The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

Uncompromising in its vision and with an unyielding grip on the source material, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe honors C.S. Lewis and rewards longtime fans of the source material.

The film is effective at establishing the sibling dynamic, with good performances and chemistry aiding this. Peter is the sensible if sometimes severe center of the siblings, Edmund remains the black sheep due to bad behaviour, Susan serves as the group's brain, and Lucy acts as its heart and soul, purest in her belief of Narnia.

The mansion is drab as a choice; it effectively contrasts with the strong visual identity of Narnia. It also puts us in the headspace of our characters: far-flung from Finchley, they are bored. The titular wardrobe depicted in the film was torn straight from the page, evoking a sense of both age and intricacy. Entry to Narnia is appropriately fantastic and mystical, with the music matching the second entry to Narnia in particular, with perfect timing and tone.

Tilda Swinton exceeds expectations as the menacing White Witch. She conveys all the appropriate qualities: forbidden beauty, physical imposition, and the ability to deliver words laced with either honey or venom.

And while Tumnus, played by James McAvoy, has a sinister motive, the first exchange between him and Lucy is depicted with measured gentleness. McAvoy manages to successfully convey ill-intent, an uncertain front of kindness, and guilt.

James Broadbent's limited time on screen is a delight, playing Professor Digory, the owner of the mansion and the wardrobe. Once again tearing pages straight from the novel, the film succeeds in delivering his argument: If Lucy is not lying (and she does not seem to be), and she is not prone to fancy or madness (which she is not), then logically she must be telling the truth. This is significant, as it is a version of C.S. Lewis' argument about Jesus Christ: "Liar, lunatic, or Lord". This shows not just a literal but a philosophical fidelity to the source.

This film is in possession of the definitive cinematic take on Aslan. Beyond being well-rendered, he is well believably animated and lumbers like a real lion; his face possesses an impossible expressiveness. Liam Neeson's deep and authoritative voice lends credibility to Aslan as a powerful force to be reckoned with. Aslan also has important theological underpinnings that the film chose to respect. Aslan insists on sacrificing himself, and is resurrected, mirroring scripture. Many Biblical parallels and ideas are present throughout the movie. For example, food is used as temptation with Edmund, just as in Eden, and Aslan speaks the words of Christ at one point: "It is finished."

As a weakness, not all our creature offerings look equally impressive. Those grounded in practical effects generally fared well; those based on CGI are more hit or miss. There is nothing visually egregious, but some moments will be significantly more convincing than others.

Valiant, just, gentle and magnificent, our heroes live out many Narnian years before their return. The Professor inquires about their activities. Peter assures him that he will not believe them. The Professor simply leans in with a challenging smile and says, "Try me."

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a timeless story of the importance of play, personal faith, and everything in between. This film is a highly worthy adaptation and will serve as a benchmark for future attempts.