Movie Review: “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”

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The latest addition to the screen adaptations of author C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Nania” is just that, the latest addition. “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” isn’t likely to usher more fans to the already profitable franchise, but for those who’ve previously enjoyed the fantastic world of Narnia, on the screen or the page, you might want to check it out.A short movie in terms of epics, just under two hours, parents will be delighted at how quickly the movie moves along. And, younger kids will love the spectacle.

Everything you love about Narnia—the escape to another seemingly magical world, the beasts, and epic battles—is here. But, again, all the other Narnia movies had that too. So, what makes this movie different?

Nothing, this new addition doesn’t “bring anything to the table” (the movie’s plot of revolves around collecting seven noblemen’s swords to bring to Liam Neeson’s lion/savior character, Aslan’s table).

There’s some good acting, it’s visually wonderful to watch, and it never lags, which are great qualities in a movie. And, most kids today will love that.

But, as a kid, I went nuts over these books. Because the story was intriguing enough to make even the youngest reading age child imagine a world within our own world. So, seeing a sub-par adaptation is kind of a let down.

The franchise started out with a tough gig though, vying to be as good as C.S. Lewis’s good friend J.R.R. Tolkien’s LOTR trilogy adaptations, from which many critics initially drew comparisons. But, none of the Narnia movies have been able to aptly capture the world C.S. Lewis created with his children’s fantasy novels “The Chronicles of Narnia,” sans “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe,” maybe.

So, if you’re looking for a quick fix for an escape to a fantastic world for you or your child at the box office this weekend, see “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.”

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