fact this movie very much reminded me of The
Wizard of Oz. Although there are four children, not one, it’s the youngest
girl, Lucy, who discovers the frozen kingdom of Narnia, and there is a wicked
White Witch (Tilda Swinton), who frightens the populace, in this case mostly
(talking) animals. Those who prefer literary adaptations to hew close to their
sources will be fairly pleased. A chase sequence is reimagined, and a battle
elaborated (pushing the PG boundary), but in all important respects Lewis’s
template is followed. (Brought to life, some parts will frighten younger
children.)
Lewis (who died in 1963) is said to have objected to a non-animated
version of the movie because it would emphasize the unnaturalness of the
talking animals. I’ve usually not cared much for this myself, but the digitized
ones here seem as natural as possible. (The director, Andrew Adamson, has some
experience with computer animals, having helmed the two Shrek movies.)
The human actors are also well-chosen, particularly the imperious Swinton and
Georgie Henley, who debuts as Lucy. As for the Christian aspect of the story,
while the lion Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson) is clearly enough a Jesus figure,
the movie can be enjoyed with or without thinking of it that way. Lucy and
Aslan are characters that are more touching on screen than on the page. They
give the movie a greater emotional force than the book, I think, while keeping
the fantasy aspect intact. Beautiful to look at, The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe is likely to be watched by generations to come.
circulated via email 12/15/05 and posted 9/20/13
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