A sometimes-delightful blend of schlock, pretentious throw-away phrases that were so “weighty” they frankly seemed comedic, but with some touching moments, as the boy, who made a better dragon, comes to his senses. His transformation seems to be the heart of the film. Yet I often asked, “What’s the point here?” Where is the story? Frankly, I felt it was a series of creative images in search of a clear purpose.
The music is lush and so is 3-D imagery, but most everything seemed slightly strained and often without depth.
Though Georgie Henley (Lucy) continues to bring a wide-eyed innocence to her role, but now with a wiser and more mature demeanor.
For me, the delightful part of the story featured Will Poulter (Eustace Scrubb), a snot, if ever there was one, full of disdain for his cousins who are forced by the war to stay with his parents while their parents have gone to America. He’s a delightful actor who totally captures the arrogant snobbery of the well-bred, those who have no time for Narnia, religion’s “cultured despisers,” as Schleiermacher called them.
Yet he’s drowned, if you will, in a sort of baptism, but is transformed by his own greed into a fire-breathing dragon, who finds his courage and his faith, and ultimately is redeemed, comes to the defense of his friends and saves the day.
One of the great animation characters is, of course, our noble-hearted mouse, Reepicheep, voiced touchingly by Simon Pegg.
The flim ends well.
Lucy and Eustace and Edmund return to their world, richer and stronger, knowing that Aslan is a part of their world, though known by another name, even as they were a part of his world for awhile.
Can’t say this gets a high endorsement from me, but if you’re fan of C.S. Lewis and have seen the other two installments, it’s worth seeing.
Worth seeing in the theater?
Sure. Go ahead and get some popcorn.
