The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe is a fun, fantasy film that brings to life a classic novel with which many of us grew up. Taking cues from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe offers a fun film that plays heavily on the sentimental and religious allegory.
The film follows the adventures of Susan, Lucy, Peter, and Edmund Pevinsie. After a close call during the London air raids of WWII, Mother Pevinsie sends her children to the country for safety. They soon find themselves at the estate of Professor Kirke, an aloof old man. After a round of hide and seek, Lucy discovers that a lone wardrobe in a forgotten room in the estate is actually a portal to the land of Narnia.
Once all the Pevinsies’ enter the land of Narnia, the attitude-ridden brother, Edmund, sells out his family for a little Turkish Delight, to the White Queen played by the oddly beautiful Tilda Swinton. He soon, however, winds up as the slave of the White Queen and it is now up to the siblings he betrayed to save him. Through a series of perilous events, the children meet Aslan, a lion whose story greatly parallels that of Christ.
While Chronicles of Narnia is a fun adventure film, some children might become frightened or saddened by certain events throughout the film. Though everything comes out in the wash, there are some scenes that may cause more sensitive children to cry into their Kool-Aid. For instance, when the White Queen comes to Aslan to inform him that the blood of Edmond belongs to her as he is a traitor, Aslan instead sacrifices himself in a scene that is somewhat intense as the lion’s mane is shorn and he is murdered after being ridiculed and taunted by the White Queen’s army. It is a scene very reminiscent of the persecution and Crucifixion of Christ. However, much like the story of Christ, Aslan returns at the site of his death to help the Pevinsies and the army of Narnia defeat the White Queen’s army.
There is also a scene in which the children must leave their mother behind at the train station as they embark on a journey to Professor Kirke’s estate that might bother some children with separation anxiety.
Overall, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a well made film that older children will certainly fall in love with and parents will find both charming and enjoyable themselves.
Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe can be purchased on DVD from Amazon.com.