The first installment in the cinematic production of C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia series, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, was released this weekend. Since I don’t have sweet hook-ups like Dan (the youth pastor at my church (actually, it’s more his church than mine but you get the idea) who got to go see it a week ahead of time) I waited until Saturday night to go see it. My brother and his wife let me tag along (which was very nice of them considering it was Erika’s birthday) and we went at 10:15 (a good two hours after my bedtime now that I have to chase Isaiah around all day (my son)).
First of all, the previews were awesome. I think pretty much every movie that was previewed we be on my list of things I’d like to see. So on to the movie! First of all, this is a very tough movie to do with all the talking animals and everything. For the most part the CG was good and of course it is a great story. I have two gripes. First, given how good the CG was for the most part, it amazed me how there were a number of times where it looked kind of like a movie from the 60s where you can tell the people aren’t really standing in front of the mountains, they’re in front of a screen with mountains projected on it. It’s hard because you get kind of sucked into a movie and then things like that snap you out of it and it takes a few minutes to get back into it again.
Number two, I know this movie is more geared toward kids (well, I didn’t really know that but should have figured it I guess), but there was not one drop of blood in the whole movie. And this is a movie that is violent in parts. (If you haven’t seen it or read the books and don’t want to know what happens stop reading now.) This was especially bothersome when Aslan dies in Edmund’s place. The whole point is that his blood will be poured out for Edmund’s life, but when he is killed he doesn’t bleed on the stone table. For the sake of the imagery of Christ’s death and to fit with what is set up in the scene prior to the death I really think there should have at least been some blood, not gruesome but to drive the point home.
All that said I think the movie is very much worth seeing. The story is wonderful and it is Hollywood quality in terms of the look, even if that breaks down at times. So check it out and read the book!
1 comment:
And the music was entirely inappropriate. I know we already talked about this, but if the music in a film rips you from the story and places you back in the movie theater wondering what the composer could have been thinking apparently he just watched the end credits of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and House of Flying Daggers 100 times and thought it would be great to do that throughout an entire children's fantasy movie, then you need to find a new composer. I realize John Williams is formulaic and already busy with Memoirs of a Geisha, but you put a lot of money in this movie. Spend a few extra bucks and hire somebody who knows how to compose epic music. Of course my vote would be for John Bryon who has the diverse stylings of a gazelle, but they didn't ask me, did they?
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