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

5

matthewp.Dec 29, 2005

This movie is great for kids but shouldn't be considered adult material. The young actors barely manage to get their lines out clearly and the overal affect of the movie is less than skin deep.

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5

BrianF.Dec 11, 2005

Narnia stumbles on many areas, but most of all simply on presentation. Everything is too mundane to be impressive as a fantasy, and too childish to be impressive as a legitimate work of fiction that strives for allegories. Only sparse Narnia stumbles on many areas, but most of all simply on presentation. Everything is too mundane to be impressive as a fantasy, and too childish to be impressive as a legitimate work of fiction that strives for allegories. Only sparse performances highlight this sleeper.… Expand

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5

GoldenEye16Aug 22, 2010

It was decent but its no Lord of the Rings. I wish the action would have been better (more exciting) and I felt like I didn't care about the characters that much. Also the acting wasn't that great.

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5

TyranianApr 7, 2019

First twenty minutes or so are very good but downhill from there. Very disappointing as fan of the novels.

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5

SpangleNov 16, 2016

If I were not as much of a killjoy when it came to family-oriented entertainment, The Chronicles of Narnia would have worked far better for me. However, the negatives simply are too much for me to ignore and write-off, in spite of the greatIf I were not as much of a killjoy when it came to family-oriented entertainment, The Chronicles of Narnia would have worked far better for me. However, the negatives simply are too much for me to ignore and write-off, in spite of the great positives of the film. A tale of faith and family, The Chronicles of Narnia is, above all else, a celebration of the imagination of children. Here, the film soars. Yet, it is bogged down by bad children actors, annoying children, and cliche storylines that have been around for 2,000 years and first recorded by the disciples.

Set during World War I, the film shows four children who are sent to the country to escape the bombing occurring in their hometown. While in the country, they stumble upon a wardrobe that leads to a magical land; Narnia. Unfortunately, Narnia is under the control of the White Witch (Tilda Swinton). However, Narnia's creator, Aslan the Lion (Liam Neeson), is set to team up with the four children - who were prophesied to be the saviors of the land - to rescue Narnia from tyranny. Throughout the film, there are obvious illusions that Aslan is Jesus and by illusions, of course, I mean a recreation of the crucifixion, resurrection, and prophecy that he will return once more to the land he created. While quite overt and barely hiding its pro-Christian inclinations, The Chronicles of Narnia are a refreshing look at Christianity in the modern world in some regards. A uniting force that instills the land with hope for those who believe in the prophecy, the film is one of the few to really invigorate and justify faith in the 21st Century.

Additionally, the film's sense of adventure and wonder is fantastic, emphasized by the cinematography. Not only is it beautiful, but it is also quite expansive. It highlights both the beauty and the grandeur of Narnia with great depth. This world truly comes to life due to the way in which it is shot. This sense of wonder is also matched by the inventiveness of the plot. While fawns, centaurs, and talking animals, are hardly original, The Chronicles of Narnia injects each with a sense of energy that really sets the stakes. In many ways, it also drives home the religious element of the film. Those that are God's creations - people (even half-people) and animals - have waited for specific sons of Adam and daughters of Eve to liberate them from those that are not of God, which in this film are the White Witch, evil dwarves, and the hideous beasts she has on her side.

The film does fall apart, however, when considering the acting. The kids are deplorably bad. While Tilda Swinton is magnificent and undeniably steals the show, the kids that surround her really leave a lot to be desired. Their characters are also written very poorly, especially Edmund. One of the most aggravating children characters ever, he knows the stakes, knows the witch will kill his family, and yet he still rats them out repeatedly for turkish delights. It defies logic and did not sit well with we in the least. I can see him ratting them out the first time. However, once he learns what it is going on and the stakes, I cannot buy that any child - no matter how bratty, annoying, and selfish - would do what Edmund did. If he were still in the dark, maybe, but not once he has seen what the witch was capable of doing. This is very lazy writing and exists merely to try and raise the stakes, while setting up the crucifixion of Aslan. Given how ham-fisted that was anyways, it is probably something that could have been skipped.

Additionally, the battle sequence is quite superfluous. As in all fantasy films of this type, there must be a battle. I wish there were one film that did not do this and instead overturned the tyranny without bloodshed in this fashion. It is just so cliche and overdone at this point. Unfortunately for The Chronicles of Narnia, though flaming arrows turning into phoenix is quite cool looking, its battle is quite ineffectual. Even worse, it is predictable and cliche. Each moment comes with the subtly of a punch to the face. What makes the battle worse is that once Aslan is resurrected, the realization that there are no stakes (it is impossible to die) really kills any tension in the battle. It may make it more family friendly, but as a film, it really does not work well.

In spite of overt religious recreations that reveal the thematic elements with no subtly whatsoever, bad child actors, and a useless battle sequence, The Chronicles of Narnia can be a fun and inventive film that introduces one great character: the White Witch. In a darker and more adult film, having Tilda Swinton in a role such as this would be the beginnings of a perfect film. Here, however, she is largely wasted.… Expand

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5

SeriosityNov 4, 2012

The fantasy aspect is very dull and weak and the action is underwhelming. It is not completely devoid of entertainment value, but it is too safe and contrived.

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5

ballpark_frankNov 24, 2012

I sort of like this movie, but might appreciate it more if/when I read the book (and the rest of the Narnia Chronicles). It's not hard to notice the 'Biblical overtones', which to my understanding the author didn't go out of his way toI sort of like this movie, but might appreciate it more if/when I read the book (and the rest of the Narnia Chronicles). It's not hard to notice the 'Biblical overtones', which to my understanding the author didn't go out of his way to include, but also didn't try to disguise the connection. But, placing that aside, it's a cute story about four kids who discover an alternate universe/world, full of magical beings and talking creatures. I thought the special effects were pretty decent, and almost 'believable'. The background scenery is beautiful, which should be a clue to the plot to come. There's an evil being - the White Witch - who's trying to, well, take over the world. It's up to the four children, along with the friends they've made along the way, to stop her. Of course, there's also the primary 'hero', the Lion Aslan - the representation of good. It's also, on another level, a coming-of-age story for the four children. Overall, I'd say this is a decent family film - and for anyone who's concerned about the religious aspects, I'd say: Give it a rest, just enjoy it for it's story. IMHO, if children are old enough to be influenced by anything in this film, then they're also old enough to actually make up their own minds as to what they will take away from viewing this.… Expand

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5

MovieGuysFeb 22, 2014

It's an escape from real life in every way, but The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is not very well done. It's too kid-oriented so that adults can't enjoy it as much.

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4

HCarterApr 8, 2006

Started off ok--but the adapted screenplay wasn't so great. And of course--everything kind of goes downhill from there. You could say, "hey, it's geared towards kids" but that's sort of apologizing for it. There are plenty of Started off ok--but the adapted screenplay wasn't so great. And of course--everything kind of goes downhill from there. You could say, "hey, it's geared towards kids" but that's sort of apologizing for it. There are plenty of movies out there that are solid regardless of age (any pixar movie). It wasn't a horrible movie though, mostly just medicore.… Expand

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4

CSLSDec 9, 2005

Chris B. was dead-on when he called it the "cinematic equivalent of a Creed concert." Whatever susbtance is under the flash is all allegory, while the flash is far too familiar. I don't see how they can get 2 more films out of this.

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4

AlanT.Dec 9, 2005

A half-hearted and forgettable film that represents a huge missed opportunity to bring these great books to the big screen. What a waste.

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4

TimD.Jan 28, 2006

Though it has aspects I appreciated (Liam Neeson, Tilda Swinton in the battle sequences, the youngest of the children) and moments I enjoyed very much (the use of silence and the heartbeat at the beginning of the battle sequence), overall I Though it has aspects I appreciated (Liam Neeson, Tilda Swinton in the battle sequences, the youngest of the children) and moments I enjoyed very much (the use of silence and the heartbeat at the beginning of the battle sequence), overall I found it thin, lacking weight and power -- a genuine disappointment. This film doesn't even begin to compare with any one of Peter Jackson's Ring trilogy.… Expand

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4

CarolS.Jan 3, 2006

The youngest child was delightful and the best actor of the group. Peter was pretty wooden. Why did Susan carry a bow an arrow if not to use it? Did she in fact have any function in this movie? The plot was lame. The White Witch was the most The youngest child was delightful and the best actor of the group. Peter was pretty wooden. Why did Susan carry a bow an arrow if not to use it? Did she in fact have any function in this movie? The plot was lame. The White Witch was the most interesting and best played role. Unfortunately, one can't learn from the storyline why she is in power or why she should relinquish it.… Expand

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4

CarlE.Jan 5, 2006

Boring... deadly dull. Only the special effects made this movie at all interesting. The acting was second-rate... worthy of a high school play at best.

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4

RickC.Apr 3, 2006

This show was geared for children [***SPOILERS***] but the scene with the lion being scourged is unnecessarily cruel for children to watch. It was much too juvenile for adults and the CGI graphics were mediocre at best.

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4

MattyM.Dec 10, 2005

The film is a blunder; a mere excuse to throw in creatures fighting against each other for some poor action, followed by irritant performances by the Pevensie kids, and tedious moments that drag on and on. The entire movie is a The film is a blunder; a mere excuse to throw in creatures fighting against each other for some poor action, followed by irritant performances by the Pevensie kids, and tedious moments that drag on and on. The entire movie is a dejá-vu, but it still features Tilda Swinton and Liam Neeson, which is not a bad thing.… Expand

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4

lynnl.Dec 23, 2005

There's no solid or substantial central theme. The story was not suitable for a movie in the first place. The children's acting ranged from average to poor. Movie became kind of dry halfway while I was watching. Unless you've There's no solid or substantial central theme. The story was not suitable for a movie in the first place. The children's acting ranged from average to poor. Movie became kind of dry halfway while I was watching. Unless you've watched genuinely great movies before, you'd probably think this movie is good. In short, an overly glamorous effort to dramatise an otherwise classic story.… Expand

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4

oscare.Dec 12, 2005

Very predictable and slow.poor quality images,very poor digital landscapes,boring and long,what a waste of time!

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4

DavidODec 13, 2005

After enduring long lines filled with eager children and and annoyed adults, I finally made it into the theater for the opening credits of this movie. Here's my recap of the movie: Zzzzzz . A total waste of time and money. If this movie After enduring long lines filled with eager children and and annoyed adults, I finally made it into the theater for the opening credits of this movie. Here's my recap of the movie: Zzzzzz . A total waste of time and money. If this movie had come out five years ago, I might have actually enjoyed this movie. But with films like the Harry Potter series and best of all the Lord of the Rings trilogy, one can't help but compare The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to these outstanding films. And when you do, The lion, the witch and the wardrobe only comes up mediocre. This films steels so much from previous films, it's not like watching a new movie. As a fan of the BOOK series, I can't help but be disgusted by the lost potential. Do yourself a favor and wait for King Kong to come out!… Expand

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4

DavidS.Jan 28, 2006

dull and lifeless. the books were not particularly for mature audiences... the movie is the same

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4

CooterPatooterMar 7, 2012

Yet ANOTHER attempt to trick young viewers (and readers of the books) into embracing Christianity by disguising its main story points in a fantasy setting. But dishonest and underhanded proselytizing techniques aside, the film itself isYet ANOTHER attempt to trick young viewers (and readers of the books) into embracing Christianity by disguising its main story points in a fantasy setting. But dishonest and underhanded proselytizing techniques aside, the film itself is still below average at best. By the time the film finally picks up pace... it's the end. A fairly exciting battle scene at the end featuring many different creatures is the one and only high point but prepare to sit through nearly two hours of marginally-disguised preaching to get there.… Expand

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4

csw12Apr 3, 2012

Chronicles of Narnia is an extremely corny and childish film. The action scenes prove my point. The decent thing in the movie is the average battle scene at the end. Acting was pitiful and i guess it will do fine with the younger crowd.

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4

SaythatDec 8, 2018

Children act very poorly. I even had a thought some of them would not comply with the conflict of interests policy, lol. The witch is perfect though, even mesmerizing. The movie overall is rather giftless, but kids must like it. Perfect wayChildren act very poorly. I even had a thought some of them would not comply with the conflict of interests policy, lol. The witch is perfect though, even mesmerizing. The movie overall is rather giftless, but kids must like it. Perfect way to earn money: kids will pull parents into theatres if the marketing is aggressive enough.… Expand

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3

ChristineW.Jan 24, 2006

I expected it to be better, especially in the effects and CGI department. There were way too many scenes that looked so fake.

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3

FDLHJan 11, 2006

I can't believe this film got such a high mark. It's extremely mawkish, simplistic, full of cinematographic commonplaces, clichés, and is sexist in many ways (queen =evil, king=young boy (although the sister discovered I can't believe this film got such a high mark. It's extremely mawkish, simplistic, full of cinematographic commonplaces, clichés, and is sexist in many ways (queen =evil, king=young boy (although the sister discovered everything in the first place)=good). In the end, it comes out as very common and trite. Mind you, the book is too, so why should the film be any better?… Expand

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3

TimB.Jan 8, 2006

The only thing that saves this film is the special effects. The acting could be the worst I have seen in years. I am utterly confused how anyone could sit through a classic story, and see it portraited so poorly, and not be outraged. Disappointing.

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3

TomAug 6, 2006

Rather boring, effects were good, but the film was restricted by the plots and story from the orginal book. The cast were very average at best and the pacing of the story itself was not particularly creative. Nothing in the film to make me Rather boring, effects were good, but the film was restricted by the plots and story from the orginal book. The cast were very average at best and the pacing of the story itself was not particularly creative. Nothing in the film to make me want to see it again.… Expand

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3

VladimirMMay 29, 2009

Same garbage as Lord of the rings. People who enjoyed TLOR will be bored with this movie because is exactly the same boring, long, child and stupid movie. If you really want a good "phantasy" book then read "Neverending history".

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3

JelouiseR.Dec 11, 2005

C.S. Lewis is sometimes cited as "Tolkien for Slow Children". Whether that's fair or not, this movie can certanly be compared to the Lord of the Rings films in the same way. It's long, bland, shallow, and gratingly preachy, with so C.S. Lewis is sometimes cited as "Tolkien for Slow Children". Whether that's fair or not, this movie can certanly be compared to the Lord of the Rings films in the same way. It's long, bland, shallow, and gratingly preachy, with so many "homages" to the Tolkein films cinematography that much of the audience was snickering at the obvious cribbing.… Expand

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3

EricSDec 11, 2005

I honestly expected quite a bit coming into "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe", having enjoyed the book when I was seven or eight. Unfortunately, I was unpleasently surprised to find that other than the visual aspects of the film, what I I honestly expected quite a bit coming into "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe", having enjoyed the book when I was seven or eight. Unfortunately, I was unpleasently surprised to find that other than the visual aspects of the film, what I had was... a "classic" that could have been written by a bunch of 6 year olds at Sunday school? The story was hopelessly sappy and predictable. If we need to sit through a 2 hour+ bible reenactment, at least try and be a little more subtle. Some of the dialogue sounded like it was written by an evangelical Christian. No wonder the Catholic Church saw the story as a viable "alternative" to Harry Potter, a far superior novel and movie. The children were well cast and reasonably talented, but unfourtunately they didn't have much to do other than cry and gaze in awe at the goofy talking animals and un-inspired settings. The White Witch was decently portrayed, but something felt a little off. Perhaps it was the feeling that I'd seen such a villain a hundred times before (in books and movies BEFORE Narnia.) The ending was by far the worst part of the film. Not only was it sappy and overwrought, but it felt way to rushed (although I hardly wanted to sit through any more). Maybe this was how it was in the book (I don't remembe the details), but it was nevertheless a poor way to wrap things up. The fact that every character ended up alive and well proves that "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" is purely a children's fairy tale and not worthy of all the praise heaped upon it. What reason was there to bring all the characters back if not to appease the story's target audience of 4 year olds? If you are in the mood for a shallow, undaring and mindless fairy tale complete with a healthy dose of preaching, see this movie. If not, finding something better shoudln't be too difficult.… Expand

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3

TitusDec 10, 2005

Doesn't work well as allegory, the story itself is leaden, the acting and direction weak . . . the whole thing just bores. There is magic and greatness in the movie for about 10 mintues, but mostly there is just a weak movie Doesn't work well as allegory, the story itself is leaden, the acting and direction weak . . . the whole thing just bores. There is magic and greatness in the movie for about 10 mintues, but mostly there is just a weak movie masquerading as a blockbuster.… Expand

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3

LaraP.Dec 16, 2005

Just another film that does no justice to it's literature version. Although some scenes were nice to look at, purely for visual pleasure, the children lacked emotion, the witch fell flat, and the story was devoid of adventure. Even for Just another film that does no justice to it's literature version. Although some scenes were nice to look at, purely for visual pleasure, the children lacked emotion, the witch fell flat, and the story was devoid of adventure. Even for children it lacks the spirit that kids need these days.… Expand

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3

TedHDec 19, 2005

Ah, the old Disney game. Find the quickest, safest, easiest route to an adaptation, and profit will follow. However, will good cinema also follow? In the case of Narnia, the simple answer is No. A shame, as the movie has all of the right Ah, the old Disney game. Find the quickest, safest, easiest route to an adaptation, and profit will follow. However, will good cinema also follow? In the case of Narnia, the simple answer is No. A shame, as the movie has all of the right elements, but none of the ambition and nowhere near the talent needed to bring the tale to life. Forgettable.… Expand

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3

ScottCDec 21, 2005

Fell asleep during the showing... In the middle of the day. The attraction to this useless tale is beyond me.

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3

AndrewBDec 22, 2005

After taking an hour just to get all of the children into Narnia, I must say I was ready to leave the theater already. The film was very poorly done. Weak script, weak acting, weak music, weak effects. The sets all looked cheap, and the only After taking an hour just to get all of the children into Narnia, I must say I was ready to leave the theater already. The film was very poorly done. Weak script, weak acting, weak music, weak effects. The sets all looked cheap, and the only really good scene was the battle scene at the end. I expected a movie that pushed the boundaries on what an "epic" film can be and ended up seeing what an "epic" disaster that the Chronicles of Narnia was.… Expand

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3

JoshS.Apr 23, 2006

I cannot for the life of me understand why this movie got so many positive reviews. It wasn't a terrible movie; the soundtrack was phenomenal and the voice acting was well done. But the wooden performances, the 90's-level CGI, the I cannot for the life of me understand why this movie got so many positive reviews. It wasn't a terrible movie; the soundtrack was phenomenal and the voice acting was well done. But the wooden performances, the 90's-level CGI, the abysmal pacing...I definitely expected more.… Expand

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3

TylerW.May 18, 2006

Well, as far as small children(4-8)might enjoy this film. For the older crowd, this was an awful film. The acting is horrid(children almost always are bad)the plot is weak, and the action is sub-par at best. Pkease, if you wish to get a Well, as far as small children(4-8)might enjoy this film. For the older crowd, this was an awful film. The acting is horrid(children almost always are bad)the plot is weak, and the action is sub-par at best. Pkease, if you wish to get a friend into sword play action adventure, let them watch Lord of the Rings. Any LOTR is better than this sad moive.… Expand

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2

StacyRDec 20, 2005

Is this what passes for grand entertianment these days? Trite acting and poor special effects? Disney poured a gigantic budget into the near failure of the year, and it shows how they had no clue on how to spend it. An editor, composer, and Is this what passes for grand entertianment these days? Trite acting and poor special effects? Disney poured a gigantic budget into the near failure of the year, and it shows how they had no clue on how to spend it. An editor, composer, and most of all director would have been a good start. Then we can move onto replacing the cast with leads that can actually do more than read off lines like a computer. A cold waste of film.… Expand

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2

RRDec 10, 2005

It's overlong, boring, feels like it was stitched together with a branding iron and has no depth whatsoever. No sense of dynamics, timing or atmosphere. I began to really loathe the wide-eyed-wonder-look in the kids' eyes, It's overlong, boring, feels like it was stitched together with a branding iron and has no depth whatsoever. No sense of dynamics, timing or atmosphere. I began to really loathe the wide-eyed-wonder-look in the kids' eyes, especially because my own eyes were constantly falling shut out of boredom. Two saving graces: Tilda Swinton is really evil (imagine having a mother like that and see what I mean), and the Lion is well done (from a special fx point of view). Best worst scene: the obnoxious children and two slightly less obnoxious beavers are being pursued by the witch; theythen take cover in a scene that SCREAMS "LOTR FOTR hobbits hiding from the Nazgul nudge nudge", when all of a sudden the beaver announces the coast is clear, it's just Santa Claus who's appeared to bestow valuable gifts to "eve's daughters" and "adam's sons". I kept rubbing my eyes, hoping this godawful scene was just a nightmare. Even the effects were at least two leagues below LOTR. The sets were kind of well done, but they all looked like ... sets. no suspension of disbelief for me, it all looked so... fake! Plus, the believability of a little boy slashing his way through rows of minotaurs and other evil creatures (who all look like LOTR pre-production rejects) is... kind of a lot to take. Save your money. This is such an obviously calculated, badly executed film to make you want to abstain from going to the cinema altogether. To even think of 6 more films in this series makes my stomach ache.… Expand

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2

ATopJan 7, 2006

What a waste of $10- boring and stupid. Oh, and stupid.

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2

vladimirp.Dec 14, 2005

Ridiculous, boring, predictable, not for kids to much violence, not for adults not enough violence, bad fx, bad music, annoying actors especialy the little girl, i hate animals, stupid plot, worse ending, long. what can i say.

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2

WilderS.Jan 5, 2006

Hurrah! The crusades are back! Let's start a war with "evil" so we can be Kings! Watch out for that little boy. He's not blond and he has a cold sore!

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2

johnc.Dec 11, 2005

Disneyfide right down to the cheesy new-age soundtrack. I implore the estate of C.S. Lewis to choose a different studio for the sequels.

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2

BillJ.Dec 27, 2005

Drudgery, religious gobbledeegook.

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2

ScotDec 19, 2005

Only gets a two because the amazing possibilties alluded to in Tilda Swinton's performance. Had the script been better, she would have been amazing- as it was, she was the only good thing in a mess. Child actors all very unappealing- Only gets a two because the amazing possibilties alluded to in Tilda Swinton's performance. Had the script been better, she would have been amazing- as it was, she was the only good thing in a mess. Child actors all very unappealing- Aslan disappointing and more in the spirit of summer Hollywood crap than the strange amalgam of mythology and religion that Lewis wrote.… Expand

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2

wilsoncoolMar 16, 2015

This is not my LOTR. This movie so close with harry blooper and bit better than twilight but not for oscar best picture such as LOTR trilogy. Yes the chronicles of narnia is decent and worth watching. Far from my expectation because LOTR andThis is not my LOTR. This movie so close with harry blooper and bit better than twilight but not for oscar best picture such as LOTR trilogy. Yes the chronicles of narnia is decent and worth watching. Far from my expectation because LOTR and narnia has the same story, about war in other world.… Expand

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1

VamicaV.Apr 9, 2006

So Poor such a disappointment! I never thought it was possible to screw up such a good story! Acting was so bad gr it pained me to watch

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1

SwethDec 23, 2005

Another review mentions that "you'll laugh and you'll cry", which was very true when I saw the movie--people couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous death scene of the dwarf, and I wanted to cry at the end over the hours of Another review mentions that "you'll laugh and you'll cry", which was very true when I saw the movie--people couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous death scene of the dwarf, and I wanted to cry at the end over the hours of my life that had just been wasted. It was impressive how poorly made this movie was. The acting, which was probably the best part of the movie, was mediocre at best. The "plot" (which was never very complex in the book, and thus should have been fairly simple to adapt into a movie) was reduced to a series of rushed scenes with no real coherence, and it was obvious which scenes (like the crossing of the river or Lucy one-upping Susan during target practice) had been added by the scriptwriters to try to "jazz up" the plot, because those were by far the most leaden and pointless; the scriptwriters also managed to squeeze out every trace of the one thing that really made the book interesting--the internal struggles of the kids. Even the CGI was miserable; I've seen movies from the 70s with less artificial backgrounds.… Expand

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1

JasonDec 26, 2005

What an awfully boring and amaturish movie! The acting of the kids was at the level of soap operas. The effects looked really bad compared to the best examples. In one scene where the four kids are supposed to stand on this snowy natural What an awfully boring and amaturish movie! The acting of the kids was at the level of soap operas. The effects looked really bad compared to the best examples. In one scene where the four kids are supposed to stand on this snowy natural rock bridge, they are overlaid against the sky and it looks like the movie was done in the 60s! The movie is both boring and rushed, I don't know how they managed this!… Expand

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0

LukeEDec 13, 2005

Absolutely devoid of talent or... well, that's it. Shots and film editing were handled like a freshman at film school, and the special effects looked like stock animations (and at times, b.g. images seemed prerendered liked a Hitchcock Absolutely devoid of talent or... well, that's it. Shots and film editing were handled like a freshman at film school, and the special effects looked like stock animations (and at times, b.g. images seemed prerendered liked a Hitchcock car ride). The costumes were shabby, as though taken from the dressing room of a community theatre, polished up, and dry-cleaned before shooting. And beginning with an air raid? For a moment I thought I had entered the wrong theatre. I'm not sure who approved this script, but fire them. No clear plot structre, a desperate hook (air raid) -- I'm not even sure which scene was intended to be the climax. It's a very casual, classic structure Lewis used, and for any writer to find it hard to adapt is simply laughable -- as is this film. A simple fantasy should not be handled as an epic. It only makes it sluggish. Oh, I'd nearly forgotten the grating soundtrack! Were the sound editor's headphones broken that he continued cranking up the score? Or was this an experiment in cramming unwanted emotion into the audience's ears and hoping to reach our bored little hearts?… Expand

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0

JonathanH.Dec 26, 2005

Disney

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0

AzaanV.Jan 14, 2006

LOTR but it was changed so kids could understand. not good for anyone that questions stuff. you just have to believe everything fully to enjoy the movie. many anomolies.

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SouE.Jan 2, 2006

A religious war oriented movie, teaching young kids how to be good soldiers, good evangelists, disguised in a Harry Potter style... I feel a shamed to have given a contribution with my ticket price to a massive production of evangelists A religious war oriented movie, teaching young kids how to be good soldiers, good evangelists, disguised in a Harry Potter style... I feel a shamed to have given a contribution with my ticket price to a massive production of evangelists brainwashers.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

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VyP.Jun 21, 2008

Totally worst movie I saw. Can't believe somebody can watch it. The acting and visuals suck, not even talking about dump story.

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SDec 16, 2005

J.ust wrote long review of how horrible this movie is, lost it, not bothering again. boring, with v.hateable child actors.

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imthenoobJan 18, 2021

All-flash and no substance perfectly describes this movie. It tries to be this grand movie that visually is appealing but the story has no substance and the acting leaves a lot to be desired, especially when it relies on a young cast thatAll-flash and no substance perfectly describes this movie. It tries to be this grand movie that visually is appealing but the story has no substance and the acting leaves a lot to be desired, especially when it relies on a young cast that simply fails to deliver. The long run time of 2 and a half-hour certainly didn't help things and having a PG rating means all the action is dumbed down, offscreen or reduced to the characters just getting thumped and falling down. I always thought it was funny that they spent so much time and money on the costumes for that final fight scene only for it to take up maybe 10 minutes of the film and a majority of it being done in close-up shots that show next to nothing onscreen. This movie was a freaking mess and it shows, It really does.… Expand

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

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