Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...

I’ll have my own take on NARNIA up tomorrow at some point, and I’m sure Harry’s going to be weighing in as well, but for now, here’s MiraJeff, one of our most trusted reviewers, with his look at the long-awaited fantasy epic:

Greetings AICN, MiraJeff here with a look at The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It appears C.S. Lewis can rest easy. The late author is famous for once saying he’d never endorse a live-action adaptation of his best-selling fantasy novel, but if he saw the sheer wonder that is the land of Narnia, I’m fairly certain even he would have a tough time being unimpressed with this visually dynamic and faithful adaptation of his classic children’s tale. Director Andrew Adamson (Shrek 2) has made a whimsical fairy tale that’s the perfect family film for the holidays. With seven books in Lewis’ series, Disney has high hopes for the Narnia franchise, which gets off to a great start with this film largely due to the spot-on casting of the four Pevensie children, especially 10 year-old Georgie Henley as the youngest, Lucy.

The story follows our soon-to-be-heroes as they escape blitzkrieg bombing in Great Britain and eventually find their way through a magical wardrobe into the beautiful, snow-covered land of Narnia. While visiting, Lucy befriends half-goat/half-man Mr. Tumnus (James McAvoy) and rebellious Edmund (Skandar Keynes) is lured into a trap by Jadis the White Witch (a delicious Tilda Swinton), an evil villainess who wants to steal control of Narnia from its revered king, Aslan the Lion (a majestic Liam Neeson).

Along the way, the foursome enlists the aid of several CGI-creatures including Mr. Beaver (Ray Winstone), Fox (Rupert Everett), and an army of arrow-slinging minotaurs. Inevitably, good and evil clash in a fierce battle that proudly showcases Harry Gregson-Wagner’s rousing score, but although Adamson delivers some spectacularly entertaining sequences, none are quite as epic as anything in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, or for that matter, King Kong.

As far as the cast goes, Anna Popplewell does what she can with Susan, but as the motherly figure of the family, she isn’t given that much to do besides worry about her more active siblings. Skandar Keynes makes the role of Turkish-delight-loving Edmund his own, though its co-star William Moseley who best captures our attention and imagination. And as I said before, Henley embodies little Lucy Pevensie, and carries herself with a maturity uncommon for her age. At the film’s press junket, she effortlessly entertained table after table of journalists. As Aslan, Neeson’s voice demands to be heard, and is a welcome substitute for Brian Cox, who initially recorded Aslan’s dialogue but had it removed when Adamson decided it didn’t sound right for the character. Swinton delivers a wicked performance, playing the White Witch with an emotional coldness that may be too scary for young children, though adults will find her evilness convincing.

While it is true that Lewis’ novel is widely regarded as a sort of Christian allegory, with Aslan standing in for Jesus Christ, the religious undertones of the book thankfully remain below the surface of the story, and in no way impact the enjoyment of the film. In fact, Narnia is the type of film that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, regardless of whether or not they’ve read the book. Of course, hardcore fans of the novel will notice several small changes in the film, including an emphasis on the importance of family, as well a more active role for the girls during the climactic battle scene. The novel kept the Pevensie girls in the background more, as Lewis didn’t think it would be proper for women to fight. Unlike a Harry Potter book, The Chronicles of Narnia was only about 200 pages, so the film’s pacing is tight and effective. Special attention should be paid to the magnificent job the special effects team did with Aslan’s golden mane, as well as the pack of menacing wolves that does the Witch’s evil bidding. While Narnia may be aimed at a younger crowd, it is an incredibly fun film that should tide you over until King Kong next week. By the way, I attended the Kong premiere with Quint on Monday night and let me tell you, it’s the best film Jackson’s ever done. I’ll be back soon with my Kong review, as well as a look at The Matador, Hoodwinked, Wolf Creek, and Grandma’s Boy.

‘Til then, that’s all folks.

Thanks, man.

"Moriarty" out.