The Chronicles of Narnia:
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

By Julian Gan Translated by Cara Steenstra Photos by BVI

It all began with Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Rather than subsiding, a wave of magic that has swept the world has become a growing trend with more film adaptations of fantasy literature and novels. This time around, Hollywood producers and directors have set their sights on English writer C.S. Lewis' 1950s children's classic, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe".

The story's background setting is World War ?. Due to air raids in London, the four Pevensie children--Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy--are sent to a huge mansion in the country for safety. There, they accidentally discover a magical wardrobe, which leads them to the fantastical kingdom of Narnia. Narnia was once a land of peace, inhabited by mythical creatures, including dwarves, centaurs, giants and others. However, under a spell cast by Jadis the White Witch, Narnia has become a kingdom doomed to eternal winter. The four sibilings must work with Aslan the Great Lion to defeat the White Witch, restore peace in Narnia and break the spell.

Directed by Shrek director Andrew Adamson, most of the cast are British actors. Liam Neeson, Rupert Everett and Jim Broadbent lend their voices to animal characters and high-tech computer animation has been used to bring the story to life. Compared to Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia is not burdened with impossible-sounding missions. Yet, by comparison with Harry Potter, it contains a bit more childish fun and innocence, making it a definite must-see for adults and children alike.