The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Plot

The four Pevensie children—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—leave war-torn London in tears only to be drawn into a fantastical battle between good and evil when Lucy stumbles upon an ornately carved wardrobe that acts as a portal into the world of Narnia. There, she meets, Mr. Tumnus, a kindly faun, who tells her how the wicked White Witch has cursed Narnia with 100 years of an unending winter and no Christmas. When she returns to the sanctuary of home away from home, her siblings do not believe her until they too enter the wardrobe and the world of Narnia, where creatures from mythology and beasts of the wild talk and work together.

Edmund is tempted by the White Witch to betray his siblings by promises of sweet treats and becoming king. When the Pevensie children will not follow him to the White Witch, he goes alone, and she takes him captive.

The three remaining children learn from Beaver that they are destined to become rulers of Narnia and free them from the endless winter, but the children are only concerned with rescuing Edmund and returning home. With the help of Beaver, they set out to find Aslan, the lion leader who is raising troops to free Narnia from the White Witch’s rule. It is only with his help that they rescue Edmund and develop the strength and conviction to fight for the freedom of Narnia.

Not Just for Kids

While The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe may be based on a children’s fantasy series, this movie is not meant for everyone. The movie is rated PG for good reason. The movie climaxes in a major battle of man and beast, and other minor scenes feature the White Witch’s cruelty toward the captive Edmund and the attack of a fox by a pack of wolves. There is also a pivotal scene where the kindly lion Aslan is sacrificed on an altar before his enemies.

Narnia Movie Review

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe evolves from a group of loosely related character actors into a story in which the actors dissolve into the background and the characters shine through as a cohesive collection of finely interwoven personalities. The visual effects are engaging, and Aslan will always stand out as a favorite. The voice of Liam Neeson comes through as both fatherly and masterful. Tilda Swinton as the White Witch is the epitome of frozen evil, lacking in any true warmth. It is a combination of her performance and the skillfully created wardrobe, including an ice crown that appears to grow out of her hair, that leaves the movie watcher chilled.

Box Office Response

Per Box Office Mojo, The Chronicles of Narnia has grossed $244,839,000 as of January 2, 2006. That makes it the fourth highest grossing film of 2005 in the USA, and it had the third largest opening week gross of all movies released in 2005.