December 28, 2010
A step back into Narnia is a step backwards for the C S Lewis franchise. Lacking the sparkling fantasy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the grown-up promise of Prince Caspian, Dawn Treader seeks the more infantile path to box office success.
Sporadically fun and spectacular, you can tell that Andrew Adamson’s jumped ship as the film's director. The Shrek-meister brought an edgy verve and spirit to the first two films. Michael Apted brings a leaden hand and foot as deft plotting and quirky characters give way to dodgy CGI and pedestrian pacing. Almost un-made following Caspian’s poor box office, you can see why Dawn Treader goes back to basics. Ditching much of Lewis’ story in favour of a seek-the-seven-swords macguffin, it’s a rollercoaster ride that reminds you how good other rides are, rather than thrilling you with its own twists and turns.
Lucy Pevensie (the ever-impressive Georgie Henley) and her brother Edmund (Caspian’s scene-stealer Skander Keynes), have been billeted on their peevish cousin Eustace to avoid the London blitz. Edmund, a king in Narnia, wants to enlist but is too young. Lucy hankers for a return to Narnia and Aslan. All three are in for a shock when the sea-tossed ship in a painting on their wall begins to move. Suddenly, with the ocean flooding their bedroom, Narnia is back and they’re on board the Dawn Treader with Caspian at the helm.
Will Poulter (Son of Rambow) has a blast as Eustace, spot on as Lewis’ huffy, stuck-up prig. He also has the most to do - coming to terms with talking animals and minotaurs for instance. And sword fighting – in one of the film's best comic scenes – with Caspian’s right-hand mouse Reepicheep voiced by Simon Pegg (less effectively than Eddie Izzard in Caspian). Coming to terms with selfishness, this is Eustace’s story and the Pevensies' last. Lucy is still in her big sister’s shadow, growing into a woman yet afraid to be herself. Their inner journeys play out against Caspian’s own search for Narnia’s lost lords and swords.
Walden Media specialises in morality movies and this one’s ultra-safe. A bit too safe for a wide audience. Full of effects, quaint humour and action, it’s still paddling-pool stuff, fine for tots and tweenies. But after Caspian’s brush with battles and Harry Potter’s trend for films to grow up with their audience, Dawn Treader feels outdated and a bit too preachy. Not Lewis’ fault. This is a franchise in retreat, never living up to the colourful promise of its poster. But with an exciting dragon fight, some goofy moments and some bright sunlit photography, it has sheen if not substance. And it does keep some of Lewis’ best imagery.
Skander Keynes betrays his uncertainty as to whether to continue a movie career. So it’s up to Georgie Henley and Will Poulter to keep the film afloat. And they do. But you long for Adamson’s wit and sparkle, a bit of wink-wink, and rug-pulling. Dawn Treader is a join-the-dots movie and passes the time agreeably. But it needs to do more than that to save the Chronicles of Narnia from ending at book three.
Sporadically fun and spectacular, you can tell that Andrew Adamson’s jumped ship as the film's director. The Shrek-meister brought an edgy verve and spirit to the first two films. Michael Apted brings a leaden hand and foot as deft plotting and quirky characters give way to dodgy CGI and pedestrian pacing. Almost un-made following Caspian’s poor box office, you can see why Dawn Treader goes back to basics. Ditching much of Lewis’ story in favour of a seek-the-seven-swords macguffin, it’s a rollercoaster ride that reminds you how good other rides are, rather than thrilling you with its own twists and turns.
Lucy Pevensie (the ever-impressive Georgie Henley) and her brother Edmund (Caspian’s scene-stealer Skander Keynes), have been billeted on their peevish cousin Eustace to avoid the London blitz. Edmund, a king in Narnia, wants to enlist but is too young. Lucy hankers for a return to Narnia and Aslan. All three are in for a shock when the sea-tossed ship in a painting on their wall begins to move. Suddenly, with the ocean flooding their bedroom, Narnia is back and they’re on board the Dawn Treader with Caspian at the helm.
Will Poulter (Son of Rambow) has a blast as Eustace, spot on as Lewis’ huffy, stuck-up prig. He also has the most to do - coming to terms with talking animals and minotaurs for instance. And sword fighting – in one of the film's best comic scenes – with Caspian’s right-hand mouse Reepicheep voiced by Simon Pegg (less effectively than Eddie Izzard in Caspian). Coming to terms with selfishness, this is Eustace’s story and the Pevensies' last. Lucy is still in her big sister’s shadow, growing into a woman yet afraid to be herself. Their inner journeys play out against Caspian’s own search for Narnia’s lost lords and swords.
Walden Media specialises in morality movies and this one’s ultra-safe. A bit too safe for a wide audience. Full of effects, quaint humour and action, it’s still paddling-pool stuff, fine for tots and tweenies. But after Caspian’s brush with battles and Harry Potter’s trend for films to grow up with their audience, Dawn Treader feels outdated and a bit too preachy. Not Lewis’ fault. This is a franchise in retreat, never living up to the colourful promise of its poster. But with an exciting dragon fight, some goofy moments and some bright sunlit photography, it has sheen if not substance. And it does keep some of Lewis’ best imagery.
Skander Keynes betrays his uncertainty as to whether to continue a movie career. So it’s up to Georgie Henley and Will Poulter to keep the film afloat. And they do. But you long for Adamson’s wit and sparkle, a bit of wink-wink, and rug-pulling. Dawn Treader is a join-the-dots movie and passes the time agreeably. But it needs to do more than that to save the Chronicles of Narnia from ending at book three.