My Review of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

I'm sorry that it has taken me a while to get this up, but I have been debating how much to tell you about the movie. I will try not to spoil it for you too much. :)

Overall, I enjoyed VDT. It was much, much better than PC (especially since Caspian loses the Inigo Montoya wannabe accent!), but I think it was not quite as good as LWW.

The movie is only 1 hour and 50 minutes, the filmmakers cut out things that they could have used to flesh it out. They did get some things quite right but also added and played around with other things.

The character of Eustace was well done, he actually was not as bratty as I thought he might have been. He was actually enjoying himself there for a while. :) And Dragon Eustace was very nice. His transformation from dragon to boy by Aslan, while different from the books, was well done.

Probably the biggest problem I have is the addition of a strange green mist. The dark island is made up of this green mist and it apparently symbolyzes tempatation. The White Witch again makes an apperance as green mist, and the very stupid sea serpant that the crew struggle to keep from crushing Dawn Treader is morphed into a slightly creepy creation of the green mist which creates the epic battle of the movie.

There was also the addition of needing to find the seven swords of the seven missing lords in order to defeat the green mist. And a little girl named Gael who wants to find her mother who was swollowed up by the green mist. (Gael's father coming, good. Gael coming as an eight year old stowaway...totally unneccessary and almost distracting.)

The best part about the movie was the ending. Rheepicheep's joyful farewell and sailing away to Aslan's Country was beautiful. The Children's farewell to Aslan was beautifully sweet and sad, especially as Lucy and Edmund said goodbye to Narnia for the last time. And the filmmakers did get one thing perfectly right. Aslan's line where he told the children that he was in their world too was beautiful, perfect, sweet, sad, melencholy, hopeful and brought tears to my eyes.

I encourage all of you to go and see it. VDT needs to be supported or else this will be the last Narnia installment. The price of tickets is expensive, but it is money well spent. Merry Christmas and sail on with the Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Awaiting The Voyage of the Dawn Treader...

I have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the 3rd movie installment of CS Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." While circumstances (meaning my busy school schedule and lack of money for airfare and such!) did not permit my attendance at the World Premiere in London with the Queen of England in attendance (!), I do plan on attending the opening night of VDT.

To say that I am on pins and needles would be an understatement. I have been waiting for this movie ever since the credits first rolled on Prince Caspian. Prince Caspian turned out to be rather a dissapointment. I had dearly hoped for visualization of one of my favorite passages where Aslan leads the Pevensies and Trumpkin along the the River Rush and slowly, as their eyes of faith permit, becomes visible to each. However, that was omitted, and several other unnecssary parts elaboratly added. As one of my friends recently said, "It is tolerable if you keep reminding yourself that this is an alternitative reality, like fanfiction!"

I have high hopes for VDT and trust that I will not be dissapointed. (Although, with Hollywood involved, that is a very large possibility...) There are a number very beautiful and poingant passages that, if well done, will carry CS Lewis's Christianity and amazing story into the forefront of everyone's minds and stay there, niggling at our brains and reminding all of us of who Aslan really is. I end with words from the great writer himself, CS Lewis:

""It isn't Narnia, you know," sobbed Lucy. "It's you. We shan't meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?" "But you shall meet me, dear one." said Aslan. "Are--are you there too, Sir?" said Edmund. "I am," said Aslan. "But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This is the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.""