Film Review: The Lion, the Witch, and the CLOSET

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

Starring:

Tilda Swilton as Jadis, the White Witch
Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan (1993 Best Actor Nominee in Schindler's List)
Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie
Skandar Kaynes as Edmund Pevensie
William Mosley as Peter Pevensie
Anna Popplewell as Susan Pevensie

Directed by:

Andrew Adamson

If they call their closets wardrobes, then what do they call their wardrobes? Hmm...

The film started off in a completely different mood for one who expects all the fantasy and fiction to immediately burst out. The children are sent off to the country side due to the war and live in a huge, vintage (well, maybe not at that time) mansion occupied by a mysterious professor and a typical grouchy housekeeper. I haven't read the books, so I don't know if this is accurate. But, nonetheless, I'm inclined to believe it was a good move to create a foundation of logic rather then start with the fireworks.

Then, that magic begins. The four children find themselves stumbling into a huge CLOSET and another world, beautiful with glistening snow from toe to horizon and mysterious as the tall, suspicious trees that initially surround them.

As they search this new world for inhabitants, they are struck with disbelief when they meet mythological creatures (satyrs, dwarves, centaurs, and more ) and talking animals from mice to lions. (or in this case, lion minus the "s") I find the touch of casting famous british actors to do the animals' voices quite fascinating as it fit the characters' personalities perfectly; from the sly Rupert Everett as the fox to the intimidating Liam Neeson as Aslan the lion king.

From there, the adventure begins and takes our four heroes and heroines with the audience to different depths of suspense, drama and action. Viewers will actually feel like siding with the heroic lion and despise the wicked witch. (Hands down to Swilton for a fantastic job. You are now somwhere in the line of the women I fear close to my Lola and *Sadako.)

*Sadako is Samari's equivalent in the Japanese (and original) version of The Ring that changed the way I look at Asian women forever and ever until the end of time. I still shudder at the mere mention of that freaky bitch...

From the time the movie was introduced to its rattling trailers until its credits, viewers will get everything they expected: the epic battles, the waves of spell and magic and, most importantly, the introducing of the land that is Narnia, which I believe is the core purpose of the film. The point of the film, besides its fantastic storyline, is to tell the viewers that, if they believe enough, there is a Narnia and this is all the glory you'll get once you find it.

To children, this would have been orgasmic (as inappropriate as this sounds) because of the effects, creatures and imagination. To adults, and I believe I speak for quite a few, this brought back the feeling of being like a child again; to be put in a world where the adult mind scoffs but the young mind sighs and gasps. And that, no matter how often it happens through other films, books and even video games, is still worth the feeling.

I invite everyone to Narnia and take the adventure of a lifetime, even for only 3 hours of your life. You won't regret it.

RATING: 8 out of 10

"CR mo and mundo!*" Alkohol, Ely Buendia of the Eraserheads

*roughly translates to "The world is your toilet"