Review: Chronicles of Narnia
I read the books in 5th grade so from what I can remember of the books, the movie was pretty faithful. I’d have to re-read the books to judge accurately. I do think that there was no professor in the books and the wardrobe was in his study. Minor point. There were alot of different aspects and events in this movie that made me think and reflect. This might ruin the movie for you but you should know that it is a Christian allegory and the books have been around forever so it’s your own fault for not reading them by now. 
My reflections:
I loved Lucy’s character – she reminded me of childlike faith. She’s the first to believe. She trusts Thomas and affects his heart. She win’s him to the good side. She loves her brother Edmond – she’s the first to welcome him back. She loves Aslan – she wanted to use her potion on him and it was her idea to follow him. You could feel the love she has for Aslan as she cries over him and seeks him at the end while he walks away on the beach. Truely child-like faith. We need to love Jesus and others like this.
The dynamics of the Pevensie family models real life and our spiritual families. They said and did things to push Edmond away. Their lack of love and care drove him to the White Witch where he sought temporary satisfcation from worldy pleasures. How often do we turn people away by the way we act causing them to look for love elsewhere. How often are people driven away from God because his children drive them away.
Satan crafts such convincing lies. The White Witch tells Edmond what he wants to hear. She plays his anger towards Peter to win his heart. Such sweet lies warps his thinking, even when he finds out that she’s evil.
Sin might be satisfying but it’s so empty. I loved the scene when Edmond first encounters the White Witch. She makes him some hot drink and Turkish delights. They bring a smile to his face and bring him great pleasure but when Ginarrbrik throws the cup, it turns back to snow. Sin is emptiless and lacks substance. It might have satisfied him at the moment, but all it was is snow. And he craved it for the rest of the movie. It’s so addictive. That pleasure, empty pleasure that must be continually replenished because it’s so fleeting.
The life Edmond was promised was not what he received from the White Witch. He was promised kingship but he jailed and bound. He was promised rooms full of turkish delights but received stale bread and frozen water. Following the lies of the Enemy lead to an empty life. Empty promises leave us unsatisfied and imprisoned and clinging on to a hope that will never be fulfilled. True fulfillment is only found in Christ, when Edmond has his fill of toast and becomes a true king of Narnia.
Lucy encounters Father Christmas. He gives her a small little dagger. The Word is the sword of the spirit and it’s only as powerful a weapon as the wielder can use it. If that’s how I handle it, it’s only a dagger in my hand, wow. There’s a war out there and a small little dagger like that won’t do anything. It was rebuking thinking about what the Word of God looks like in my hands. I makes me think of P.Min during Market Place describing it.
Peter gets the real deal. But even then, he doesn’t know how to really use it. The way he uses it in the beginning against the wolves vs. the end when he uses it in battle. The difference betweening knowing/having, and being trained with the Word. I want the Word of God to be a mighty weapon to which I can withstand and engage the Enemy.
Susan gets a bow and it reminds me the passage “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.” – Psalms 127:4-5. I just thought it was funny that as I saw the movie, and thought of Susan’s motherly nature, her weapon is the analogy to children. Haha – draw your conclusions from here lest I get berated for being chauvinistic.
Peter comes to the rescue of Susan and Lucy against the two wolves. Aslan takes care of one but says to let Peter to handle this by himself. I thought of our engagement with sin and temptation. He’s right there, he’ll help us in need and won’t let us take on more than we are able. But we need to learn how to fight. If Aslan protected him, he may not have been prepared for war. In the same way, we need to learn how to fight and overcome so we will be prepared for bigger challenges.
Before the battle begins, the White Witch says “Take no prisoners.” Isn’t that the attitude of war? There are no prisoners in this struggle of ours. We’re fighting for the souls of men and Satan has a take no prisoner attitude. Life and death is on the line for people. We need to take the spiritual state of people seriously because their life and soul is at stake.
Peter asks Oreius, his duel-wielding Centuar commander, “Are you with me?” “To the death”, responds Oreius and they lead the rush into the Enemy. When Peter falls down during the retreat and the Enemy is coming, Oreius turns around and rushes headlong to protect his king. He feeds my heart. Loyalty to the death. He fights to his death to save his friend. Do I fight to my “death” for my friends? When the battle looks bleak and they’re struggling, do I rush headlong to their aid forgetting the cost? I want friends like this. I need to be this kind of friend.
Peter draws swords with the White Witch and she man-handles him. It just goes to show how strong the Devil is and we cannot overcome without Christ. Aslan comes to his rescue when the outcome looks bleak. He won’t let us die.
As the battle rages on, and at times it looks grime, I remember that the Battle is already won. The outcome is already determined. In our struggle, it looks grim at times, we fall and feel defeated. We need to remember, I need to remember, that the battle is already won. We will triumph in the and I want to be standing my ground on that day.
Aslan frees those who the White Witch turned into stone. As he goes around the castle breathing new life into them, I am reminded of this reference: “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” – Isaiah 42:6-7. He comes to set the captives free and breathes new life into us so that we can fight and stand by his side. He frees us from the prison of sin and the grip of the Enemy.