# New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)



## Pyan (Sep 17, 2010)

The trailer for the new *Narnia* film, _The Voyage of the Dawn Treader_...







Though why Peter, Susan and Jadis, the White Witch are in there is anyone's guess...


----------



## Teresa Edgerton (Sep 18, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

It is strange to see them there, certainly.

I noticed they showed a lot of Lucy and Edmund, and practically nothing of Eustace ... only enough to see him if you were looking for him.

Trailers can be deceptive, though.  At least it looked visually pleasing.


----------



## Mouse (Sep 18, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

I watched the whole trailer and there's only two seconds of Ben Barnes?! Gah! 

*sigh*

Bloke's a fox though. Somebody kidnap him for me and bring him to my house? Ta.


----------



## nixie (Sep 18, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

hmm, I wish they would stay more true to the books. Still looks good though.

Mouse, you could ask Wally to go collect him, can't promise all limps will still be intact though


----------



## Mouse (Sep 18, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

That's a pity, I think I'd prefer him to have limbs!


----------



## Overread (Sep 18, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

Wait did I just see a trailer for the Dawn Tredder and not see one single sight of a dragon? 

Gah give me the old BBC adaptations - dated and stuff, but at least they read the book


----------



## digs (Sep 19, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

HJ and I saw this trailer last night and we were saying how it looks like they've bastardised the books a bit - when Jadis appeared we looked at each other and had a bit of a 'WTF?' moment. It seems like they're trying to build her into some villain running through the whole series (wouldn't be surprised if the Lady of the Green Kirtle is played by Tilda Swinton in The Silver Chair) - I wonder if she'll make some grand appearance at the end of The Last Battle. To be honest though, I don't mind if they deviate from the books a bit as long as they stick to some semblance of original plot. I'm pretty much just happy to see Narnia visualised in as beautiful a way as I imagined it.

And sorry Overread, I'm going to have to disagree with you about the BBC adaptations...I enjoyed them as a kid and I get that they're oldish but something about the costuming and special effects (the centaurs look half-man, half-muppet) just turns me off them.


----------



## Overread (Sep 19, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

True but at least they stay more faithful to the original writings  I agree they have great visuals in the new films (though I will say that the first film had a very strong "this was done in a warehouse" feel to it - especially after seeing Lord of the Rings)

As for Jadis I was always under the impression that the Lady of the Green Kirtle was some form or essence of her. Also I'm sure (though I've never actually read it) that Jadis appears as a key character at the Last Battle - her role in Narnia being that of the key evil force the drives through the lands since the time the lands were formed.


----------



## Pyan (Sep 19, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*



Overread said:


> As for Jadis I was always under the impression that the Lady of the Green Kirtle was some form or essence of her.



Not borne out by Lewis's own writings, OR:



> The story never makes clear who the Green Lady really is or where she comes from. Some readers believe that the White Witch (Jadis) and the Lady of The Green Kirtle are the same person; *Jadis, however, is slain by Aslan several hundred years earlier in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
> *
> The source of the speculation is probably the set of character sketches included in later editions of the books: the sketch for Jadis describes her as "completely evil, even in The Silver Chair." Since it is the Lady of the Green Kirtle who appears in The Silver Chair, some conclude that this must refer to the Green Lady. *The character sketches, however, are recent additions to the books; they were not written by Lewis, and, in this regard, are not supported by Lewis's text.*



Lady of the Green Kirtle - eNotes.com Reference


----------



## Overread (Sep 19, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

Ahh well it was over 17 years ago since I last read the books - might be high time I got a refresher  
However Jadis isn't quite dead though as she does make a small reappearance in the second book (can't remember the title of it now ) (assuming that you take TLTWATW as the first book) though her resummoning is a failed venture.


----------



## digs (Sep 19, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

I did always think that there was some relationship or link between Jadis and the Lady of the Green Kirtle, and there seem to be a lot of hints toward it, but I also assumed it was intended to remain a bit of a mystery, a la Tom Bombadil or Tolkien's other unanswered questions in LotR.



Overread said:


> I'm sure (though I've never actually read it) that Jadis appears as a key character at the Last Battle - her role in Narnia being that of the key evil force the drives through the lands since the time the lands were formed.


That's an interesting point. I'm sure they could work Jadis in somehow based on that idea.


----------



## biodroid (Sep 19, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

I find the Narnia movies to date very underwhelming. I haven't read the books but as a movie I couldn't really be bothered to watch.


----------



## Happy Joe (Sep 19, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

I tend to agree; the creature effects in The Lion... were good but went downhill in the second movie and from Aslan's appearance (obvious CGI) in the trailer, they don't appear to have improved for this one.
The story also took a big hit in the second movie; I'll wait for the DVD on this one.

If these movies continue to decline the old BBC series will end up better (they did some relatively ground braking anamatronics (Aslan) for the time).

Enjoy!


----------



## Riselka (Sep 20, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

I'm just wondering what kind of effect the lack of Disney involvement in this will be.  I have my suspicions that Disney can probably be a bit interfering with the production of a film that has their stamp on it, and wonder if somehow the film will actually benefit from them no longer being involved.


----------



## Pyan (Sep 20, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

Oh, I do hope so - the Battle of the Fords of Beruna in _The Lion, etc_ was the feeblest attempt at showing a major conflict I've ever seen in _any_ film...


----------



## Mouse (Dec 14, 2010)

*re: New "Narnia" film: opinions? (May contain spoilers)*

I've just come back from seeing this. In 3D. Ben Barnes in 3D. *swoon* He's so beautiful I want to pickle him and keep him in a jar. Wait... Too weird?

I thought the film was pretty good. I love the kid who plays Eustace. He was in Son of Rambow too and was awesome in that.

I hate Aslan though. Urgh. Not keen on all the religious stuff either. Loved the dragon though. And the serpent thing was horrible looking.


----------



## Star Girl (Dec 17, 2010)

I'm looking forward to this film so much. I loved the other two films and really have to see this. Plus Ben Barns is just lovely to look at, makes for a very nice King Caspian.


----------



## Mouse (Dec 17, 2010)

Indeedy!


----------



## Dozmonic (Dec 17, 2010)

I'm beginning to suspect someone has a Ben Barnes shrine - or wallpaper at the very least  Enjoyed the first movie, hated the second and, snow allowing, I'll go see the third tomorrow. I never hold out hope that they stick much to original plots, so at least that part won't disappoint me


----------



## Mouse (Dec 17, 2010)

I _may_ have a poster of Prince Caspian on the back of my door... *ahem*

See, I thought the first film was dull. The second good, and I really enjoyed this third one. I've not read the books, but have heard that this is nothing like the book. But meh.


----------



## The Ace (Dec 17, 2010)

Actually no, OR, she's in, 'The Magician's Nephew,' the penultimate book and a prequel (It explains niggly little details like the wardrobe and the lamp-post in Lantern Waste, and tells how she got to Narnia in the first place.).


----------



## Pyan (Dec 17, 2010)

Mouse said:


> Not keen on all the religious stuff either.



The problem is that CS Lewis was a late convert to Catholicism, Mouse, and deliberately wrote the whole series as a sort of "Child's Allegory of the Christian Faith" - I don't know if you've read _The Last Battle_, but the last third of that is like swimming in religious treacle. It must be quite difficult to adapt the books to avoid too much symbolism for a more secular age to watch.


----------



## Teresa Edgerton (Dec 17, 2010)

I saw the movie on Tuesday.  With _Prince Caspian_, I could at least see the reasons for the changes so they didn't annoy me so much (plus we saw so much of the castle, which was awesome -- yes, it's true, I'm willing to sell out my principles as a purist for some great architecture), but with _Dawntreader_ I thought there was nothing gained by the changes and much lost.  They can't blame this one on Disney.

But I'm glad I saw it, because it was pretty to look at.   (Does the ship count as architecture?  It was amazing.)  Thirty or forty years ago I would have had the same reaction to Ben Barnes as Mouse.  (No pickling though!)  And from a grandmotherly perspective, it was nice to see Lucy growing into a lovely young woman.

Lots of sword-fighting, but not a drop of blood in sight.  You'd hate that part, pyan. And when did Lucy learn to use her knife like that?  She must have been practicing at home.

But there were nice things to look at it.  (Did I say that the ship was amazing?)


----------



## Mouse (Dec 17, 2010)

I get all distracted when people mention Ben Barnes...

I thought it was clever how they morphed Lucy into Susan, the actresses really look alike I think.

Pyan, I've not read the books, but I know CS Lewis was a religious fella. I hated the bit in the film when Aslan says 'you will know me by a different name' or 'you must learn my other name' or whatever the line was. It just made me roll my eyes.


----------



## Rosemary (Dec 20, 2010)

I've never really enjoyed watching the film if I have previously read the book.  And I have loved all of the Narnia books!

So much seems to be missing from the film and the characters are not what you imagined them to be.  This can be quite a big let down for me!  

Still I'm not so good at imagining what the Dawntreader might look like, so I shall be looking for this ship which Teresa says is 'amazing'  

Still, once it is finally being broadcast, I shall watch it on the television.


----------



## R M Tobias (Dec 20, 2010)

Was a decent enough film. Was it filmed in Australia? There were plenty of Aussie actors in it including Gary Sweet as Drinian (I couldn't stop laughing at that. Probably didn't bother the rest of the world but the guy is such a rabid pantsman he probably shouldn't be anywhere near a children's story.)

Anyway the thing I enjoyed most about it, as with the other Narnia films, was the lack of Hollywood types which unfortunately seem to infest most cinema releases nowdays. The plotting was a bit hodgepodge, with Edmund and Caspian's arcs somewhat underdeveloped, but the CGI was really effective. Not overblown until the end when it needed to be. 

Overall an enjoyable film. Special mention to Eustace who made the film fresh. I'm fine with the religious imagery, theres nothing wrong with RELIGION per say, even though I heckled Aslan mercilessly throughout. Much better then seeing Shrek 8 or Harry Potter 15 or whatever other stolid, souless tripe is being stuffed down our throats these days.


----------

