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

There are few things that I find more obnoxious than when people who read a lot insist on telling you that a movie was not as good as the book. Of course it wasn't, the author wrote a novel, not a screenplay; that does not mean that a movie adaptation of classic literature cannot be really good. I have read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, multiple times, and this film more than does it justice. This film follows four children through a wardrobe into the fantastic world of Narnia where they will join forces with Aslan and battle the White Witch to save this new friends. I have now seen this film twice, and thankfully, I enjoyed it as much the second time around as I did in theaters. I think Andrew Adamson, the director, did an excellent job in maintaining the integrity of this beloved children's novel while creating a modern, riveting film. The four British children that were cast as the Pevensie's are perfect for these roles. In particular, I feel that the director made a really interesting decision in reference to Susan. If, while watching The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, you begin to find that she is slightly whiny, quick-to-blame and verging on obnoxious, you would not be alone. Whether or not Adamson did this on purpose, it is good indicator of what is going to happen her and why as The Chronicles of Narnia progress. Something else that I liked about the casting of this film were the choices of Liam Neeson and James McAvoy as the voice of Aslan and Mr. Tumnus, respectively. Unsurprisingly, they both deliver very convincing performances that really enhance this film. I think the director also does a good job of respecting the religious undertones of C.S. Lewis' original works, which is imperative in putting any of his books onto the big screen. I really liked The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and I found that the film adaption was, in general, better than what was done with The Lord of the Rings, and I know the older generation, like my father, agrees. My wife has now seen this film twice as well, and she really likes it. Neither of us have seen Prince Caspian, although we have both read it, and we are looking forward to seeing this next installment of the series as soon as possible. I give The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe 3 and a half stars.