MANILA, Philippines - One of the big remaining movie sequels to come out in 2010 (eclipsed only by Little Fockers) is the third and final chapter centering on the magical world of Narnia, which held its premiere last Wednesday night (Dec. 1) at Gateway mall, courtesy of Warner Bros.
For those who are only remotely familiar with C.S. Lewis’s classic series and were expecting a movie for each of the seven Narnia books, it is high time this confusing matter was settled. In case one hasn’t Googled it already, the movies’ chronology of released adaptations of only select books in the series actually reflects the same order in which they were published.
In 1950, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe hit bookstore shelves, followed by Prince Caspian (1951), then The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952). Nowadays, the current editions of the aforementioned books are numbered 2, 4 and 5 respectively, following the books’ chronological sequence of events.
Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader may not have been the final book, but it is the final movie as it marks the end of the four Pevensies’ tales in Narnia. In fact, Peter and Susan, who had their coming-of-age moments in Prince Caspian, are now out of the picture and have grown up, leaving their younger siblings to live with their bratty cousin Eustace Scrubb.
Thus, Edmund and Lucy take center stage in this movie, with Skandar Keynes and Georgie Henley reprising their roles. The two express their yearning to return to Narnia and are given their wish when a painting of a ship at sea floods their bedroom.
Along with Eustace (Will Poulter), they surface to find themselves aboard the S.S. Dawn Treader, accompanied by faces old and new. While on their journey to maintain peace in Narnia, they must deal with their own insecurities after having been overshadowed by their two older siblings in certain assets.
This third movie is remarkably different from the first two — now mostly a swashbuckling adventure and decidedly no longer focused on warfare.
Naturally, however, there is still some minor dispute over politics and rulers (involving lords and tensions between two kings). Animals continue their anthropomorphic talking ways and provide comic relief whenever possible. The Great Lion Aslan is as elusive as ever, and is still voiced by the formidable Liam Neeson.
Nevertheless, the audience’s reactions of shock and awe coincide with those of the main characters’ as they visit new lands and encounter all sorts of different creatures, some of which everyone will be familiar with (like dragons), and others so odd that they belong in Narnia and nowhere else (Dufflepods).
Excited Narnia fans were able to enjoy cocktails before the screening commenced an hour later. With 3D glasses in hand, viewers took their seats in the theater and a few ticket-holders got lucky as official shirts were raffled off. The special effects induced by the 3D and CGI combination garnered appreciative “oohs” and “aahs” from kids and adults alike.
With a release date of Dec. 3 in the Philippines, Voyage of the Dawn Treader is worth a look for Narnia fans and for those wanting to see the epic conclusion of the Pevensies’ stories.
Whereas there are currently no plans to adapt the remaining books in the C.S. Lewis series, one cannot help but learn to appreciate the dedication and effort injected into each adaptation.
They have been crafted meticulously and with care and respect for the writer’s source material, as everyone involved in the making has tried to evoke the one-of-a-kind magic of Narnia.