The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ( 2005)
Review by M.B. | Foreign Films Made in Czech
A 143 minute long movie, released to the public in 2005, with English and German as the main languages. This movie was filmed in the Czech Republic, using scenery from Adrspach National Park.
The film based on the book "The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe" by CS Lewis, the 2nd in a series of seven books "Chronicles of Narnia."
The BBC had done a mini series, following closely this book, in 1988 with 6 episodes, about three hours long. This series won 14 awards including best video lighting, best make up, best costume design; and a nomination for an Emmy. But perhaps as a mini series, kids, even adults, can't sit there and watch the entire six episodes in one go. We tried, and failed badly with lots of yawning, snoring at some sections. All in all, it was a very long series for any one who wants to only see what the book is about.
The mini series
It’s about a group of kid wearing a magic wardrobe which leads to a mythical world of strange animals, figures and witches, where everyone can understand each other by a "common" language. Many events happen: sufferings, happiness, bloodsheds, tears, war and peace. However, everything finally returns to normal for the kids. No time has lost after they walked out of the wardrobe.
The film
This 2005 version shows beautiful sceneries and casts (a cute Lucy with much better set of teeth, however, there are scenes where she was supposed to cry, but her expression was sooo cheerful that one can't help smiling) compared to the 1988 BBC mini series.
The white witch was excellent in playing her role, real cruel, cold, ruthless, and straight face when she had to do something wicked. Peter and Susan, the oldest siblings of the group of 2 teenagers, were "ordinary" in their role. Peter and Susan both seemed to have very weak personalities, with Susan always wanted to chicken out. Perhaps that was how the book described them. Since they were older, they had no choice but tried to be cautious. Placing them in a fancy world like Narnia makes the story seemed "odd".
The story
In 1940, with bombings went on everywhere in Europe during WWII, four kids were sent to live elsewhere, where it was safer. These four included Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy. Being the youngest, when Lucy told her older siblings about her chance encounter with a mythical and magic world called Narnia via the back of an ancient wardrobe, no one really believed her. The wardrobe remained a normal wardrobe for normal eyes to see. Edmond later did have some experience of that magical world, but frightened of being scolded, he preferred to lie and let his other siblings scolding Lucy instead.
Soon after that, by an accident, while hiding in the very same wardrobe, they all witnessed the magic of Narnia, a world where there was no human, where all dwarfs, animals, mythical figures (e.g. half animal, half human like Mr Tumnus, a faun of the story) all could converse with each other pretty well using the same.
Narnia, turned out, was created by Aslan, a magical and powerful lion. While he was away, a white witch took over Narnia and turned it into a place where winter, snow, ice forever remained; and called herself "Queen" of the place. Being a very ruthless queen, she turned anyone who disagreed with her into statues. Knowing that there was a prophecy, that her regime would end the day some human arrived to Narnia, she set spies everywhere to kill all human who came to Narnia.
Using Edmond as bait, she planned to kill all the siblings of this family, so that her world would forever winter, where Christmas never came. Because of Edmond, Lucy's friend, Mr Tumnus was caught and turned into statue.
With Aslan return (winter disappeared), the queen frantically tried to win. Using tricks, she trapped and killed Aslan, the magical lion, then attempted to destroy Aslan's army.
She almost won, but Aslan appeared and save the day.
Since the four kids fought bravely on behalf of Aslan, they were made into kings and queens of Narnia while Aslan continuing his travel.
Time passed, they all became good looking adult and youthful kings and queens when one day they found their way back into the magical wardrobe. The moment they fell out of the wardrobe, they found themselves as the old Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy of the 1940, exactly the same people when they found Narnia together. Time in Narina had no relation with the time of the normal world.
A few thoughts after watching this film
- A lot of scenes are almost the same as the ones in the BBC mini series. The movie however, was a shorter version, with a better and livelier cast, perhaps because they are more updated to the values, beliefs of the 21st century? Since the BBC mini series was too long, I can not remember much of its music background except that it was terrific with appropriate tempo and tunes.
- The war at the end of the movie was exciting, reminding me of scenes from some wars in the famous series "Lord of the rings."
- It’s fortunate that Narnia was only a fancy world. It does sound "odd" where a bunch of siblings, each of whom would become a king/queen and co-rule the place together. A Narnia with 2 kings and 2 queens, all were brothers and sisters of each other? Hmmm...
- How could the lion Aslan create Narnia? Why choose an ordinary lion figure as creator of a mythical world?
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