Many children have grown up with C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia books. It is important for the movies to remain true to the books because Narnia, like Tolkien’s Middle-earth, is a solid universe in the minds of its target audience. Walden Media and Fox 2000 don’t disappoint us with “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”. In under two hours they do a fairly good job of telling this story of coming-of-age and redemption.
The wide open, scenery is gorgeous on land and sea, and the 3-dimensional effects don’t feel overdone. They are also not missed in the 2-dimensional version. The Dawn Treader is just as beautiful a ship in two dimensions and the colors everywhere are vibrant and alive. Lighting and framing make magical effects sprinkled throughout feel a completely natural part of the landscape, just as in Narnia proper. The soundtrack rolls with the ocean waves and meshes wonderfully. Lucy and Edmund are transformed from “fish out of water” in their own universe to completely at home in Narnia; England is, however, a little brighter for them when they return in the end with a transfigured (although not yet perfect!) Eustace.
Casting is terrific. Will Poulter makes a good whiny, self-serving spoiled child, and his transformation settles in very well as a subplot beside the main story, critical background for what will come later. Characters returning from the previous stories hold well to their roles. Georgie Henley is absolutely adorable. The clouds that darken her face as she beats up bad guys pass quickly afterwards, allowing her freckled light to shine forth. Edmund (Skandar Keynes) handles well the conflict he must carry as an adolescent boy in turmoil in WWII England, without a certain position but feeling the pressing need to do something. Ben Barnes as Caspian, though a very young man himself, contrasts and conflicts with Edmund, as the grown-up-too-soon king who is more certain of his place than he’d sometimes like. Supporting characters are just enough non-human to keep it Narnian, although I am not at all certain the hooved minotaur and faun would have done well on the slippery decks of a real ship.
The story: As World War Two continues, Peter and Susan are grown and carrying on their business elsewhere. This leaves the two younger Pevensie children in the clutches of their Aunt and Uncle and spoiled cousin Eustace Scrubb. We see from Lucy and Edmund that he is an incredible nuisance to them, but at the same time we are treated to Eustace’s side of the story through his journal entries, which are enormously useful for filling out our view of his disagreeable personality.
For no immediately apparent reason (as happens regularly in the books), the three are magically washed off through an old painting to Narnia and the Dawn Treader, a ship carrying King Caspian on a mission to locate seven lords who went missing during the intervening years. Eustace’s fantasy-free upbringing is severely shaken up.
Righteous battles take place and the heroes must overcome internal and external conflicts, all contributing to an enormous victory at the end. Overcoming their internal battles is always the key to their victory in the physical world and Aslan appears when help is needed most, with wisdom, power and love. The adventurers face slave traders, Dufflepuds and a mysterious evil mist in their quest to free the eastern seas from an ethereal and faceless “evil” and to seek Aslan’s Country (or the end of the world, whichever comes first).
Although the ending is bittersweet the watcher knows it is only the end of a chapter, for the story – for England and Narnia – does not end here. Aslan watches over both worlds with Lewis’ incredible Christian symbolism. It’s well-played in a way not often seen nowadays. Lewis (Tolkien too – did you you know the two were BFFs?) has a way of allowing his God to show through his stories without seeming preachy.
Parents, take your families to see this movie. 3D or 2D doesn’t matter. Use either version of the movie to get your children into the Chronicles of Narnia books. The characters and lessons will enrich their entire lives.
