The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe
The children are our future

// The skinny: After hitman Chevy Chelios is lethally poisoned, he realizes that the only way to stay alive is to keep his adreneline pumping.

// Review: Only a few chapters into the book I decided to go ahead and watch the movie first to avoid the common let down of the movie not living up to the book. I know that this is a children's story. I know children are supposed to act petty, cowardly, stupid, and are supposed to scream at all of the wrong times. Knowing this, I still couldn't help but to be distracted at how annoying the children in this movie were. I can understand how character weakness can be used as a plot device for latter redemption, but it just came off as contrived.

/ For families, I highly recommend watching this. It is a tamer, bloodless version of the Lord of the Rings. Even though there is an epic battle at the end, I don't even think anyone actually died. You didn't need to have read the book to be able to predict how each scene was going to unfold. I really wanted to be touched, but the only emotion this film sparked was hatred and frustration with the kids. I can accept a realm of total fantasy but I find it frustrating when a movie betrays its own rules. For example, Peter wields his sword like a 40 pound mop, but magically during the last battle he's swinging it like Duncan McCloud in Highlander. There was even a scene where it seemed like the director was obviously foreshadowing a plot twist, but then it never materialized leaving me confused and irritated.

// Wrap up: This is a very campy romp through fantasy land. Think of it as a G rated version of LOTR and half as dark as the last couple Harry Potters. Christians with expectations that this would be evangelistic will be grossly disappointed. Families expecting clean wholesome Hollywood endings adventure won't.

Entertainment rating: 3