[Adam_S]

Saw this a second time and it's definitely better on a repeat viewing. Really get the chance to appreciate all the marvelous little things the film does. Liked Aslan even more this time, and felt the sacrifice/return scene worked better as well. I was more in tune with the cadence of the movie rather than anticipating/anxious to see how it'd be handled (same thing happened with HPatGOF and LOTRROTK). I also love the way the kids look like siblings and how each carries themselves and acts differently than the others, so there's a very distinct separation between Susan and Lucy and Edmund and Peter, none of them are 'cute' none of them are 'kids' (aka written off) they're all people with fully developed personalities. And I really agree with the comment about capturing the magic and innocence of childhood and the ability to deeply love and forgive in an instant.

I'm even more pleased after my second viewing, really astonished how well this is, like I said, I think in many ways it's a bit better than the book, but it's been about ten years since I read it. Definitely an enormous enormous improvement from the other versions, and I've watched the BBC version about a dozen times!

As for Prince Caspian, I believe they commissioned a script a while back, so hopefully we'll hear an announcement about production the first week of January, I'd expect it to start shooting about September for a release in December 2007. And that's fine because it's supposed to be a year or two after the events of LWatW, so as the kids age, it shouldn't be a problem. And then Voyage of the Dawn Trader is a year or two after that. Silver Chair about a year after that.

Adam

[Kevin Grey]

Saw this today and while I enjoyed it my overall feeling was underwhelmed. I thought the movie failed in two key areas:

1) Utter lack of a sense of grandeur. Outside of the final battle scene, I never really felt like I had left the backlot. The reveal of Narnia, in particular, was disappointing since it looked like a small soundstage with a lot of fake snow.

Adamson's use of the camera was very pedestrian. Hardly any interesting shots, too many close-ups, and inserts made for a choppy, claustrophobic feeling. The "action scenes" outside of the finale were very poorly staged with little emotion or thrill. The kids seemed to be in as much danger as visiting a theme park.

2) Peter completely failed as a compelling character in terms of casting, acting, and script. I'm supposed to be believe he can lead an army and become High King? Didn't come across at all. Peter's comment to Lead Centaur Guy Who We Don't Know At All before The Last Battle ("Are you With Me?" "To the Death") brought the film to a dead stop because it wasn't earned.

Lucy definitely stole the show and was great but its too bad that the film puts so much of the final act on Peter's shoulders.

Tilda Swinton was merely okay. I had high hopes for her performance based on reviews as well as her work in Constantine but she didn't do a lot for me outside of the final battle scene where she was very creepy looking.

The Beavers were awesome and probably the best part of the movie.

In the end it felt like a Great Movie for children and merely Good for Adults which is a shame since it could have been Great for both and truly become a classic.

[Chris Farmer]

The one thing that surprised me most about this movie when I saw it was how completely the entire thing hinged on the character of Lucy. Far more than the book, where you saw things through the eyes of Lewis' narrator, our acceptance of the world of Narnia in the movie fell completely on the tiny shoulders of Georgie Henley. And she responded magnificently. Thanks to the feeling of wonder that her character showed and the way everything was accepted fully, we as an audience never questioned it either. More than anything else, that stuck out at me in the movie adaptation, and I was shocked at how well Georgie made us believe in what she was seeing. Truly amazing acting.

[Keith I]

Quote:

why were none of the children breathing cold air? cut back on special effects?

There was CG breath but it was very faint.

Quote:

the older sister is a terrible actress.

I recall seeing somewhere that she is the only one of the four children that acted in a theatrical film before. A check on IMDb.com on the four children confirms this.
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[Adam Lenhardt]

Quote:

the older sister is a terrible actress.

I don't think it's so much that she's a terrible actress as it is that it's a pretty thankless role. I mean, her job is to be stiff and reined in at all times. The scene where she and Lucy are fooling around in the stream before the wolf attack shows she can be more natural when it's called for.

[Tim Glover]

I thought the kids did pretty good. None of them will be most likely be the next Haley Joel Osment but I thought they did well.

For those who have the score, thoughts?

[Josh.C]

I think all of the Kids in the movie played their roles the way they should have been played. They gave a very true adaptation of the characters from the Book, and I agree that the older sister's role was more part of the script than her bad acting.

In response to Kevin's post above, I disagree that the part of Peter was a let down. Part of the greatness of this story is that the children are real "kids", just like the millions of kids watching in the audience. What would be the point of a beefed up teen to portrait Peter's character? It would then lose the Fantasy aspect that is "Narnia". Movie's of this nature are not supposed to be realistic (c'mon the animals all talk), and I had no problem with a teenage kid picking up the sword and leading the battle after Aslan's death.

As for the score, I remember commenting to my wife after seeing the movie, that I wanted to purchase the soundtrack. I thought the entire movie was masterful. I gave it 9 of 10.

[Kevin Grey]

What would be the point of a beefed up teen to portrait Peter's character?

Who said anything about "beefed up"? That isn't what I was talking about. I'm talking about the sort of charisma and presence (both of which have nothing to do with muscles or brawn) that makes you believe someone could be a great leader and nothing in the actor's performance or the material he was given made it believable that Peter could become a great warrior and high king.

[Dome Vongvises]

I thought the kids did fine. I think the actress that plays Lucy was wonderful.

BTW, whoever said the kids were fugly I have to disagree. I think the girl that played Susan will grow up to be beautiful and the two male kids will look rather handsome. Must be a British thing.

[Tim Glover]

Regarding Peter, my oldest daughter who is 13 going on 30 wanted a Happy Meal at McDonalds last Monday because it had Peter and the other kids all over the box. " Dad, he's fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!".

[Josh.C]

I Agree to dis-agree on this on Kevin. Sorry if I mis-interpereted your post, but I found no reason to believe the Character of Peter could not grow up and rule Narnia.

Thats the great part of being a Movie Goer, don't have to agree on everything. I respect your opinion.

War Peter Jackson doing the Hobbit sometime in the next 5 years!