The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Andrew Adamson

Writers (WGA):

Ann Peacock (screenplay) and
Andrew Adamson (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

9 December 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny.

Plot:

Four kids travel through a wardrobe to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free it with the guidance of a mystical lion.

Plot Keywords:

Narnia | Witch | Lion | Winter | Snow

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 12 wins & 36 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. Nov. 12

7:30 PM

ABCF

Cast

Georgie Henley	...	Lucy Pevensie
Skandar Keynes	...	Edmund Pevensie
William Moseley	...	Peter Pevensie
Anna Popplewell	...	Susan Pevensie
Tilda Swinton	...	White Witch
James McAvoy	...	Mr. Tumnus
Jim Broadbent	...	Professor Kirke
Kiran Shah	...	Ginarrbrik
James Cosmo	...	Father Christmas
Judy McIntosh	...	Mrs. Pevensie
Elizabeth Hawthorne	...	Mrs. Macready
Patrick Kake	...	Oreius
Shane Rangi	...	General Otmin
Brandon Cook	...	Boy on Train
Cassie Cook	...	Girl on Train

Also Known As:

The Chronicles of Narnia (International: English title) (short title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for battle sequences and frightening moments.

Runtime:

143 min | 150 min (extended version)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG | UK:PG | Ireland:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Australia:PG | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-11 | Norway:11 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Germany:6 (cut) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Zurich) | Germany:12 | Mexico:A | Brazil:10 | Czech Republic:U | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:Atp | Peru:PT | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Hong Kong:I | Portugal:M/6 | India:U | USA:PG (certificate #41436) | Netherlands:12 | Iceland:L | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Sweden:11 | South Korea:All | USA:Unrated (special edition) | New Zealand:PG | Netherlands:6 (cut version) | Malaysia:U

Filming Locations:

Adrspach National Park, Trutnov, Czech Republic

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

Georgie Henley is the principal actress in the role of Lucy. Near the end of the film, her older sister Rachael Henley plays her grown-up alter ego. Early in the film, when Mr. Tumnus refers to Lucy as a "Daughter of Eve", a confused Lucy says her mother's name is Helen, who is the mother of the two actresses.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Susan and Lucy are riding on Aslan's back to the castle, he is traveling at a great speed, but they are sitting upright and their hair is hanging down as if they were sitting still.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mrs. Pevensie: Edmund! Get away from there! Peter!
[to Edmund]
Mrs. Pevensie: What do you think you're doing? Peter! Quickly, the shelter! Now!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Robot Chicken: They Took My Thumbs (#4.2)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Winter Light

Empty tale of visual bravado

Narnia isn't the next Lord of the Rings, nor the next Harry Potter, at least on the cinema screen. Even what spirit those fantasy spectacles had, Narnia lacks. And it seems the whole hundreds-plus audience, many of whom were children, agreed with me in their numb, passive state. No yelps of joy, excitement nor even the slightest scare. After the movie ended, both kids and adults were in such a rush to leave, silent and obviously underwhelmed, that some of them missed the tacked-in ending during the credits.

Visually, the movie is a quality work, displaying technical prowess and craftsmanship. You will wonder how they managed to create all beasts from the real world to the mythology, from beavers, panthers and lions to fauns, centaurs and gryphons. There are also some large, captivating sights such as the view of the ice castle and the scene of the final battle. The snow is dubious though, but I guess that is acceptable.

What is not acceptable is the soullessness and joylessness of the rest of actual content of the film. Much of it weighs down upon the main roles the main roles. Georgie Henley's Lucy Pevensie gets a lot of screen time compared to her siblings, which is for the better thanks to her charisma. The rest of three, however, come off as stiff and unnatural, with perhaps more fault to the script and directing than the actors themselves. The children are portrayed as precocious on some occasions, yet unbelievably daft on others. Due to this, the three eldest siblings are thrown quite off balance during the film, and not in the credible way of children, but rather for the goal-oriented purposes of trying to build up suspense and plot where there is none.

Maybe the producers have tried to make a child-centered movie by explaining the obvious, but it feels more like underestimating its young viewers. On the other hand, the deeper questions are left completely unattended, such as the nature of the Great Magic, and the importance of Humans. This leaves the story empty, and creates a soft of befuddlement over the whole movie: what was all the fighting about? Why were the good creatures good and the bad creatures not? Underneath its eye candy, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is hollow, and without a soul, the exterior fails to impress alone.