Biblical perspectives on contemporary cinema
Friday, May 09, 2008
Andrew Adamson is a gifted storyteller and filmmaker. I loved his Shrek movies and, taken merely at face value, he's done a fine job with the first two Narnia movies.
Based on sheer entertainment, I liked (but didn't love) The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. And now I can say that I like Prince Caspian—which opens May 16—even more. I saw Caspian last week in New York, with Adamson and his cast sitting right behind me. (Kind of cool having the High King Peter on the big screen in front of me while William Moseley, who plays the role, munched on popcorn behind me.)
I love the Chronicles of Narnia, and have read the books many times. I wanted to love these movies. And again, as movies, they're fine; Caspian may be one of the more exciting films I'll see this year.
Unfortunately, these films can't be judged just as movies. They're going to be judged on their faithfulness to the books, and on that front, both films have dropped the ball, to some degree. I don't want to give away too much about Caspian a week before its release, but suffice it to say that some of the plot changes are OK, but some are not. Some of the important themes remain intact, while others are dumbed-down or even practically ignored.
Narnia fans (and C. S. Lewis fans) can be a very picky lot—myself included. I totally understand that some changes have to be made when adapting a book to the big screen. Literal word-for-word and scene-by-scene adaptations—especially of a book like Caspian—simply don't work. But director Adamson and his writing team, while making a very entertaining film, have missed some of the essence of the book.
Adamson well knows that Narnia fans are finicky and hard to please. He even heard a few complaints from me in this recent interview, where he acknowledged that he feels a huge weight of responsibility when adapting these books—especially with Douglas Gresham, Lewis's stepson, hanging around the set to make sure everything is done just right. Adamson and Gresham have had some arguments about the film adaptations, including whether to include Susan in the battle scenes—something Lewis shunned in his books. Adamson won that argument; read more about it here.
Check out our Caspian coverage in this special section, and look for more stories next week. And let us know what you thought of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe here.
Four new reviews this week:
- Speed Racer, an attempt by The Wachowski Brothers (The Matrix trilogy) to bring the popular 1960s Japanese cartoon to the big screen, but it's ultimately a silly, flashy mess that will fail to completely satisfy kids or adults.
- The Fall, a weird and wonderful story of an unlikely friendship between a stuntman and an immigrant girl; the film by Indian director Tarsem is nothing short of a contemporary The Wizard of Oz.
- Surfwise, a fascinating documentary that takes a look at one of the world's more famous (and dysfunctional) surfer families, headed up by 85-year-old legend "Doc" Paskowitz.
- Unsettled, a documentary that's a remarkably well-rounded and compassionate portrayal of how several different Israelis dealt with the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
Also new this week: Reel News reports that Hobbit director Guillermo del Toro discusses the direction he'd like to take with the movie, and confirms that Ian McKellen will return as Gandalf.
See you at the movies,
Mark Moring
Editor, CT Movies
To reply to this newsletter: ctmovies@christianitytoday.com
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REVIEW
Speed Racer
Based on the popular 1960s Japanese anime/cartoon, Speed Racer is ultimately a silly, flashy mess that will fail to completely satisfy kids or adults.
by Russ Breimeier
Rated PG
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REVIEW
The Fall
Weird and wonderful, this story of an unlikely friendship between a stuntman and an immigrant girl is nothing short of a contemporary The Wizard of Oz.
by Brandon Fibbs
Rated R
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REVIEW
Surfwise
This fascinating documentary takes a look at one of the world's more famous (and dysfunctional) family of surfers.
by Brett McCracken
Rated R
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REVIEW
Unsettled
A remarkably well-rounded and compassionate portrayal of how several different Israelis dealt with the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
by Peter T. Chattaway
Not rated
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 Iron Man
A war profiteer has a change of heart and becomes the avenging, metal-clad Iron Man in this new blockbuster film. Download this movie discussion guide to focus on themes of penitence, purpose, and power throughout the film.
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 Expelled
Use this downloadable guide to discuss the themes behind the Intelligent Design—Evolution debate and the importance of academic freedom.
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More discussion guides at
ChristianityTodayMoviesStore.com
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INTERVIEW
The Weight of Story
Director Andrew Adamson, whose latest Narnia movie, Prince Caspian, releases to theaters next week, fully feels the burden to get it just right.
by Mark Moring
REEL NEWS
Del Toro Talks Hobbit, McKellen Returns
The director discusses the direction of the upcoming movie and sequel; Sir Ian to reprise role as Gandalf. Plus: More Expelled hubbub; previewing Prince Caspian; Mel Gibson returns to acting; and much more.
by Josh Hurst
SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS FROM THE MOVIES
Bee Movie: The Importance of Doing Our Part
from PreachingToday.com
Click here for a complete listing of our recent articles.
CT at the Movies
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Prince Caspian opens soon. What did you think of the first Narnia movie, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe?
- Perfect!
- Very Good
- Pretty Good
- Just Okay
- Kinda Lame
- Terrible
- Didn't see it
Vote here, and see how your answer compares to others'.
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Theater or theatre?
- Theater: 50%
- Theatre: 49%
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The Rookie DVD
A high school coach makes a bet with his constantly losing
team that if they win the district championship, he'll try
out for the majors. Based on an inspiring true story.
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Thou Shalt Laugh 2: The Deuce, DVD
Yes, clean can be funny, and this hilarious set of
performance proves it! Features Tim Conway, Bone, Taylor
Mason, Thor Ramsey, and SNL alum Victoria Jackson.
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Though None Go With Me, DVD
Cheryl Ladd stars as a woman whose faith and strength
remain constant despite the sorrows and tragedies that
befall her. From the heartwarming novel by Jerry Jenkins.
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