Review of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) by Stefan G — 21 Dec 2014

If you're a fan of the novel upon which this film is based, then you might have an instant grasp of the film's premise. I meanwhile, choose to take it as a fantasy film, and in that respect, though it's not a great film, it's a worthy fantasy film.

Narnia has some of the things I look for in a work of fantasy fiction: a majestic fantasy world unlike our own, an indigenous mythology, magic, and rich fantasy storytelling. However, the storytelling is perhaps where this film suffers the most.

The first part of the film is a bit of a drag, and the rest of the film seems to rely on a suspension of disbelief on several occasions. On top of that, there are quite a few Christian undertones, and there a few vaguely sermonizing moments from the film's cast.

However, the competent performances are good enough that I can look past all that. Besides, the film itself has fantastic visuals that look much better than most of today's films put together, and that seems to be a trait that I find in plenty of big-budget fantasy films.

It's a good work of fantasy, but it seems rather restrained, due mainly because it was intended for a young audience, which I'm sure would enjoy it far more, though that's not to say that older audiences can't find enjoyment in it, even if it requires willing suspension of disbelief.