So I came home not too long ago after watching The Chronicles of Narnia for the first time on opening night. I must say, it was spectacular. I really enjoyed it. The following is my review, read if you'd like, but of course, there are spoilers, so proceed with caution! Oh, and it's very long.
I really enjoyed the beginning. At first I was wondering why the hell there were planes dropping bombs everywhere but I remembered that the war was occuring and all questions left my mind. I thought it was very emotinal how Edmund ran back into the house to grab one of the pictures of his dad. Leaving for the train was also very emotional for me. It was only ten minutes through the movie and I already felt like crying! It was so sad when Mrs. Pevensie hugged Susan and Susan was all ;_;. The train ride there was pretty good, including the awkwardness between the Pevensies and the other kids in their compartment. It was a really good effect, as well, when they watched the two kids get picked up by their new guardians and the old lady grabbed the little girl's tag with a look of digust and walked away with her trailing behind. When the Pevensies arrived at their stop, I loved how the platform was so plain and the backing was just one wall and that was it. I also loved the buggy Mrs. Macready came in. Poor horse being whipped though. I thought the house was beautiful and all the mini stairs! I love mini stairs.
I loved Georgie Henley's acting, she played Lucy and was absolutely adorable. I was very proud of her because she was able to start crying when it was time and her emotions and actions were perfect. The little part about her new blanket being really itchy was really cute and I thought that was very emotional too. I love how Peter comforted her though and really was a great big brother to the other three.
The next little bit that I really liked was when Susan was playing, I think, the dictionary game and when Lucy suggested playing Hide and Seek but Peter gave her a look that was like "=\ you're joking me, right?", but I thought it was so cute when he grinned at her and started to count. Having them run around in a fuss of confusion was really good but sort of hurt my brain because my brother, mom, and I didn't really get great seats but that was okay. I loved Lucy's reaction when she found the spare room and unveiled the wardrobe. The music was very appropriate and mysterious and my mom leaned over and asked me if this movie was scary but I told her it wasn't. Proves that the scene was very well done.
A little thing that annoyed me about the movie was the snow. I mean, clearly it was fake, but that kind of thing bugs me. Reminds me of when I went to go see RENT and that scene with Roger and Mimi outside when it was snowing, it was fake, but oh well. We were able to see their breaths in the cold air and I liked that. The lamppost was very mysterious and I liked it. I didn't really like Lucy's reaction when she first stumbled into Narnia; it wasn't shocked enough but when Mr. Tumnus appeared, I totes forgot about that. Mr. Tumnus was so. cute. I want to get out of my seat and hug him! I loved how they both saw each other and screamed and hid behind their respective tree and pole and eventually Lucy helped him with his packages. His invitation for tea was kind of creepy (reminded me of Cedric and his hint for Harry to use the Prefects' bathroom) but the scene at his home was very well done. The fauns dancing in the flames of the fire was good and also Mr. Tumnus' very evident regret in his action of kidnapping Lucy but when they ran back to the wardrobe, Mr. Tumnus was adorable so that's okay. Again, when Lucy told the other Pevensie children what happened, she was able to start tearing up very quickly and that was good. It was kind of scary that night when Edmund followed Lucy into the wardrobe. The arrival of the White Witch was well done; kind of made me mad when Edmund kind of just stared at the reindeer charging at him for about half an hour before he decided to move. Tilda Swinton's acting was all right but she looks a lot like Cate Blanchett and the movie probably would've been better off with her and not Tilda, but oh well. I loved her outfit, I want it! The drops of liquid used to make the drink and Turkish Delights were awesome, the graphics were well done. (I forgot to mention, Mr. Tumnus' hooves are so kool.) I also thought it was really creepy about how the Queen wrapped herself around Edmund...but yeah. I like how she was so smooth with him and then shouted at him all of a sudden when he asked for more sweets. Okay, and then Lucy found Edmund both returned and Lucy, yet again, was able to start crying when Edmund refused to admit that he had also been to Narnia. There's definitely chemistry between the four Pevensies; they really acted like they were brothers and sisters and William Mosely was able to act as a big brother very well. Professor Kirke's hair wasn't how I imagined it, but Jim Broadbent's voice was perfect for it. Haha, one of my favourite quotes was from the scene when Peter and Susan are talking to the professor about Lucy claiming that there was another world within the wardrobe and the prof. goes "What was it like?" and Susan says, "Like talking to a lunatic!" and the prof. says, "Not her, the place!"
Okay the next part I really liked was the four of them stumbling into the wardrobe when Mrs. Macready was trying to find them or whatever and Susan says, "Impossible..." I LOVE THAT LINE. It appeals to me very much, as well as how they subtly fit it in another two times in the movie. Oh, and Peter's all, "I don't suppose an apology is enough?" and Lucy says, "Nope, but this is" and whacks him in the head with a snowball. There was a good foreshadowing on Edmund's part about how he would return to the Queen. I also like the way Mr. Tumnus' house was trashed when they went there and also when they see the bird outside and Susan's all, "Did that bird just psst! us!?" and THE BEAVERS. OH MY GOODNESS. That was so funny, when Peter said something about the beaver saying that he knew how to help them and Susan says, "But beavers aren't supposed to say anything!" and yeah, I love the Beavers' home, so nice and cozy. Edmund running off made me mad but I knew what was going to happen. When he arrived at the Queen's palace, I loved the stoned figures. They were very well done and man, I think everyone in the theatre jumped when Maugrim jumped out of the snow and attacked Edmund; I know I sure did. The Queen was so vicious with Edmund afterwards, it was scary. And the sending of Maugrim and the other wolves to the Beavers' was scary though I liked the tunnel scene and Mrs. Beaver saying, "I thought you said this tunnel led to your mom's!" The fox was sly for sure and that his voice was very cool and that was good. Oh man, the Father Christmas scene was really good. I was so scared at first when they were hiding because their breathing was so loud and then Beaver went to go check and poked his head back into their hiding spot and that made me jump because it was so sudden after such a long silence. James Cosmo was such a gentle and comforting Father Christmas and oh jeez, I want Susan's bow and arrows. They're so nice and her initials are engraved on her...case? Yeah. The rest of the way to the camp was really good, especially with the river and waterfall scene. I love how Peter completely did not know how to hold a sword properly. Anyway, I realized that the wolves were really well done and poor Beaver! Being attacked. The rest of the way there was nice, what with the trees blooming because winter was almost over and spring was arriving.
It was really good how the Pevensies entered and arrived at Aslan's tent and Peter just sort of held his sword awkwardly waiting for Aslan to come out. The whole bowing thing totes reminded me of Return of the King, though. Liam Neeson's voice was very appropriate for Aslan's character; very soothing and calm. The talks and everything that followed was very well done. (I'm getting tired and forgetting the movie). I liked Peter's talk with Aslan and oh man, the cut to Susan and Lucy together. I thought that scene was SO cute but then Susan grabs for the towel on the clothsline after playing with the water in the stream and Maugrim jumps out from behind the towel, I jumped, yet again. That part was scary and the sound of the horn was good and haw-haw, wolves can't get up trees! Yeah and Peter comes and again with the weird sword-holding but then he kills Maugrim so that's always awesome. Vardan ran off though but Oreius and the centaurs followed him and found Edmund and rescued him. I thought it was funny how by the time the Queen got outside to see what had happened, the centaurs had retied up people but they were her people. She was nasty then and was prepared for war with Aslan and that was kool though I think she could've been angrier, though. The next morning Peter sees Edmund talking to Aslan and I like how the girls come out and they had been laughing before but they stopped when they saw Edmund and Lucy starts to run towards him but Peter stops her and waits. I love how Aslan went up to them with Edmund and said that no more was to be said about the past and the girls hug Edmund and such. Their breakfast looked really good too. They then discuss about who was going home and who would fight but they all decided they would fight and they go off to train. Another favourite quote from this scene was when Peter and Edmund enter on their horses and Edmund says, "Woahhh, Horsey!" and the horse turns his head and says, "...my name is Philip." I couldn't stop laughing. And then the Witch comes and claims Edmund's traitorious blood but has a long talk with Aslan and renounces Edmund's death but has apparently made some deal with Aslan and chariots off back to her...base. That night Lucy and Susan see Aslan wandering off into the woods and follow him. I love how he was all, "Shouldn't you two be in bed?" He sounded so fatherly and friendly, it was heartbreaking knowing his (temporary) fate.
I think the Stone Table scene was done really well. They must have given Tilda huge black contact lenses 'cause her eyes were so black and big during that scene. And poor Aslan :( I'm glad nothing graphic was shown in this movie, though it may have been more effective but thus making it into a PG-13 movie. Anyway, it was so sad, watching his eyes. It made me tear up. Lucy and Susan rush over to Aslan after all the evil guys are gone and cry over him and such, it was so sad. I like how they showed the trees sending the message to Peter and them that Aslan had died and now everything was up to him. Peter was definitely not ready but he took the initiave anyway and Edmund was right behind him, supporting him. So they set up their armies and the Witch arrives with hers and they're on this huge battlefield and man, I forgot to mention how obvious it is that the scenic scenes were definitely done with a green screen because the actors and actresses stood out so much more than their surroundings, especially at the waterfall scene. Anyway, the war begins and everything reminds me so much of Lord of the Rings. I liked it when Peter shouted out, "For Narnia! For Aslan!" and went charging towards the Queen who, may I add, was wearing some interesting battle outfit. Peter was so cute with his suit of armour, as well as Edmund. The...hippogryffs? were very well done. Oreius' brave charge towards the Queen moved me but what killed me the most during this scene was when Edmund sliced apart the Witch's sword but she stabbed him with it anyway and it was all slow motion and my heart broke. Then Peter was on fire and charged towards the Queen. They were in combat for quite some while, though their grouped swordsmanship can't even be compared to the swordsmanship in Pirates of the Caribbean or Lord of the Rings. Now before all of this stabbing-ness, we return to the Stone Table and Lucy and Susan are leaving but as they're walking away, the table cracks and they see a gleaming bright light and it's Aslan! and he's returned from the dead because that's the power of old magic (HARRY POTTER, MUCH!?!?♥). Yeah, it was a really good scene and everyone just hugged and it was so happy. As Peter and the Queen dueled, Aslan charges off to the Queen's palace with Lucy and Susan and breathes upon all those who had been turned to stone, including Mr. Tumnus and I thought it was so cute when Lucy was so cute with him and Susan hugged Mr. Tumnus, even though she didn't know him but was relieved that he was alive. They all went back to the battle and just when the Witch is about to kill Peter, Aslan comes bolting and knocks the Queen over and proceeds to eat her face off. Meanwhile, Susan, Lucy, and Peter look for Edmund who is lying on the ground and Lucy drips a drop of her healing potion into Edmund's mouth and after a few seconds of believing he wasn't going to make it, Edmund coughs and is all better again, hugging his sisters and Peter hugs him and asks, "When are you ever going to listen?" and they all laugh and see Aslan has defeated the Queen.
The movie then cuts to the coronation of the Pevensie children and their crowns are SO BEAUTIFUL. I want Lucy's SOOOO BADLY!! Oh man, yeah. That scene was so cute. And then the scene when Lucy sees Aslan leaving and Mr. Tumnus talks to her and gives her back her handkerchief that she had lended her when she first left him because he was crying and she had said to him, "You need this more than I do" and this time, Mr. Tumnus said that to her and it was so sweet. I started to tear up again but yeah. Afterwards, I like how they cut to their future selves galloping through the woods, all happy and Edmund stops and stares at the lamppost they had just passed, trying to remember where he had seen it. Then he asks Philip whether he was all right and he was all, "Well, I'm not so young anymore" and yeah, very nice. The grown-up versions of the girls were very pretty and grown-up Edmund was very hot and grown-up Peter looked so king-ly...it was amazing. But then they decided to run back towards the wardrobe and they stumble out of it, only finding that they have returned back to their original ages of which when they had first all left to Narnia. The professor walks in with the cricket bat ball and I love when the kids are like, "You'll never believe us" and he's all, "Try me :)". And then the credits come on but I'm glad I didn't leave right away because there was a little scene afterwards with Lucy going back to the wardrobe, trying to get back to Narnia but the prof. is in the room and tells her that she won't be able to go in because she's looking for it and will only be able to return when she is not meaning to. Then he takes her hand and walks her back out of the room and the rest of the credits come on.
So after that really long review, my point is that it was a really good movie. All the actors and actresses were really good and even though they could have all been a bit better, they were fine since they're new to the business. I just must comment that William Mosely is SO CUTE in the movie, Anna Popplewell has really pretty blue eyes but really big lips that Melissa dislikes greatly, Skandar Keynes is cute, and Georgie Henley could overrule Dakota Fanning with her excellent acting and cuteness any day.
I WANT TO SEE THIS MOVIE AGAIN!!!! Melissa!? Michael!?
Michael I totes forgot that like, two months ago I promised you that I would go with you because you were scared no one would want to go @_@ I remembered right before the movie started and I felt so bad. If I get more money, I'll come see it again with you! ♥ Oh, and soundtrack, plz? :)
Oh, and I saw the Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and Curious George trailers....SOO AMAZINGLY GOOD. I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL 2006!?!?!?