When a wardrobe takes them into the mysterious land of Narnia where it is always winter, siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy find themselves caught up in battle between good and evil in which they themselves are key players. Based on the book by C. S. Lewis, the four children find the wardrobe in the home of an old professor, to whose house they are sent to escape air raids in London during the second World War. Lucy is the first to enter Narnia during a game of hide and seek. She meets a faun, Mr. Tumnus, with whom she has tea, only to discover he is trying to kidnap her to hand her over to the White Witch, Jadis. He is really good at heart and does not wish to kidnap her, however. Quite repentant, he takes her back to the lamppost that serves as a dividing marker between Narnia and the back of the wardrobe. Back in our world, she realizes no time has passed, and that her brothers and sister don't take her seriously, quite upsetting her.
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The second time, Lucy sneaks out of bed at night and Edmund follows her. Lucy goes to visit her friend Tumnus. Edmund, entering too late to keep up with Lucy, meets the White Witch, who bribes him with Turkish Delight to bring back his siblings – to her. Lucy finds him after the White Witch has left, but before returning to our world. Once back in the real world, Lucy expects him to back her up, but he says they were only playing. Peter and Susan know Lucy to be usually the more truthful one, but are nonetheless surprised when the old professor suggests that they should actually believe her seemingly impossible story.
The third time, they all enter together. Edmund's lie is uncovered. Lucy leads them to Tumnus' house, but Tumnus has been taken by the White Witch. A bird leads the children to the beavers' house, where a prophecy is explained – that four human children will be instrumental in overthrowing the White Witch and will signal the return of Aslan, king of all the world. Peter and Susan aren't quite convinced yet they should stay; Lucy wants to help her friend Tumnus. But Edmund sneaks out to go to the White Witch, having failed to convince his siblings to follow him. Once he's gone, the others realize he has betrayed them. They are determined not to go home without him, but can't confront the White Witch directly, so they pack up and leave in search of Aslan's help. Edmund, meanwhile, when he reaches the White Witch's castle, is quite badly treated and realizes he was wrong to trust her.
As the children and the beavers run away, they meet Father Christmas, who gives Peter a sword and Shield; Lucy, a dagger and vial of healing potion; and Susan, a bow and arrows. It is a sign that winter will be ending soon and that the White Witch's power is waning, for in 100 years of winter, Narnia has not been allowed to celebrate Christmas. Soon after, the snow melts and plants begin to grow. Peter, Susan, Lucy, and the beavers barely make it across an important river before it melts, leaving the White Witch and her helpers on the other side.
At Aslan's camp, where an army has already gathered, they ask for Aslan's help. He helps them, but makes sure Peter is instrumental in Edmund's rescue, and then knights him. The White Witch, however, demands Edmund's blood as a traitor – something in line with deep magic. Aslan talks with her alone and convinces her to renounce her claim. That night, Susan and Lucy can't sleep, and hear Aslan walking out of camp. They go follow him, and walk with him to the Stone Table, where he is to meet the White Witch. There, they are to stay hidden, and must watch while Aslan is bullied and killed. They don't understand why he doesn't fight back, and are saddened to send the message back to camp with the tree spirits.
At camp, Edmund and his Narnian second in command convince him he must lead their army into battle, and so he does. Winged creatures attack from the air; centaurs, leopards, fauns, and others attack from the ground. Narnians are greatly outnumbered, and the witch is regularly turning Narnians to stone – until Edmund (against Peter's orders to stay out of the way) charges the White Witch and breaks her wand, earning himself a severe wound in the process.
Meanwhile, at dawn, Aslan comes back to life. He knew the deep magic better than the White Witch, and knew that when a willing but innocent victim laid down his life for another, the deep magic would reverse, the table would crack, and the victim would come back to life. He takes Susan and Lucy first to the White Witch's castle, where Aslan brings back to life her many Narnian stone prisoners, including Mr. Tumnus. Together with these reinforcements, they return to the battle scene. Aslan finishes off the White Witch (who is quite shocked to see him), and Lucy proceeds to heal Edmund with a drop from her vial of potion, followed by the other wounded Narnians. The four children are crowned High King Peter the Magnificent, Queen Susan the Fair, King Edmund the Just, and Queen Lucy the Valiant. They rule for many years, until one day while hunting, they come to the lamppost and, not quite remembering why it was important, walk back through the wardrobe into our world.
Best part of story, including ending:
I like the clear sides between which each character had to choose, and how, at the same time, some characters were temporarily misled by fear or trickery. I also liked that even when various characters made mistakes, the goal was to accept them back and help them fix their mistakes.
Best scene in story:
When Edmund returns to the camp with Aslan, Aslan speaks with him and it is clear that he has changed. As Aslan tells the others, what is past is past; they can look forward to a better future with an improved Edmund.
Opinion about the main character:
Lucy, though the youngest - or perhaps because she is the youngest - is consistently the most clear about what she needs to do to stay true to herself and to those she loves. She is truthful, and is upset when others don't believe her; she stands by her friend Tumnus; and she happily accepts her brother Edmund back even after he betrays them.
Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan Pevensie are 4 siblings who end up in an eccentric professor's home because of World War II. While there, they stumble through a wardrobe into another land, Narnia. Narnia is currently ruled by a false queen, the White Jardis. She keeps Narnia under a perpetual winter. She wants to capture and kill the four kids, because their coming is the answer to a prophecy. Edmund betrays the other three, and the other three go to Aslan, the true ruler who is also a lion, for help.
The review of this Movie prepared by Elenawen
