| Narnia Dazzles with Fantasy, History, and Mythology |
By: Heather Leitch, Columnist, “Kids and Entertainment”
On 1/25/06
Exploding bombs, a frantic dash to a bomb shelter, and a last-minute scramble back into the house to get a photograph set the tone for this fantasy adventure film. Under a sky filled with Luftwaffe bombers, a boy and his older brother runs back into the house to get a photo of his father. They get back to the shelter just before the bombs rain.
Rating:
4 of 5 ice cream cones! |
I’ve read about the London Blitz, heard personal tales of bomb shelters, and certainly watched movies of bomb raids, but I’ve never felt this much like I personally experienced the Battle of Britain until I saw “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.” From this scene on, my kids and I were hooked.
Following the bombing blitz, the four Pevensie children—oldest brother Peter (William Moseley), sister Susan (Anna Popplewell), brother Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and youngest Lucy (Georgie Henley) —board a train and evacuate to the countryside. They land in a majestic country estate run by a housekeeper with an almost Dickensian distaste for children. She warns the children to stay away from the owner, a mysterious Professor Kirke (Jim Broadbent).
When the four siblings play hide-and-seek one rainy day, Lucy hides in a large wardrobe, the back panel of which eventually becomes the gateway of Narnia. Two beavers befriend the children and tell them that as sons of Adam and daughters of Eve, their arrival is the fulfillment of a prophecy. In Narnia, it is “always winter and never Christmas” because it is under the rule of the evil White Witch Jadis (Tilda Swinton). The children are moved by the plight of the Narnians, but want to return to their own world.
The fairytale turns when Edmund sneaks away, is tricked by the witch into believing he will be the next king, and ends up her prisoner. When his siblings find he’s missing, they are forced to stay in Narnia to save Edmund. In the process, they meet the lion, Aslan (voice by Liam Neeson), the true and good King of Narnia. They also find themselves crucial players in a war between good and evil.
This is the first of C.S. Lewis's seven-book Narnia series to be made into a film. It is a visually arresting film, and the centaurs, ogres, and particularly Aslan are very believable. Santa Claus even makes an appearance in one peculiar scene. He arrives in a sleigh pulled by reindeer and hands a sword to Peter, a bow and arrow to Susan, and a dagger and vial of potion to Lucy. We saw this movie right before Christmas and I expected my kids to be bothered by the specter of Santa handing out weapons. But Santa coming to the rescue made perfect sense to my 8-year-old daughter. Likewise my six-year-old son found the battle scenes fascinating, especially since the kids get to become kings and queens afterward.
“The Chronicles of Narnia” offers much fodder for family discussion. The war the children experience in Narnia frames the war they face in real life, putting the battle between the Allies and the Nazis in stark moral terms.
My children were full of historical questions when the movie finished. Why did so many children have to leave their mothers? Why couldn’t the mothers go too? Who was bombing them? Were they on the good or evil side? Are they still our enemies? It was a pleasure to discuss World War II with such an attentive audience.
“The Chronicles of Narnia” also offers both Christian symbolism and fairytale allegory without being weighed down by them. Aslan, king of Narnia, sacrifices his life and is resurrected. Lucy is pure and good, staying loyal to her family and friends throughout. Susan is gentle and helpful, providing stability and even-handedness. The eldest sibling, Peter, is courageous and strong, adding a stern voice when necessary. The younger brother Edmund is seduced by greed and power, which leads to his downfall. He repents and is forgiven. Despite (or because of) the scary parts, my children were anxious to see it again. I highly recommend this movie.
Violence:This is a pretty violent movie, although there is little blood. If your child is disturbed by violence, chases, taunting monsters, or evil witches, think twice before attending.
Rating:
4 of 5 ice cream cones! |
It is tamer than Harry Potter, though, and the battle/chase scenes are less violent than some animated Disney movies such as “Spirit” and “Mulan.”
Profanity: None
Sexual Content/Nudity: None
Rating: 4 out of 5 ice cream cones!
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