Le Monde de Narnia : L'Odyssée du Passeur d'Aurore

It's been an overdose of fantasy for me in the last few days I guess. First, in anticipation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, I watched all the previous ones at a stretch. For this, I had to do a similar thing. Else how would it make any sense ??? The Narnia series, it seems, is shaping up to be the replacement of the Harry Potter series. We all know that Harry Potter is gonna be done with by the next year. That will leave us with the Narnia series, and with four more movies to go, I suppose that's gonna last a long while till another fantasy movie series pops up.

The movie begins with the Pevensies being transported to Narnia "least when they expected". This time, they have their cousin Eustace with them who takes some time to accepting the Narnian world filled with talking creatures and other such wonders. He reacts similar to how the Pevensies did when they first saw Narnia, only he's more scared than surprised. Since they've landed in Narnia unexpectedly, there has to be a reason for it. And there is, and a supposedly good one - one which will not only test their battling skills what with dragons, serpents and storms on the way, but also bring them face to face with their inner demons and fears.

As far as the similarity of the movie's plot with the book goes, I frankly admit to having no idea regarding that. I've viewed the movie as a movie, as a sequel to the first two and as such, won't be able to comment on how well the movie follows the plot of the book. On the surface of it however, the plot is fairly basic but filled with too many characters to confuse someone who isn't familiar with the books. All the cast members perform well though the star of the show has to be Reepicheep the mouse - he is so endearing that you'd often find yourself rooting for him. And then again there's Aslan the Lion who, in my opinion, is the best (CGI) wonder ever created in the Narnian movie universe. His mere presence in a frame makes it stand out. He appears responsible, wise, calm and like a father figure to the Pevensies and others - the character is so greatly conceived that his mere sight makes you respect him. He truly has the aura of a king and rightfully deserves to be one. And Liam Neeson does a fabulous job of voicing him as do the animators on making him appear life-like. And when the soft and soothing background score plays in the background during his presence, you're bound to feel a lump in your throat. You'll definitely hear a child scream "Aslan" in the movie theater when he first arrives.

Visually, the film is simply outstanding. Such is the richness of the effects that it makes me wonder how on earth can the film be made on a budget of "just" $140 million. I mean, the amount of visual effects present in the film and the quality of each shot is simply brilliant - from the dragon to the serpent to the wide shots of The Dawn Treader to the Islands to the waves to Reepicheep the mouse and finally, the great Aslan. Lighting, it seems has improved to the point that it is difficult to tell what is CGI and what is real. The main musical themes have been recycled from the past films which is a great thing since those themes were simply heart touching, especially Aslan's. The set design is also good although as mentioned, it is hard to distinguish between real and digital sets.

Like many movies with excessive VFX, the movie tends to give a slightly more focus to the effects (maybe because it is a children centric film). Although made for children, adults shouldn't find this a reason to stay away from the movie. The movie might tend to get a bit boring at times. And the biggest drawback of the movie is the 3-D which, quite simply, is as good as not there. By all means, you'd be better saving some bucks and watching the movie in 2-D; it might as well also save you a headache. As a matter of fact, the commercial shown during my movie screening had better 3-D that that found in this movie. Despite its drawbacks, it is a good movie and can make for a good viewing with / without family. If not for anything else, I recommend it, For Aslan !!!

Score: 6.5 / 10

Perhaps the most moralistic of C.S. Lewis' Narnia novels would be 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader', which is episodic in style with the Dawn Treader's aimless journey through Narnian seas. Michael Apted takes the helm of direction and brings this adventure to us in 3D; the first for Narnia.

Susan and Peter (King & Queen) have grown up now and reside in America where Narnia has no access. The teenagers Lucy (Georgie Hensley) and Edmund (Skander Keynes) who are in Britain in the midst of WW2, along with their unnerving cousin Eustace (Will Poulter) catch the moving waters in a painting in their room. Soon, the water flows into the room and in a spectacular fashion, they are underwater, only to be pulled up by Prince Caspian in front of the hull of the Dawn Treader. Welcome to Narnia! The trio are briefly introduced to the ship's crew that include the swashbuckling mouse Reepicheep and a Narnian buffalo sailor. Their initial inquiry about Narnia's state of affairs and the Dawn Treader's voyage reveal the book and film's weakness - Prince Caspian admits that there are no problems in Narnia. Peace rules the lands and barring the exploration of the farthest stretches of the waters where Aslan's country mythically exists, the ship has little to do on its voyage. Thus, they decide to go island hopping where, just on the first one, they are taken as prisoners and almost sold as slaves until a heroic rescue by the crew saves the day. It is within the walls of the prison that Prince and Edmund find out about the 7 missing lords and their magical swords. Oh and there's a LOST like smoke monster that devours boats full of slaves.

The most striking aspect about 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader' is that it lacks the mystery, build up and joy of discovery of the first movie. At the same time, it eliminates the excessive CGI and Lord of the Rings inspired battle sequences from the second installment and thus proves to be a closer- to- book adaptation. The focus is on retaining Narnia's adventures as an escape for children with funny bits that are memorable especially the endless picking of Eustace by the witty Reepicheep and the monopodial dwarfs on the island. Deeper into the story's entertaining layers, Evil tempts the protagonists in different ways and overcoming the lure is the didactic experience of C.S. Lewis' edition that is well captured by Michael Apted. Lucy's battle against her temptation to be as beautiful as her sister, Edmund's envy of Prince Caspian's position as the leader and Eustace's greed that draws him to hidden treasures are all lessons to be learnt in the battle of good v/s evil. On one hand, the white witch tempts Edmund to join the evil forces while Aslan, in his Christ like rendition guides Lucy on the right path.

The special effects involving the sea serpent in the cove are excellent and provide an ugly yet thrilling experience in 3D while the magical touches through the book of incarnations and entry to Aslan's country are simply enchanting to look at. Discovery of the 7 lords and their swords is itself a moral journey for everyone and while C.S. Lewis did brilliantly in detailing those aspects, Apted is short of time and just like all Narnian films, this one too falls short of the book's magical effect. But then again, Michael Apted is no Peter Jackson.

The climax is a sad farewell to what we were introduced to just 2 movies ago but The Silver Chair may prove to be an altogether different experience with Eustace. Will Poulter's brilliantly convincing portrayal of the annoying kid is the highlight of the film and the focus on him is a well thought out plan for the upcoming movies. Georgie Hensley IS Lucy as C.S. Lewis had once imagined and therefore, her presence is always charming. The rest of the cast could've done better with more focus on their characters had it not been for the time constraint; which, Apted has wisely been strict about. The shortest of the 3 films, yet least action packed, 'Voyage of the Dawn Treader' betters its predecessor by being closer to the book with moral implications and child-like adventures. The film is beautiful to look at but it leaves you craving for more fun, more adventure and sometimes, more heroism. It is by no means uplifting and we do miss Aslan in action at the required times. This is Aslan's shortest time on screen and that is a tragedy for the film indeed. Nevertheless, for loyal fans of Narnia, this is purely Narnian in essence but not an epic by motion picture standards.

• 7.033 on a scale of 1-10.

The third installment in the big budget Narnian films gives us a more or less solid film with impressive special effects wasted on a hackneyed script and mediocre acting. There are a couple of exceptions in the acting department. The boy playing Eustace hits his mark and the voice work for Reepicheep is handled well. The special effects are dazzling; merging reality with digital almost seamlessly. But my critique of this film is exactly the same as the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe film (I never saw Prince Caspian): The atmosphere is all wrong.

Lighthearted whimsy is exchanged for somberness. A slow paced voyage is traded for a rapid fire adventure that moves so fast, we cannot enjoy the characters nor the moment. This isn't fantasy, it is a special effects reel. Added negatives include the actors, none of whom (Reepicheep excepted) capture any semblance of the royalty they attempt to portray. The actor playing Caspian is especially dimwitted in playing a king. He seems more like a befuddled commoner who learned a few royal gestures at school somewhere. At no time do you feel nor do his men feel like they are in the presence of a great king (which was the case in the book). The movie takes great liberties with the plot of the book, opting instead for a silly new plot about an evil mist which sucks away slaves in boats. This brings about a couple of new side characters (a father and daughter), neither of whom make much of an impression.

What this movie series need is to RECAPTURE THE MOOD OF THE BOOKS and avoid throwing out the plot for a newer one. They can keep the special effects, but temper them with a story that takes its time and is as entranced with its surroundings as the passengers aboard the Dawn Treader were. Are the producers afraid to elevate the material up to the audience, instead of pandering down to short attention spans? It sure seems so. While taken on its own terms the movie is professionally handled, I guarantee the movie would have stuck in the minds of the audience more if greater pains were taken on a good script and good acting. As it is, you watch the film, leave, and then don't remember much afterward.

I was SO looking forward to the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and was sorely disappointed.

The film felt like they took the original story, chopped it up, then threw it in a blender with seven magical swords and some ridiculous green mist!

While the film stayed true to main themes of the story, much of the character development and purpose to each of the minor island stories was lost. Unfortunately this meant that most of the magic of the story was lost as well.

I gave the film 6 stars due to the redeeming qualities that were the stunning visuals, some excellent acting (notably by Will Poulter as Eustace), and a beautifully executed final scene.

If you haven't read the book, then you may enjoy this film immensely, but if you are a true Narnia fan, don't go in with very high expectations.

Today, I checked out the latest entry of the Chronicles of Narnia film franchise based on the books by C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

In this film, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie are currently taking shelter in a home owned by their uncle. But, through the magic of a mysterious painting, they're suddenly brought back into Narnia, and brought aboard the Dawn Treader, the strongest ship of the Narnia armada, but they also bring along their cousin, Eustace. With the help of Caspian, they seek seven legendary swords that can destroy a mysterious new enemy, a deadly green mist.

The film makes good use of its cast, and their performances are fine, and do their best to carry the film. Just like the first two films, Dawn Treader is handsomely produced, boasting impressive production design, costumes, makeup, sound design, and special effects, and some great battle sequences, such as a daring escape from slave traders, and a nail biting final battle with ferocious sea serpents.

But you know what? Those things can't save the film from it's pretty big faults. Most of the magic that seemed to make the first film, and to a lesser extent the second film, so special seems to have been lost through the film's unfocused narrative. This time around the magic feels kind of generic. I also found the editing by Rick Shaine to be inconsistent, as the pace of the film tends to hop infrequently between slow and developmental, to fast and offbeat.

As for David Arnold's score, not only was it a big no no to fire Harry Gregson-Williams, but his score also gets a little derivative at times. I couldn't help but be reminded of Pirates of the Caribbean and Edward Scissorhands at points. There's also a somewhat distracting end credits country tune performed by Carrie Underwood, which by itself is quite lovely, but in the context of the film, feels out of place to the fantasy of Narnia.

It really does seem like the series has gotten worse with each new film. Either the film makers need to get their acts together (And hire a new editor), or they need to hand it to more capable hands.

I give Voyage of the Dawn Treader ** out of ****