Thanks everyone for the R/R/Cs, still much appreciated,
What has happened to the site? i can't ret...
Thanks everyone for the R/R/Cs, still much appreciated,
What has happened to the site? i can't return rates on my latest reviews, the new format is a little 'iffy' . What are you doing ciao...???
(still on dooyoo with same name)
Member since:04.09.2006
Reviews:449
Members who trust:109
My daughter borrowed a DVD form one of her friends from school over the half term holidays and whinged until we all sat and watched it. When I saw the title and read the ‘blurb’ I suddenly remembered that I had read something very similar, only it was entitled ’The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe’, the only mention of Narnia was in the movie itself and not the title, from what I could recollect. Anyway, I remembered that I found C.S. Lewis’s ‘Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe’ a very good book indeed many years ago, (see, my memory does go way back), so I happily sat down with the family and watched this posher titled movie, hoping that I, and especially the kids, would not be disappointed.
Director: Andrew Adamson Producers: Mark Johnson, Perry Moore, Philip Steuer and Douglas Gresham Writers: C.S. Lewis, Ann Peacock, Andrew Adamson, Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus Stars: George Henley, Skandar, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent.
Running
time is a rather long yet quite interesting 2 hours and 17 minutes, with a PG certificate due to some scenes of violence.
** BRIEF PLOT…
It’s 1940 and the Pevensie family, which consist of Peter, (Moseley), the eldest of the four, Susan, (Popplewell), the eldest daughter, Edmund, (Keynes) and Lucy, (Henley) are sent to live in a manor in the heart of the countryside to avoid the chance of being killed during the blitz. The place they end up living in is owned by a rather eccentric Professor, (Jim Broadbent), the owner of the manor who seems to be hiding a very mysterious secret.
When Lucy uncovers the secret it is not long before the four children are walking into a new world, only this one is not as nice as they realised. But things get a little more dangerous for them when they meet Jadis, (Tilda Swinton) the white witch, who controls Narnia with an iron rod, bringing fear to all who live in the constantly wintery place. Unfortunately for Jadis she has a rather large threat to her throne, in the shape of a lion named Aslan, (voice by Liam Neeson), who wants to bring Narnia back to the lovely place it once was.
Both Jadis and Aslan need the four children to help them achieved their goal but which will succeed?
** IN CONCLUSION…
As the movie opened my mind wandered back to the past, remembering the novel as the story on the small screen unravelled. It started at a good pace, showing the dangers of the 1940’s blitz and how kids were sent away from their families to be safe in the country, (little bit of history there then). And as the movie went on it seem to become more interesting and ‘watchable’, with the child actors doing a fine job with there acting skills.
From what I could recall the movie ran more or less the same as the book I read years earlier, so I sort of knew what was going to happen, but that still didn’t spoilt the movie for me one little bit, although I was very tempted to tell the kids what happened in the end. The story itself is one of those that starts off as a ‘normal’ one, introducing the main characters, then it adds in those magical moments so the younger audience doesn’t become too bored, making a good family movie. My kids were glued to the screen throughout the entire 2 and a bits hours, which was nice on my ears.
There are some rather mad cap moments and some even madder characters, including a faun, (James McAvoy), and a couple of beavers, (voiced by Ray Wonstone and Dawn French), who live in the not so magical place we get to know as Narnia. With each character playing their part very well indeed, bringing about a very entertaining, humorous and sometimes thrilling movie. You would think that a big talking Lion would be the scariest thing about this movie but you’d be so wrong, there is a more frighteningly looking character who looks as weird as a mannequin and has a conscience as cold as ice, which really does make the characters seem so creepy indeed.
I don’t want to spoil the story for those few people who may have never seen this movie or heard of the C.S. Lewis novel, (although do wonder where you’ve been for all these years) so I can’t say too much about how the plot unravels, but what I can say is that there is a few twists and a couple of surprises during the two and a bit hours, and a few tears as well, so maybe think about having some hankies on stand by. Although, which I think I must mention, there are a few scenes of ‘violence’ during a battle in Narnia which may look a little ‘heavy’ to some younger members of the audience.
In all, a brilliant family movie which will entertain most ages, giving you a chance to have a quite couple of hours whilst the kids are engrossed in this fantasy style plot. The brilliant C.G.I.s added with the fine acting really do make this movie one to watch.
If you have never seen this then I would recommend it to everyone, plus you can get it at a cracking price of just under a fiver from amazon, which is a bargain in anyone eyes.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Action/Adventure - Director: Peter Jackson - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Andy Serkis
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
What I really hated about this film was the way they missed the whole point about Father Christmas coming to Narnia for the benefit of the Talking Beasts of Narnia NOT for the Pevensies; without his visit they would not have their 'gifts' true, but the White Witch made it always-Winter-and-never-Christmas for the Narnians, so his arrival is a sign of her power weakening . . . the omiting of the Beavers' gifts was a sad loss from the story
. . . ♥ jesi ♥
C.S. Lewis's classic novelThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobemakes an ambitious and ... more
long-awaited leap to the screen in this modern adaptation. It's a CGI-created world laden with all the special effects and visual wizardry modern filmmaking technolog...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
C.S. Lewis's classic novelThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobemakes an ambitious and ... more
long-awaited leapto the screen in this modern adaptation. It's a CGI-created world laden with all the special effects and visual wizardry modern filmmaking technology...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
C.S. Lewis's classic novelThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobemakes an ambitious and ... more
long-awaited leap to the screen in this modern adaptation. It's a CGI-created world laden with all the special effects and visual wizardry modern filmmaking technolog...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
C.S. Lewis's classic novelThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobemakes an ambitious and ... more
long-awaited leapto the screen in this modern adaptation. It's a CGI-created world laden with all the special effects and visual wizardry modern filmmaking technology...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: Visually excellent recreation of Narnia, very faithful adaptation Disadvantages: Compares unfavourably to LOTR, White Witch lacks presence as a villain
![The Chronicles Of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe [DVD][2005]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78489899.jpg "The Chronicles Of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe [DVD][2005]")
![The Chronicles Of Narnia 'Book 2'- The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe [2005] [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78493743.jpg "The Chronicles Of Narnia 'Book 2'- The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe [2005] [DVD]")
Nov 5th, 2009
very helpful by (100%):
