The Chronicles of Narnia was released today in the States. I am eager to see it, but it only plays on base while we are in Thailand. Figures.
It’s Aslan’s namesake; the least they could do is show it this week so our dog can watch it and understand her roots.
Friday, December 09, 2005
Narnia
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1 comment:
Odd. I had always figured that Aslan was your cat's name. ;
Narnia was flawed but good. I posted a review of it in may xanga, but I think you need to be a member to read it....
so here it is for your reading pleasure....
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THE GOOD:
Do you hear that? That's the collective sigh of relief from thousands of fans. Unlike most film adaptations of classic literature, this one treats the source material respectfully. The characters, even the hokier ones (The Beavers, Father Christmas) are brought to the screen with grace and realism.
For the most part, the visuals are impressive, and the CG very well done. The movie is an epic treat topped with a majestic score by Harry Gregson-Williams.
The BAD:
The weakest element of the film is in respect to the character development of Aslan. He is barely introduced before heroically playing events critical to the central theme of the film. I feel that more time invested into the character would give him more importance to the audience and highlight the gravity of his heroism.
The film is obviously toned down to accomodate a younger (or more pious) audience and retain a PG rating. The battle scenes seem rushed and the camera cuts away from scenes of violence. If Disney continues making Narnia films, it will have a very difficult time trying to fit the series into the PG mold, as later books like The Silver Chair and The Last Battle have far darker and more claustrophobic tones.
I fervently hope there will be a director's cut DVD which expands on Aslan's character and packs more hack 'n' slash action into the fighting.
THE UGLY:
Try to ignore the McDisney marketing machine and just enjoy the great movie.
FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE:
If you enjoy this movie, you absolutely should watch Peter Jackson's The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. You may also enjoy fantasy classics The Time Bandits and The Never-Ending Story, as well as the animated masterpieces of Hayao Miyazaki. I recommend avoiding the awful BBC Narnia series.
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