Fridae

Any LGBT who was once a bookworm must have read the C.S. Lewis'
splendid children's series The Chronicles of Narnia. They
tell the stories of four children who discover a wardrobe in their
house, which can take them to a magical world called Narnia. (Talk
about serious wardrobe malfunction.)

There, the children learn that they are to inherit the throne of
the kingdom, if they can first beat the White Witch (Tilda Swinton)
with the help of a messianic lion.

Directed by Andrew Adamson (of Shrek fame), this Disney
picture cost a whopping US$180-million. But is it any good? Put
the blame on Peter Jackson. If The Chronicles of Narnia
arrived just a few years ago, it would have been hailed as a masterpiece
in filmmaking. Its creation of the vast and mysterious universe
of Narnia would have made your eyes pop and your head dizzy with
wonder.

Unfortunately, Peter Jackson has really spoilt us with his seamless
marriage of live action and computer-generated effects in Lord
of The Rings and King Kong. So much so that we can't
help but be critical by the half-baked CGI effects in The Chronicles
of Narnia. There's something about the look of Narnia and its
magical inhabitants that strikes us as cold and fake. And the big
CGI battle at the end is long and unconvincing.

Generally, it's a disappointing movie. But there are moments of
sheer magic and wonder — especially in its first hour.