Narnia gets a magnificent new realization.

While I might normally get into a plot synopsis at some point, C.S. Lewis’ first Narnia tale is one of those works of fantasy literature that is so well-known (or at least it should be) such an exercise would be unnecessary. Therefore, gentle reader, I say to you: if you don’t know the plot, read the book or see the film or rent the old BBC version or the animated one. You won’t be sorry in either case.

The great problem with the Narnia stories, and particularly this first one, is that C. S. Lewis had an agenda to push and he pushed it very hard. The essential purpose of the Narnia books is to sell Christianity through childrens' stories. This tactic, pushing one fairy tale in the form of another, might work better were it more subtle. As it is, we get such blatant jabs in the eye as this: one character tells one of the Pevensies (regasrding Aslan), “He has another name, and you know what it is.” (I’m going on memory for the wording.) If all this weren’t bad enough, we're treated to Lewis' innate prissiness in concepts such as the Pevensie sisters not being intended to fight in the upcoming battle.

The latter business still appears in this version of the book, but the scriptwriters have succeeded in purging the more blatant of Lewis' propagandistic lines such as the howler quoted above. The result allows Narnia to bloom as a more nearly pure tale of magic and wonder. And despite Lewis’ genderist strictures about girls in battles, the film makers here feature a number of distaff archers (if not others). Good on them.

Technically, this film is far advanced over the still serviceable BBC version. The Talking Animals are very realistically portrayed -- although the script has dropped any mention of the other important distinction between them and their non-talking cousins -- namely that they're larger. On the screen the beavers do appear larger than ordinary beavers, but others (such as Edmund's horse) seem of ordinary size.

Although the technical effects are everywhere wonderful, the battle scene is beyond spectacular. It's a tribute to the artistic vision of the director and the prowess of his technical staff. The result is thrilling -- although perhaps too intense for younger viewers. There's plenty of death and mayhem, but thankfully without the gore and blood sprays that are unfortunately so popular with so many film makers.

The usually direct dichotomy of Lewis' view of morality makes ambiguous characters rare (we may regard Edmund as a prime example). The result is a lack of significant acting challenges. Within this contraint, the acting in the film is naturalistic, realistic, and effective. Liam Neeson voices Aslan effectively and the lion-god's animation is good enough to convince the eye of his reality. Special mention is also due to James McAvoy, who did a fine job as Mr. Tumnus the Faun. It is, however, difficult to recognize him as the toothsome Leto II in the SF Channel’s “Children of Dune”.

As with most films make from books, the temptation to tamper with the source proved too much for the production forces. On the plus side is a set of scenes (starting with views of the German air force over London) setting the stage firmly in World War II. This wasn't necessary for Lewis' original readers, as it was something they lived through. But now it's ancient history -- old enough, the way history is taught now, that it might as well have been the Wars of the Diadokhi in the 3rd Century BCE. So setting the scene for modern young audiences is essential, considering that their parents probably don't even know who Mussolini was.

On the negative side of tampering, there's a hugely silly scene involving the break-up of an iced-over river and the children nearly drowning and yada-yada-yada. It's well presented but it's a patently unwelcome device to pad the film out to its bloated 2-hours-plus length. Those familiar with the book will find other such gaffes (both of omission and commission), albeit rather more brief and less intrusive.

Nonetheless, the film redeems its flaws and excesses by being mostly faithful to the source and giving it an exciting realization. Among the characters, of special note most be the White Witch. Although Jadis was not in fact a blonde (as we learn in "The Last Battle"), most viewers won't find this gaffe disconcerting. Tilda Sinton's performance is exemplary. She manages to exude evil, menace, and power with nary a cackle nor any dancing widdershins. She absolutely dominates every scene she's in (as she's meant to), and her duel with Peter Pevensie in the battle is as beautifully choreographed and performed as anything the boringly repetitive martial arts pictures can offer -- without the stupid floating. Her face and demeanor tell us that she’s not only the White Witch, but the Ice Queen as well. The rather outré (but ultimately effective) hairdo and outfits suggest that at some time during her reign he was on Gay Eye for the Wicked Gal. For her alone, if for none of the film's other virtues, I say: don't miss this picture!