The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe doesn’t open until Dec. 9, but Newsweek’s Jeff Giles has already seen a rough cut of the film, and while he stops short of giving a thumbs-up or thumbs-down review, he does offer this verdict: ”It’s faithful to the novel, and only as Christian as you want it to be.” Newsweek also has an interview with the movie’s child actors (including cutie-pie Georgie Henley, left, as Lucy), and a brief profile of Narnia author C.S. Lewis, whose life was a lot more bizarre than his devout fans (or moviegoers who saw Anthony Hopkins’ genteel portrayal in Shadowlands) might imagine.
An early look at 'Narnia'
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Comments (1-11) of 11 Add your comment
I loved (and still love) the Narnia Chronicles. The idea that it is based on Christian mythology should not make it any less wonderful. The basis of Christianity is actually a beautiful thing – it’s only how people have twisted and perverted the original vision that makes religion so disgusting and hateful. None of that is reflected in the Narnia books, and I would doubt very seriously that anything but the good parts of the mythology are present in the movie either.
Man, I’m not religious. In fact, I’m between agnostic and atheist. Still, I’m willing to see the movie.
personally, i think the movie looks wonderful and beautiful. i would very much like to see it and view it as entertainment, whatever connotations it may carry.
i loved these books as a child, so i’m very excited to see this film. i’m very happy that a new generation will be exposed to these wonderful stories.
“It’s faithful …, and only as Christian as you want it to be.”
Funny. The same thing could be said for “The Passion of the Christ”.
Just because Aslan is supposed to be Jesus, and I don’t believe in Jesus, doesn’t mean that this movie won’t completely rule. I think that’s what “it’s only as Christian as you want it to be” means. If I chose to take these characters as characters, not as representations of other things, then it’s fine.
Passion of the Christ was about Christ, not about someone who was supposed to represent him. That’s completely different. It’s hard to say it’s only as Christian as you want it to be when it’s about the head dude of Christianity and his life.
The Chronicles of Narnia is a children’s story about action, adventure, and life lessons. That can be taken as religious, as it was meant, or not, because it’s still a good story if you choose to ignore that aspect of it.
My problem with it is that the only part the trailer shows in detail, when the kids are first arriving at the Professor’s house, completely departs from the book. The children aren’t forbidden to explore the house in the book: in fact, the first thing they say is how great is will be to explore it. Mrs. MacReady isn’t a termagant. Lucy doesn’t open the wardrobe and see a big light: she hides in it, pushes through the coats to get futher out of sight, and basically pushes out the back.
I know this sounds like senseless nit-picking–but in my many decades of movie-going, I’ve noticed that if they change the little things, they’ve usually done even worse to the big things. Everyone I know is a Narnia fan, and all of us are also still suffering from LOTR withdrawal, so we were assuming we’d go to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe–but it looks so wrong that we’re rethinking it. Not only is the set-up changed (for the worse, and for no reason that I can see), but Lucy looks totally wrong, and the tone is wrong…
The New Zealand/WETA involvement notwithstanding, I suspect this movie has a bad case of Hollywooditis.
> None of that is reflected in the Narnia books?
I beg to differ. The Christ figure in christian mythology is supposed to be meek, even self doubting. This “muscular christianity” is the type responsible for the Crusades and other blood-spilling ills of religious might.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is probably the best movie I have ever seen! I’ve literally seen it 386 times. Narnia is my life.
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v365/black_stallion/Narnia/narnia.jpg[/IMG]
I loved the movie and book very much. Its a life touching experience. I Think it relays on a very important thing that every one should know, Aslan (as christ) was a very good example that C.S Lewis (writer of Narnia)laid in many different ways, such as him (aslan) sacraficing himself for Edmund and for Narnia, As Christ did for us. Also as Peter was fighting the witch and was near death Aslan was there, as Christ is ALWAYS there for us to meet our needs. I am a strong hearted Christian and I want every one out there to know that christ is there for you and weither you believe it or not he is always there and he died for you… do not judge Chronicals of Narnia as a bad thing because I know C.S Lewis meant good things for the series of Narnia and he was only trying to spread the gosple to help people like himself who was once an atheist. Please let this be a reminder to you. Gods with you always and is there to help!!!!
Laura ,12
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