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

I can't help it, but the first part never impressed me. The only thing I truly appreciate about it are the tricks, both classic and digital. They simply look amazing. However, the story didn't engage me, nor did the characters, except maybe Aslan. I'm surprised that the series is still continuing and more parts are expected. (14/03/2015)

For adult viewers, this bit of Disney brainwashing is almost indigestible. It conceptually rips of The Lord of the Rings in numerous scenes (mainly through identical camera runs). It’s actually The Lord of the Rings for the youngest children, who can be made happy just by showing them colorful characters running around in a meadow. You won’t find even a nod to adults here. (12/12/2005)

After Renata Fučíková's illustrations and the BBC adaptation of the first four books, I got a Narnia I’d never even hoped for. I saw it on the big screen 4 times, countless times on DVD, and it was revived regularly and never forgotten. I'm happy and crossing my fingers that all seven adaptations will finally be made. Maybe on Netflix, and hopefully for the fifth time, a complete set. (03/02/2009)

An awkward and boring mix of Lord of the Rings (camera swoops, the battle cries, slow-motion shots) and Harry Potter (colorful production design and Victorian-style sets), but boring plot-wise and technically very clunky. The final battle is okay, but the lack of blood and excessive visual effects bring down the overall effectiveness to average. The young actors are surprisingly unlikeable and not very equipped in terms of acting, which could still be bearable if they had anything to work with; the dismal script doesn't give them much space. Beautiful production design and artistic style are not everything, and the film starts to become boring after a while, that is if you are older than twelve. (12/05/2006)

If I didn’t know that Andrew Adamson had not directed both Shrek films, I would consider him an ordinary Disney man who edits films about animals, talking cars, and dreaming children on an assembly line. His direction is the greatest routine, and in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the routine is ice-cold, withdrawn, scenic, without any hint of mysticism, mystery or atmosphere. Narnia is simply a snowy space behind a magic closet - a space where ungainly fairy-tale creatures live, a space that is controlled without any motivation or inner logic. None of this fit into the film. Actually ... it would be alright if it was clear from the film that it was a fairy-tale spectacle, but attempts at battle epics ala The Lord of the Rings (and the constant literal quotes of some shots) lead me to conclude that The Chronicles of Narnia is kind of a pig-dog. As a fairy tale it has no magic and charm, and as a fantasy epic it is terribly naive, shallow and lacks any mythology. Compared to Jackson's Middle Earth, the interpretation of the fantastic land of C. S. Lewis is tame, flat, two-dimensional. The kid actors unnecessarily overact, their characters in no way captivate the viewer, and paradoxically, the whole story is carried by computer creatures headed the truly excellent lion Aslan. As the embodiment of ice evil, Tilda Swinton resembles more than anything a shady clone of the vampire brothers from The Matrix Reloaded, and even her minions do not have the proper energy to bring a spark of drama to the trivial scheme of the story. Even so, The Chronicles of Narnia is watchable thanks to the dry digital effects; however, one feels no wonder when watching it, and that bothers me a lot when watching the fantasy genre. [50%] (30/10/2006)