Rating: 
Summary: Make sure it's what you want.
Review: ..
I read the Narnia books as a very young kid, and had good memories of the sense of security that they brought. I remember that I thought they were good stories at the time, but that was before I knew about what they actually meant. Replace the name Aslan with Jesus and you might as well be watching a kids Bible series. I remember the books having a bit more suspense and an epic quality. The TV series, on the other hand, reduces everything to brief episodes that teach a religious lesson. When trouble arises the lesson is to cry out to Aslan to save you. The kids generally don't do much saving of themselves. The evil doers like the witch are over-done, and their only motive seems to be leading people away from the true god, Aslan. I actually do remember as a kid being revolted by the story of Aslan having to be slaughtered at the alter in order to save Edmond. This gets back to the whole world-view that once a person transgresses he can't be redeemed without the resurrection. If that's your thing, help yourself. With that said, I gave it two stars for the wonderful filming locations. The DVD is really crisp and brings out all of the colours beautifully. Whether it's the snowy forest or the rolling lush green hills and cliffs, the scenes are breathtaking. I liked the added animations, and I should definitely mention that the Dawn Treader was a very inspiring reconstruction of a fantasy ship. I wish I had one. The costumes were also very interesting, especially the armour. The animals, however, mostly looked like some sort of college mascots. I had a hard time imagining them as anything other than people in silly Disney costumes. Aslan was just a big stuffed animal. The acting ranged from BBC quality down to very childish over-acting. Some of the kids are annoying. It is as if you don't know who to slap first the Veruka Salt-ish, bratty ones or the overly zealous ones who can't contain themselves. Oops..I think I know what kind of character C.S. Lewis would portray me as. I wonder who my evil minions would be? ps- I mainly bought this because Tom Baker was in it, but he's only in the Silver Chair.
Rating: 
Summary: StrangeHorizons.com Reviews Editor says:
Review: A number of years back, the BBC produced this television version of four of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. The books, of course, are Biblical allegory for children, but they are beloved of many a non-Christian fantasy fan (including me) because they are basically Good Stories. Furthermore, the ideals embraced by the allegory -- mercy, justice, bravery, concern for nature, intelligent contemplation of spirituality, and so on -- are hardly exclusive to Christianity. Lewis happened to believe that his theology was logically supportable, but you don't have to agree with him on that to see that he was fundamentally a good man, and that his concept of virtue is admirable in many respects. The BBC series captures the innocence, the adventure, and the peculiarly British charm of the books. Also, much like Peter Jackson's new Lord of the Rings movies, it replaces lengthy expository text with beautiful scenery and intricately designed props, keeping the plot advancing steadily. Though there are some groan-worthy bits of melodramatic line delivery, the acting is overall quite good, and there is a standout performance by Tom Baker (known to many SF fans as the fourth Doctor Who) as Puddleglum the Marshwiggle in The Silver Chair. The only thing to complain about is that they never got to make the other three books.
Rating:
Summary: Great that it's finally back in film version.
Review: I can still remember cuddling up with my mother when I was 4 or 5 years old and reading the whole Narnia series. My mother had studied in England for about a year while getting her doctorate, and had bought the whole series for my older brother. When my family travelled to England again, this time I got the set. I remember watching the three movies on PBS. We had recorded them on VHS, but now those tapes are very poor quality. When I learned that these movies were to be relased on DVD, I was ecstatic. These movies truly are amazing and timeless. While they may not have the amazing special effects of LotR or Harry Potter, they have a warm fuzzy feeling that is very true to the books. The minor faults in the movies are definitely overweighed by the faithfulness of the movies to the books. I only wish the other three books could have been made into movies. If the BBC wouldn't mind, I have a suggestion for them: make the other three!!!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Entertainment
Review: I could find things to pick at (The Silver Chair just goes on forever), but I have enjoyed this series immensely. My children have been even bigger fans. I only wish that the BBC had produced all of the Narnia stories.
Rating:
Summary: As good as we can expect in the Shadowlands
Review: I enjoyed these movies very much, especially the Voyage of the Dawn Treader and the Silver Chair, but I still have some reservations. I feel that the four Pevensey children were too young, and had too little screen presence and acting ability. The part of Lucy is especially miscast, which is a great pity. But the movies are very true to the books, both in letter and in spirit, and that's what matters. The simple special effects and the fur-suit animals didn't bother me. The general atmosphere is more like a high school stage play than a professional movie, but the unpretentiousness and the lack of melodrama are refreshing. There is plenty of room for the imagination to be active, which generally isn't the case in modern movies. I totally fell in love with the ship in the Dawn Treader. It's a real ship, full size (which still means small!), strikingly beautiful, and accurately built to Lewis' descriptions, except that it doesn't have oars. A better Narnian ship could hardly have been created, even by the highest budget production. The scenes with the giants in Harfang were very well done, and many underground scenes in the Silver Chair were filmed in real underground caverns. The gentle and appealing theme music evokes, for me, the real feeling of Narnia. Overall, even though these movies could have been improved by better casting and tauter scripts, and even though they seem embarassingly amateurish at times, somehow a little of the wonder and delight of the books still shines through.
Rating:
Summary: It's ok....
Review: I got this last month because I had read the books and wanted to see a film version. None of the Characters look like Lewis described them. Plus the witch looks like a drag queen. The movie is hard to get into and not very captivating, I had to drink quite a few cups of coffee to stay awake through just the first one. I understand that they didn't have as much technoloy as there is now, but the movies could have been made somewhat better. I would suggest watching these, but don't buy them, its a waste of your money!
Rating:
Summary: These are the best!
Review: I have been waiting many years for these movies to finaly come out on DVD. These books (especially The Lion the Wich and the Wardrobe) were among my absolute favorites as a child. But I would recommend these movies for anybody anywhere who just wants to have a little fun. But I say -- read the books as well. Enjoy!!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Adventures
Review: I have loved these movies since I was a child...and I still do enjoy them. My mother used to read the Chronicles of Narnia to us (the kids) before we went to bed. When the movies came out on PBS, we were all excited. Though the movies are old and low budget, they are still enjoyable...not all movies have to have the best special effects!
Rating:
Summary: book and movies
Review: I heard about the books but haven't tried them yet. But the movies are awsome! The first one is the best along with the second movie. My rating is the top 5 I love the movies if i had the money I would buy a set for my whole family! Like my aunt my uncle so on so on. Buy this you wont be sorry!
Rating:
Summary: Time for a remake
Review: I watched this on PBS as a kid and was disappointed. Aslan looked totally fake. His mouth didn't even move when he talked. I'd like to see all the Chronicles of Narnia be made into movies now that we have the technology to do it. There could be a CGI Aslan that would actually look alive.
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