C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a classic in my book. I remember reading it and how I felt when Aslan was helping rip off Eustace’s scales by pawing at the ground. The acting is another highlight. Seeing Edmund and Lucy grown up, with Peter and Susan no longer part of the Narnia story, made it easier to focus on how well Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) carried the movie as the new leads. Their performances, along with Prince/King Caspian’s (Ben Barnes) dashing presence, made the trio a strong anchor for the film.
The story stays
true to the book, and the filmmakers did their best to ensure the lessons from
the book weren’t hidden or overlooked. As a standalone movie—watching it
without reading the book first—it holds its own. The acting was good, the
cinematography excellent, and the visual effects captivating enough to keep you
glued.
The Chronicles
of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader takes place three years after the
events of Prince Caspian. Lucy and Edmund Pevensie are staying with their
cousin, Eustace Scrubb, who is by far the most annoying and irritating brat
they’ve ever met. Edmund keeps trying to enlist in the war but is too young to
join His Majesty’s Armed Forces, while Lucy wishes she could be as beautiful as
her sister, Susan.
At their
cousin’s home, a painting of a ship on the ocean transports Lucy, Edmund, and
Eustace into Narnia’s waters. There, they’re rescued by the ship in the
painting and meet Prince Caspian, now King, aboard the Dawn Treader. He’s
on a voyage to find the seven Lords of Narnia, whom his uncle Miraz banished.
Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a good movie, I must warn you the Christian themes aren’t hidden, but they did not gel with the movie, felt forced in. Then pacing also feels uneven, with some slower moments that make the story drag. While the visual effects are captivating, the plot doesn't quite have the same impact as the earlier Narnia films. Compared to the other Narnia movies, this one takes third place behind the first two.
The sad part is that we may have to wait years before we see another Chronicles of Narnia story, as Walden Media has lost the rights to C.S. Lewis’ books. It is funny how I do not see how any of the movies or books, can be an answer to The Lord of the Rings.
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