Chronicles of Narnia : The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

[orangerful]

Went to the movies with blu_harvest, zaubervz, verdatum, destertale, toothlesshag and romandave today and saw Narnia.



I have to say, I was underwhelmed. Actually, maybe not even underwhelmed, I just didn't feel anything during that movie and it made me kind of sad. I have very fond memories of watching the british miniseries on Wonderworks back when I was little and really enjoying it. Like LotR, I've never read the books, though I feel like I might have attempted to flip thru at least the first one at some point. Anyway, I was hoping this film would fill me with that same happiness that the Lord of the Rings did, or at least rekindle my childhood memories. It really didn't though. LotR has spoiled me when it comes to these kinds of tales. I want characters I can love and cheer for, and I don't feel like this film version of Narnia gave me that. Lucy was the only one I was really concerned about the whole film (cutest little girl!!!), and she stopped living dangerously once her siblings joined in Narnia.

It wasn't the actor's faults either, I think all the kids did a great job. Especially since I'm sure 95% of the time, they were acting all alone. It's just that it felt like I didn't really know any of them. Edmund is still a little jerk, and when he ran off, I could have cared less what would happen to him (that's how I felt during the BBC miniseries too). The lady who played the White Witch was fantastic - creepy and strange and alluring. Peter was cute...though kind of a jerk too...he was just so bloody british, him and Susan! Aslan...well, Aslan was beautiful and amazing as CGI lions with Liam Neeson's voice go...but he was just sorta there. Then not. Then there again. And I didn't really care. I remember bawling everytime I watched the BBC miniseries, but when the sacrifice scene came, I just didn't really understand what was so great about this lion. Sure, everyone says he's great, but he hasn't shown us much of anything.

The opening theme, sung by iMogean Heap, was beautiful, and as the kids went thru the english countryside on the train, I got really excited about what was to come...then nothing really came. And it makes me kinda sad.

I did crack up though. Right at the end. Somehow, the dissappointment, the wanting to like the movie, it all piled up...and when they crowned Peter "The Magnificent!" I just broke down laughing, so hard that my sides hurt and I had tears streaming down my face. I mean, the magnificent? When did that happen? Far as I can tell, Edmund put the dent in the white witches plan and Aslan bit her head off...exactly when was Peter "magnificent"? Hm.....

Also, the Monty Python fan in us all had a giggle fit when the White Witch told Peter that "just because some man in a red jacket gives you a sword doesn't make you king!".

Everyone else seemed to enjoy it though. blu_harvest and toothlesshag are a bit more familiar with the books than me, so I think they got more out of it. (though toothlesshag said she felt it had been disneyfied too much and the "christian" had been taken out of it?) I wanted another epic tale like Peter Jackson's LotR - with sweeping landscapes and well developed characters and an evil side that you sorta understood the attraction too. I wanted something that captured my imagination like Harry Potter. But Narnia fell flat for me.

I didn't not like it, but I didn't really love it. I just sorta...well, I saw it.

Comments

[dstntp1lgr1m.livejournal.com]

"(though [info]toothlesshag said she felt it had been disneyfied too much and the "christian" had been taken out of it?)"

I have to strongly disagree with this. It's just as evident in there as it is in the book. You have to remember..... reading books kinda lends itself to much more open and free adaptation than a film. Seriously, when I read the book, I did not pick up on this HUGE ABUNDANCE of Christian stuff. It seems like there's light mentions of it here and there throughout (mostly just the references to sons of adam and daughters of eve) and people are again EXPLOITING a notion.

I say this also b/c I just finished reading the book a week before seeing the movie. Everything in it was still very fresh in my mind. Disney didn't really dumb down anything. In fact, they made everything much more over-the-top than anything else. Also, if you study most Disney films, they have more commonly been guilty of sneaking Christian imagery into stories that originally have NOTHINg to do with Christianity than they are guilty of taking Christian imagery out, but that's a WHOLE other discussion I could get into.

Sorry Carolyn, Baby :) I beg to differ in this case. :) But I did love the film.

[blu-harvest.livejournal.com]

I have to MILDLY disagree with you about religion not really being meant to be in the story. I love the Narnia books but espeacilly as you get to the last one it becomes apparent that they are meant to make christianity fresh and interesting for young people. Aslan is Jesus, not just like him. In later books, he apears as a lamb and says, I have another name in your world in your world, find me there. And of course, "The Last Battle" is pure the revelations of St. John the divine. There's even an Anti-christ. The one part that I thought they kind of took out of the movie is that in the book Aslan, is frequently referred to as the son of the great emperor across the sea.

But anyway, I'm glad you got to see the movie! Was Raven with you?

[dstntp1lgr1m.livejournal.com]

You have to remember, I have only read the first two books of the Chronicles, so I cannot speak in reference to the other books.... and still, in my opinion, in those first two books there is not a large amount of christian symbolism other than Aslan sacrificing himself/creating the world.

Yeah Raven watched it with me.

[blu-harvest.livejournal.com]

AH. I see. Sorry, I idn't know. Fortunately I didn't spoil anything and I shan't in the future.e " his dark materials" series gets made into movies. It's actually kind of the inversion of the Narnia books. You read the first book. Oh, this is a very interesting and gripping story. Cool, talking polor bears wearing armor! Then, you read the second and third books. Still a very interesting story, but... the author is an athiest who thinks religion is harmfull in the extreme and has written a disguised tract on the subject. Oh, dear. Btw, when I was in the theatre I was quite a bad boy. In the scene where Peter leads the good army he is riding a unicorn. When he is grown up he is riding a horse. At that point I leaned over to Laurell and said " somebody has been getting some!" or something to that effect. I'm terrible. Desecration of children's movies is low even for me.

[dstntp1lgr1m.livejournal.com]

lol, yes, you're bad,...... then again I am too.... I realized that the movie Legend is actually this BIG symbolic film about losing your virginity.

quote from Darkness in LEgend: "Even now the EVIL SEED of what you've done GERMINATES within you."

And everyone's upset b/c lilly touched a unicorn..... a horned beast.