The Chronicles of Narnia: How an adaptation should be
The Chronicles of Narnia can be watched on Disney+
Watched November 4, 2024 → November 9, 2024
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While I never finished reading the Chronicles of Narnia, I did read the parts that were adapted into movies. While I cannot exactly remember what I thought of those book, I do know that the movies are absolutely fantastic. They are full of nostalgia and are honestly a perfect example of a brilliant adaptation.
The Chronicles of Narnia starts with the introduction of the four Pevensie siblings: Peter, Susan, Edward and Lucy. To keep them save from the war, their mother sends them somewhere in the countryside to live with a professor. While they almost never see the professor, they have access to his huge mansion. While playing a game of hide and seek, Lucy goes to hide in a wardrobe. Slowly walking backwards to hide behind the coats, she finds herself in a landscape covered in snow. Here, she meets a faun named Tumnus and has tea with him.
She returns to her siblings and is afraid they might be worried, because she was away for so long. However, she finds out that no time has passed while she was in the wardrobe and none of her siblings believe her when she talks about Narnia. At night, she goes back to visit Tumnus and is secretly followed by Edmund, who meets the White Witch. She wins Edmund over by promising to make him king (and feeding him Turkish delight), as long as he comes back with all of his siblings.
All the siblings come to Narnia, but when Lucy tries to introduce them to Tumnus, they find out he was arrested. A couple of beavers tell them what happened, and while Susan and Peter believe Lucy, Edmund goes to find the Witch. However, she is not pleased to see him by himself and he gets locked in a cell. Peter, Susan and Lucy go on a journey to find Aslan’s army. This army is trying to defeat the White Witch, and the Pevensie siblings will try to help them by fulfilling the prophecy and bringing a Golden Age to Narnia.
The siblings are all reunited when Aslan’s army frees Edmund from the grasp of the White Witch. However, she demands him back, as by the rules of Narnia. Aslan decides to sacrifice himself for Edmund. The Pevensie siblings therefore try to continue the mission on their own. Susan and Lucy go to see if there is anything they can do for Aslan, and Peter and Edmund start the battle to defeat the Witch.
I will not share more about this movie, as to not spoil the ending. I will also not share what happens in the second and third movie, apart from the fact that the siblings return to Narnia when they are needed. Their adventures in these movies are completely different, because as Aslan says, “nothing happens the same way twice.”
These movies are honestly some of the best adaptations I have seen, especially the first two movies. What I think makes them so strong is that they take their time. The movies are quite long, but that allows them to really build up the story and create a beautiful atmosphere. It is how an adaptation should be. That is also why the third movie is the weaker one of the three. The movie is a lot shorter and it makes the story feel a bit rushed.
The Chronicles of Narnia is pure nostalgia to me. They are long, but that is what great about them. It is not a quick watch, you need to take your time. It introduces you to Narnia, the characters and the wonderful atmosphere. It is absolutely amazing and I highly recommend you to watch it.
