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Aslan proves to be the true Lion King

The Chronicles of Narnia return to the Holidays with what is certainly the second best installment of the series and for some, possibly the best. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the third film in the series based on the writings of C.S Lewis. With Fox taking the franchise from Disney it has a new studio at the helm and they made the smart move to come back to December. That alone should mean super success at the box office. 

The Narnia films were made for the Christmas season. This proved to be true for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in December 05. Then Prince Caspian failed miserably in comparison when put up against the May releases of 2008. And understandably so. The story, message, and styling of these films are so powerfully family and holiday driven. In this voyage Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) return to Narnia with their skeptical and annoying cousin Eustace (Will Poulter). While there they join forces with Prince Caspian on the mighty sailing ship The Dawn Treader. 

If it is action and stunning visuals you want then this has it and more. More a fan of the beauty and splendor of Narnia? It has that too. Plus lots of humor, beautiful life lessons, and an ending that will stir your heart and engage your soul. It is safe to say that this one has it all and combines everything you loved from the first two and elevates it to new heights. 

This version has many interactions between the sword wielding mouse, Reepicheep (Simon Pegg) and the whining young Eustace. This relationship proves to carry much of the humor and heart of the film. Eustace learns the splendor of Narnia in much the same way the Pevensie children did. His transformation is heartwarming to watch and Poulter does an outstanding job of moving his character through the many levels of emotion. The film also has an underlying theme of temptation and what it can and will do to you if unchecked. But like all of Lewis’ writings it is not preachy or heavy handed and the filmmakers use it artistically and weave a wonderful tale into the action and visuals. 

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is rated PG for some frightening images and sequences of fantasy action. As always it is important to know your child and how they dissect what they see. There are times of peril and some scary creatures that attack the mighty ship. They are large, loud and ferocious. Also there is the incantations and sorcery of the land to take into consideration. Lucy casts a few spells and there is the inclusion of mystical forces at work. All of this is important to the lessons though and used to catapult the redeeming elements of the film. This movie is perfect for the family who has enjoyed the series thus far and it gets 5 out of 5 dragon tails. We have all learned to love the Narnian’s, Aslan, and the Pevensie children these last several years and this film does a memorable job of bringing their journey to a close. If you see one film this Holiday season; make sure it is aboard The Dawn Treader. 

Matt Mungle

Review copyright 2010 Mungleshow Productions. Used by Permission.