Narnia

[planet]

I liked the series when I read the books as a kid. I am thinking of getting a sitter and going to see the movie. This seemingly small outing would actually be huge for me (you know- the broke, I have a million things to do routine) so I do not want to waste it if the movie is no good. If anyone sees it can you please leave a review ? Thanks. Janet

[Rapunzel]

Saw it.

Loved it.

It definitely remains fairly true to the book and that means it has a ton of religious analogies. But, you can still watch it and enjoy it without knowing about or caring about any of the religious symbolism. In fact, it's just really good as a story on its own and the scenes are all very well done.

Jennifer

You dont' really get much of the religious stuff until later books IMO, but I loved the BBC version and I've heard this is much better.

We'll probably see it when we go to the folks for Christmas.

[Rapunzel]

There was actually one scene in the movie that I never realized the religious symbolism for in the book: The resurrection of the just immediately after the Lord's resurrection in the New Testament. That scene in the movie/book is: Aslan brings back to life (melts, awakens, call it what you will) all of the creatures who have been faithful to him and have suffered death because of that via being turned to stone.

But, yeah, you won't notice the religious symbolism unless you want to.

Jennifer

[Liz2254]

My mother allowed me to read these books as a kid because of the religious symbolism... and I still managed to forget all about it while watching the movie. BF and I agree that it was very good.

[houseelf]

Excellent, awesome movie. I can't wait to reread the books with DS.

However, this is NOT a kids movie. The battle scenes were pretty graphic. (Coming from a somewhat liberal parent who allowed her 5 year old to see HP GOF because he read all the books). In fact, the battle scenes are as graphic as some R movies. I wish I would have heeded more advice and NOT taken my almost six year old. He wasn't scared at all (thankfully) but I was horrified when he came home and reenacted battle scenes with his light saber. (Bad, bad mommy).

kelly

[PrincessFiona]

He wasn't scared at all (thankfully) but I was horrified when he came home and reenacted battle scenes with his light saber. (Bad, bad mommy).

kelly

:>

I think the first few minutes were the scariest, because THAT stuff really happened. We saw it on Christmas, and didn't take Tim. About a minute into it we were glad we hadn't.

As soon as we're unpacked we'll start reading the series.

[houseelf]

O.K. I googled Narnia to find out that it was rated PG, as I suspected. I have to say that I can't BELIEVE that it is not PG13, when HP GOF and Spiderman were PG13. Narnia was more violent than HP and as violent as Spiderman. Was this Disney's doing?

Again, this is a great movie, I just wasn't prepared for this and would have at least considered it more thoroughly before taking my child.

Kelly

[mommax3]

I was a little worried about the violence aspect because we wanted to take all three boys....the youngest is only four, and I thought it might be too much for him. We ended up going with my in-laws, and my MIL volunteered to take Nathan out if he got scared, since she had already seen it. He ended up not having any trouble with it, but I think he was pretty bored by the movie in general. Every child is different, that's for sure! It would have been too much for my oldest at the same age, I know.

I guess I tend to agree with the rating. The battle scenes were violent, but not as violent as any of the LOTR movies, which are PG-13, and it wasn't as "scary" as "Pirates of the Caribbean", which was also PG-13. I don't let my older two watch those movies while Nathan is around, because some of the images in those are custom-made for a 4 year-old's nightmares.

Sally

[PrincessFiona]

I just got finished eating lunch in the lunchroom at Alex's school, and the entire table was talking about Narnia. The little boy in front of me was saying "yah, and the white witch knew she was going to pay the consequences...and she died....yah...she disappeared".

Alex asked "was there blood?"

"Yaaaah. It was so coool"

So...you aren't alone, Kelly.

kris

[cylverdust]

narnia

BF and I went to see this movie with a friend. I liked it but did not love it. It did have very good christian analogies but it was to violent for little ones I think.
It was a good movie and one worth seeing I have to say

Cheryl

[Rapunzel]

We took all five children (ages 9, 6, 6, 3, and a few months) with us to the theater for this one.

Absolutely no problems with the violence. And, we don't let our children see anything above a PG rating. If your kids can make it through an old Donald Duck or Tom and Jerry or Looney Tunes episode they'll be fine with this particular movie. It's "bloodless" in that no actual killing is shown up close and there isn't blood spewing everywhere (no guts, no grossness, no disgusting cracking/slurping/gurgling death noises ). The important scenes of the witch and Aslan both meeting their deaths aren't even shown (the camera is pointed in another area when they are both killed in different scenes). Definitely not any more violent than Tom and Jerry.

It's honestly NOT a very violent movie and I'm surprised that anyone would consider it that way! Yes, there are a couple of battle scenes - but they are on-par with a child's imagination-version of what an actual battle would be like (in other words - not realistic).

[SueC]

This movie is awesome! Surprisingly, my girls weren't remotely afraid, even during the one scene that was kind of scary. We purchased it and have probably watched it 4 or 5 times by now in the past few weeks.

[Sheherezade]

The 9 year old loved it. I had to leave the theatre twice with my 6 year old. The "sacrifice" of Aslan freaked her out. I don't think GoF was more violent than this - so I'm surprised that GoF got the PG-13 and Narnia didn't. Still, I have been told that PG-13 is actually the most coveted rating, because older kids and teens want to see PG-13 movies. They shun the "kiddie" stuff that's just PG. Maybe GoF wanted a PG-13 rating?