Pssssst! Yeah, over here. Word on the street is you’re lookin’ for the scoop on the third Narnia movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I hear you want to know if it’s entertaining. You’re curious about whether the move from Disney to 20th Century Fox is good for the franchise. You’re hoping this film does a better job than Prince Caspian of communicating the spiritual themes in C.S. Lewis’s books. Well, it just so happens that Plugged In was part of the very first screening anywhere this side of Narnia, held last week in Colorado Springs.
Now, I’m not at liberty to tell you too much. If I step outta line, the studio’ll send a guy with no neck to fix my thumbs so I can’t type anymore. But I can tell you this: The third time is definitely a charm for the Chronicles of Narnia movies. I loved it, both as an adventure yarn and as a story full of messages that matter. In fact, all things considered, Dawn Treader may be the most fun entry in the series. Seriously.
I know what you’re thinking; How can anything beat the Gospel parallels in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? Good point. But despite the deep, biblical significance of Aslan’s sacrifice at the Stone Table (I still get choked up when I see it), there’s a heaviness to that allegory that keeps Wardrobe from being the flat-out popcorn-muncher that Dawn Treader is. And this chapter hits the ground running—less introduction, more exploration. The film also has a lot to say about being yourself, fighting temptation, redemption birthed of repentance, and avoiding envy, pride and greed.
In the movie, Edmund, Lucy and their disagreeable cousin Eustace find themselves sailing with Caspian’s crew on a mission to gather mystical swords and undo the forces of evil, which include a really cool sea monster. Great special effects. It’s a solid PG that I can’t wait to see again with my family when it opens Dec. 10.
So tell me, are you looking forward to checking out Dawn Treader? What did you think of the first two movies? And if you’ve read the fantasy novels by C.S. Lewis, how have the film adaptations succeeded or failed in your opinion?
Ut oh. Gotta go. I think I see the guy with no neck.
For more on Voyage of the Dawn Treader, as well as reviews of Megamind and the new Taylor Swift album, check out this week’s Official Plugged In Podcast.
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