The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch(,) and the Wardrobe
I just saw The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch(,) and the Wardrobe. As novel adaptations go, this was one of the better ones--because the book isn't that long, they were able to include a lot more details. Peter and Susan were decently acted, but Susan was sort of an anal-retentive rule-follower and Peter was just a little bit too prissy for my taste (up until the White Witch stabbed Edmund, he brandished his sword as though it were a tea tray). Also, during the battle, there were at least three moments during which I thought he looked weirdly familiar. At first, I thought he looked like Leonardo DiCaprio, but I couldn't remember if LD had made any movies wherein he ran around in chain mail. Then I figured it out. Creepy.
As far as the younger two siblings went, I thought Edmund was the perfect mix of snivelling snitch and misguided middle child--complete with the dark hair and clothing, pale skin, and enormous 'why me' eyes. I hated him appropriately during the first part of the movie and forgave him (naturally) when he repented and came shuffling down the hill with his hands in his pockets. The real gem, though, was Lucy, who sobbed adorably at least eighteen times and regarded nearly everything with either wide-eyed awe or pearly-toothed delight. Plus, her clothes were just darling.
The supporting characters, of course, were terrific, and not just because they were mostly computer-generated. The beavers had a lot of funny lines, the wolves were cool, and although Mr. Tumnus was younger than I pictured him, he was awfully cute. Even though he was shirtless most of the time. And sort of hairy. And, naturally, Aslan was just a big cute kitty...although I kept picturing him encouraging Peter to 'remember who you are.'
The battle scene between good and evil was good too, but I could have used a little more action. Maybe some blood or something. I was mostly thinking to myself, 'Hey, White Witch, you may have all the bad guys from The Lord of the Rings, but WE have the entire cast of the Lion King. PLUS some relative of the centaur from Harry Potter. Also a unicorn. Ha!'
And I disagree with what the producers of the film say: the biblical aspect of the story seemed particularly potent in this incarnation (this was the very least of what the BBC version lacked). When Aslan was resurrected, though, it wasn't Jesus I was picturing. The thing was, though, it was pretty well done--not stifling or preachy, just sort of obvious. And I have to say--evil has never looked so badass.
(Images taken without permission from IMDb, Lion King Pride, and The Stone Table. Thank you!)
As far as the younger two siblings went, I thought Edmund was the perfect mix of snivelling snitch and misguided middle child--complete with the dark hair and clothing, pale skin, and enormous 'why me' eyes. I hated him appropriately during the first part of the movie and forgave him (naturally) when he repented and came shuffling down the hill with his hands in his pockets. The real gem, though, was Lucy, who sobbed adorably at least eighteen times and regarded nearly everything with either wide-eyed awe or pearly-toothed delight. Plus, her clothes were just darling.
The supporting characters, of course, were terrific, and not just because they were mostly computer-generated. The beavers had a lot of funny lines, the wolves were cool, and although Mr. Tumnus was younger than I pictured him, he was awfully cute. Even though he was shirtless most of the time. And sort of hairy. And, naturally, Aslan was just a big cute kitty...although I kept picturing him encouraging Peter to 'remember who you are.'
The battle scene between good and evil was good too, but I could have used a little more action. Maybe some blood or something. I was mostly thinking to myself, 'Hey, White Witch, you may have all the bad guys from The Lord of the Rings, but WE have the entire cast of the Lion King. PLUS some relative of the centaur from Harry Potter. Also a unicorn. Ha!'
And I disagree with what the producers of the film say: the biblical aspect of the story seemed particularly potent in this incarnation (this was the very least of what the BBC version lacked). When Aslan was resurrected, though, it wasn't Jesus I was picturing. The thing was, though, it was pretty well done--not stifling or preachy, just sort of obvious. And I have to say--evil has never looked so badass.
(Images taken without permission from IMDb, Lion King Pride, and The Stone Table. Thank you!)