I don't know half of you half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
This was of course the warning of C.S. Lewis in his first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, but unfortunately Walden Media in their film adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; managed to do just that - shut themselves in a wardrobe.
The religious community has gone out of their way to hail this movie as amazing and wonderful - and I thank them for their passion, however, you'll receive no such rhetoric from me. Was it a good movie? - yes, was it a great movie? - no unfortunately it was not. There were some great moments however, and it was definitely a movie that I would recommend, and will recommend, especially to families, but lets be careful that we don't lie to ourselves about how good this movie really is.
What you are about to hear is about as unbiased as I can get it, especially since this is coming from someone who thoroughly enjoyed the Narnia books (although haven't finished the series yet) and who thoroughly likes and admires the works of C.S. Lewis, and the fantasy genre in general.
Warning: Spoilers ahead
I think probably the most important point to be made, is that this movie is not only family friendly, but I would say its probably one of the best live-action family movies that I've ever seen. Kids are going to like this movie, and they're going to be enchanted by it and this is a good thing, since C.S. Lewis' books were written to kids and the movie captures the main themes and elements that were in the books. I make this point because if the movie were made the way I would like it the most, it would probably no longer be appropriate for younger viewers. But lack of realistic war, and underplayed evil is not the major error that this movie has.
Where this Narnia movie falls short is in its overall directing, and quite frankly in its special effects. Yes there were some dazzling display of special effects I agree, however, I never quite believed them the way I wanted to. I went into the film wanting it to be amazing, and perhaps that was my failure, because it was good, but not amazing. But back to the special effects. The wolves’ mouths never moved quite right, and I'm not even sure the voice fit. Where that fox came from and what he did in the story never quite made sense, and every time a wolf would lash on to someone's throat he would somehow manage to not only not draw blood, but not even leave a mark. Mr. Beaver should have died about five times over after his encounter with a wolf, but instead he was able to give help to the indecisive Peter throughout the whole ordeal. The White Witch's sleigh was great, except when they decided it was necessary to pan away from it and show a sleigh that looked more fake than the what was shown in The Polar Express. There were several landscape shots that probably could have been better done with matte paintings, and the White Witch's castle looked a bit too much like a painting. It should've been a miniature, and if it was one, then it was either poorly made or poorly filmed. Last but not least, and yet worst of all, I never ever believed in Aslan. Oh sure he was an amazing feat in Cinema, but not quite amazing enough. There were the shots when he was believable and amazing, like right when he bites the witch's head off (you just see his mouth jump at the camera), and when he snarls at her earlier in the movie...but unfortunately there were also the shots where it almost looked like they were trying to make him a glamour girl from old black and white movies and he looked more like a cartoon than a computer animated lion. The one character they couldn't mess up...in my mind they did ever so slightly (I should note that several people I have talked to didn't notice these nuisances at all - which is a testament only to the fact that I notice these things more than most people and therefore only take these words at their face value as I see them).
As for the directing, it was good, but once again not great. There were the scenes where it just plain worked, and then there were the other scenes when you just plain couldn't understand why the kids didn't just get up and leave. I realize that Lewis never really said why, and in the books you just kindof always knew that moving on was the right thing to do...but in this movie all the animals couldn't understand why they'd go back, and I couldn't understand why they didn't. The battle scene looked like it would be amazing, and it started out as such, and just kindof sizzled off, for no apparent reason. There were no sweeping melodies and spinning slow-mo where all hope was lost. There was almost that feeling, but not quite - the shot of the centaur running to his death just had so little passion in it...and bam he was stone and that was it. The fighting witch was the high point here. I thought she commanded quite the presence on the battle field and the look in her eyes was devilish. Unfortunately there was also Peter running around with this perfectly clean and shining sword despite killing people that seemed a bit odd (but then again it is a family movie).
After all that though, you're probably saying to yourself, "how is it that he still recommends this movie, or thought it was good?" Yes I know I've said a great many bad things but they were all completely and totally overshadowed by Lucy. She takes this movie and makes it believable. For all the goof ups in special effects, the look in her eye - from the moment she is sent away from home, to when she steps into Narnia, to when she is crowned queen...Lucy makes this movie happen. She completely steals the show. Her brother Edmund (Skandar Keynes) also does a great job at playing the part of brat turned traitor. I just absolutely love the look on his face after he draws on the stone lion in the witch's courtyard. And Mr. Tumnus (James McAvoy) does a great job of being a likable, fun, humorous faun. To top that all off, the beavers were absolutely amazing. The animators did a great job, and the actors did a great job, and the script writers did a great job. You totally believed that they were in fact a married couple for a long time. The lines about Mrs. Beaver's fur and the playful fighting between her and Mr. Beaver were done quite well, and Mr. Beaver's assertion of his wife looking great was even touching.
This was a good movie overall, and a very good family film. I hope that kids of this generation will watch it, and be swept away in the same manner that kids of past generations have been while reading the books, and I hope that many new children will read these books. They certainly have so much more to offer than say, a Harry Potter does. While leaving the theater, I could hear random children talking about the movie and every one of them had something to say like, "and remember when the [insert name] did [insert action]." They loved it - and so they should. I am looking forward to seeing the rest of these movies as soon as they're done, but I do hope that they will be done by a different director and I can't wait to see the special effects of the future - but in regards to that, good movie making can't rely on special effects alone, build from the story up, not from the computer up.
| Acting | 8.5/10 |
| Directing | 7/10 |
| Digital Effects | 9/10 |
| Music (Score) | 9/10 |
| Cinematography | 5/10 |
| Adaptation | 8/10 |
| Makeup/Prosthetics | 10/10 |
| Overall: | B |
okay, so you didn't like this movie as much as I did
here's how I rank it
Acting 9/10
Directing 8.5/10
Digital Effects 9/10
Music (Score) 10/10
Cinematography 9.5/10
Adaptation 9.75/10
Makeup/Prosthetics 10/10
Overall: A-
Adjusted Score: A (accounting for the skew towards the younger audience)
I do agree that there were some things that were a little hokey. Aslan's importance was downplayed, and the American wolves, and no blood even at Aslan's beating.
Lucy stole the show of course.
I like how the Pevensies grew up, and then 'grew down' and the Professor at the end was great. Makes me think they'll do his story next.
Oh P.S. I'm acquainted (through SFM) with a guy that works for Sony Pictures Imageworks and he worked in Lighting and Compositing on this movie :) He said he loathed the wolves voices.
I think you put that well - "I didn't like it as much as you" because to be sure, I liked it, but it wasn't great, and I'm hoping with all hoping that when they make the rest of the movies that they do a better job, however, for kids this movie was quite good.
I think I'd give it an A when adjusted for children. Oh and about the muscial score - I just plain don't remember it much in the movie which is why it just got a 7, however, I'll be listening to it tonight, and I may adjust my score for it based on it.
hey hey. Such skillz.... saw it in the uncompleted version during that split 2 min. haha. Anyway, you know my take on the movie. Couldn't have had better company watching it though. It was crazy seeing all those Lamokians, but it was great to interact with them again. Perhaps... just perhaps some day I will be able to watch a movie and see the differences in the comp. graphics like you do.. but then again perhaps I don't want to. They looked great to me. ;) Keep your smile ~Sugar ptlw
I gotta say... I watched the movie and focused in on the specific things that you mentioned, which I will attribute to you seeing it only once.
The fox, tho absent from the books, makes a clear entrance to the movie as the crew is exiting the beavers' hut.
The musical score was great, mimicing LOTR at some points, with a VERY dramatic lack of sound at the beginning of the battle, which I thought was very profound.
(Way to pull an upper left btw ;-) )
I think the seeming lack of directoring and grandeur comes from our recent exposure to LOTR, War of the Worlds, and other similar dramatic films. In terms of comparing the movie to the level of LOTR, its not as good- however it has about 10 hours less footage in which to compress a decent sized book.
So props to Disney for at least getting part of it right. I think the choice of Liam Neeson for Aslan was very good, as his voice (tho not as deep as James Earl Jones- think mufasa) was very calming and ... stable. It had an air of subtle strength to it.
Anyways... I plan on seeing it again within the next few days!
Well about the music like I said - I only gave it a bad score (no pun intended) because I absolutely didn't notice it, except for that one point when it cut out altogether in the battle scene (a nice little effect).
I have no complaints about the voice of Aslan, just the quality of his graphics, and the way in which he was underplayed.
If I have been "spoiled" by good directing, then its still is an okay assumption that not as good directing is just that - not as good.
Like I said - I thought it was good, but not great. Disney did well, and the movie will be loved by many - especially children. Props to them
Well, I've not seen it yet, but I would hate to have you critique anything I wrote. You are either brutal or you really know what you're talking about.
Scrooge. :-)
It wasn't a Christmas movie!?!?!?!!! lolz
I agree with you on the Aslan bit . . . overall good movie, but not spectacular. Mr. Tumnus was great!
That was a fine post. I have a terrible time doing things like that because I usually cant pick out things like that. unless they are really obvious. But I did like the post.
you only gave Digital Effects an 8!!!!
what are you insane!.. in some shots they actually used real wolves.. could you tell?.. hmmm..
NO.. cuz they were freaking awesome!..
like.. an 11/10.. cuz they blew lotr, matrix, doom, and all those other movies out the water.
other than that.. i thought your review was good.. heehee. .
haha - actually, I could tell - and you can choose to believe me or not, but its actually true..and while I'm sure that I missed some of said instances, I did notice others.
Incidentally the wolves looked great - except when they started to talk. And most of the rest looked great, but it wasn't amazing. If you're going to keep compairing movies here - name for me the moments in LotR where you notice the computer animation. I'm sure I could come up with a couple, but there's also three movies from which to choose from. Whereas in just this one movie, I noticed a dozen or so. So yes an 8.
YOU CAN GIVE MAKEUP A 10/10.. but you give the digital effects an 8?!.come on! it should at least be a 9!
for one- the beaver not dying.. that was all the book.. if he doesnt die in the book.. you cant really kill him in the movie..
for two- aslan.. every hair on that lion was its objected.. moving as though the hair was alive.. granted.. you cant really believe the lion is really.. cuz he isnt attacking the kids and killing them.. like a real lion prolly would have.. and the fact that the lion talks.. kinda hinders the fact of believeing it..
for three- it would look weird if wolves were talking.. we dont really know that that looks like.. i didnt notice the audio off that much.. and usually that jumps out at me first thing.. so
random fact- 99% of that movie was computer graphics.. the special affects team from LOTR participated in it as well.. (it was even shot in the same location.. fancy that) i heard (but dont know if it is completely true) that the movie had more special graphics in it.. then any other movie this year.. AND they said they made a break through in technology in aslan graphic alone..
do you think that deserves a 8?!... i think not :)
BUT....
i do agree with the acting score. like.. the part where peter was suppose to kill the wolf.. and he just kinda holds his sword (as though to say.. jump on my sword wolf).. and then the dumb animal.. just throws himself on it.. yeah.. that part.. just made me laugh..
*every hair was its own object (sp error)
hengh, thanks for the comments, sir....i have not heard many persons in my life telling me not to take sarcasm and humor TOO seriously....i will read the rest of your post later because i will be seeing the "good" yet not "great" movie very shortly with my Daddy...i am leaving Canada in two days and i am elated beyond words to see my parents....i stop random Canadian curmudgins on the snowy sidewalks to tell them that i am going home...they don't seem to care so much...but at least i do i guess......by the by, what were your ratings for those Peter Jackson films...ya know THOSE ones......?
Well actually I wasn't complaining about the beaver not dying, I was just complaining at the fact that if he were to be attacked by a wolf like that - he wouldn't have lived, thereby it was a cheesy part of the scene. Also it looked fake in the graphics, mostly because the beaver didn't show any signs of being hurt.
As for Aslan, he was really good, but there were a few scenes with him in it that I just didn't think he looked real enough (especially considering they made such a big point about this prior to the movie. I also said that most people won't notice the difference, and its just my freakly accurate awareness to computer animation.
The reason I gave it an 8 was because the effects were amazing, but there were too many areas that it fell short in. I can see perhaps a 9, but I was emphasizing the fact that I didn't think the digital effects were as good as everyone said they'd be. Lets not forget that 8 is well above average. The makeup and prosthetics got a 10 because there was in no spot that I watched and said - oh hey that looks like fake nasty makeup - not one single spot. There were at least a dozen spots that I said - ohh thats nasty fake computer animation. Not the least of which was when every single character was animated in the chase scene from the witch.
Well, I'm not sure if I should spend my money on just a "good" movie. Thanks Tom for helping me save!
im glad you at least said you can see it as a 9.. thats all i wanted.. from a former graphic artist myself.. i takes a lot more time and skill to do the graphics just right.. than say the makeup..
although not to down play makeup.. it is a skill.. and it does take some time to do it.. just with computers.. you have to move key frames just right.. work through the problems of the programs.. and your very limited on how much you can make a graphic look really..
anyways.. enuff about that..
WHERES THE UPDATE.. I NEED MY HANDSOME TOM LOTR FANATIC FIX.....
ahhhh!
>>Shanna
i was just noting.. given the knowledge of knowing how hard the job was.. it was good you could see it as a nine :)
i wasnt saying they SHOULD get more cuz the job was hard.. but they did try their best.. and given the technology out today im sure they wanted to do more. they are just limited.. ^_^
{for all the boys and girls who think graphics just fall from the sky.. :).. nope.. its a very long and drawn out process..}
i was just giving graphic artist props for doing a good job.. is all..
^_^
and ill be waiting on that update :)