I tend to be pretty interested in adaptations of things I'm not a huge fan of, since it's interesting to come in without a bias toward the original and see how the translation works for me. I never read Narnia as a kid and the Christian allegory doesn't do it for me as an adult, but I read the first book because it's a classic and enjoyed some of the emotional tension fueling the plot which provided a compelling surface reading.
The film continues that trend in some pretty nice ways. All of the lead characters feel like more realistic and grounded takeoffs of the roles in the book, and I enjoy the way their sibling dynamic is more fractured and based in their characters in the film. Edmund is the outcast because his siblings aren't very kind to him, Susan and Peter are struggling to be the adults in their new situation, Susan's realist outlook causes conflict in a fantasy setting, and Lucy struggles to be heard and taken seriously because the war is assumed to be the cause of her stories. Lucy's acting was initially a hard sell for me and didn't seem to be striking the right notes, but I think she came out the most interesting and likable in the end due to having a good mind to tell off her siblings when earned. The characters overall feel a bit more relatable and self-aware than their more fairy-tale styled book counterparts, and that works for me. The animal characters are a bit hit and miss. The CGI is pretty good but leans too far to the cartoonish for me, though I think it's entirely appropriate for Aslan to give him a more unusual and genial tone. His portrayal did well. I also enjoyed Tumnus' more innocent and shy portrayal.
I admit I'm still not sold on the universe of Narnia. Religious purposes aside, Lewis' lore doesn't inspire me all that much. But I enjoyed the characters and emotional drama he crafted and the film does a great job reinterpreting all of them to make them more believable and interesting to watch. If you like Narnia, then there's a good chance you'll like the film. And if you don't? Well, I don't, and I still got some good entertainment and acting from it. Maybe you will too.
Far from my favorite magical world, but some very nice characterization.
I tend to be pretty interested in adaptations of things I'm not a huge fan of, since it's interesting to come in without a bias toward the original and see how the translation works for me. I never read Narnia as a kid and the Christian allegory doesn't do it for me as an adult, but I read the first book because it's a classic and enjoyed some of the emotional tension fueling the plot which provided a compelling surface reading.
The film continues that trend in some pretty nice ways. All of the lead characters feel like more realistic and grounded takeoffs of the roles in the book, and I enjoy the way their sibling dynamic is more fractured and based in their characters in the film. Edmund is the outcast because his siblings aren't very kind to him, Susan and Peter are struggling to be the adults in their new situation, Susan's realist outlook causes conflict in a fantasy setting, and Lucy struggles to be heard and taken seriously because the war is assumed to be the cause of her stories. Lucy's acting was initially a hard sell for me and didn't seem to be striking the right notes, but I think she came out the most interesting and likable in the end due to having a good mind to tell off her siblings when earned. The characters overall feel a bit more relatable and self-aware than their more fairy-tale styled book counterparts, and that works for me. The animal characters are a bit hit and miss. The CGI is pretty good but leans too far to the cartoonish for me, though I think it's entirely appropriate for Aslan to give him a more unusual and genial tone. His portrayal did well. I also enjoyed Tumnus' more innocent and shy portrayal.
What the film really shines for is its villain. Tilda Swinton as the White Witch is captivatingly terrifying. Swinton herself wears "haunting" like a glove anyway, but the way she plays the Witch is legitimately unnerving since she delivers a plausible sociopath who feels no emotion, pulls out familiar charm in a manner that so subtly registers as fake that it made me pause and shiver, and flies into rages when denied perfection. The White Witch feels absolutely soulless and frightening without stepping into hammy drama or cliché frigidity. She is unfeeling and uncanny and a perfect performance that feels good enough for a psychological thriller. If there's any reason to watch the film, it's for one of the scariest villains in childrens' cinema.
I admit I'm still not sold on the universe of Narnia. Religious purposes aside, Lewis' lore doesn't inspire me all that much. But I enjoyed the characters and emotional drama he crafted and the film does a great job reinterpreting all of them to make them more believable and interesting to watch. If you like Narnia, then there's a good chance you'll like the film. And if you don't? Well, I don't, and I still got some good entertainment and acting from it. Maybe you will too.