Wow. I have no idea where to start.
(I'll try not to give any spoilers, for those of you who haven't seen it yet...)
Well, I went to see the film with my Mom & younger sister at the opening midnight show yesterday, with rather low expectations, & mainly just hoping Fox wouldn't completely wreck a great story. They didn't. I teared up several times, (which is VERY unsusal for me) & the words 'how beautiful!' kept running through my mind.
It wasn't perfect, of course, but I loved it just the same. It really exceeded my expectations. It felt very short, with lots of things condensed or skipped altogether. (like combining Goldwater & Dragon islands, skipping most of the things with the Lone Islands, bringing in the Dufflepuds early on, etc.)
It didn't really fulfill the story of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader as we all know & love it in C.S. Lewis' book, it just felt like a side-adventure that could have happened at some point during that story.
They added a bunch to the storyline with a "green mist" & having to lay the 7 swords from the missing lords of Narnia at Aslan's Table to defeat it. But it worked out ok.
The theology throughout the film was good, for the most part. The main points that had twisted theology were several parts where they talked about 'magic' being the solution to the problems, once where someone said "soon the evil will be too strong to defeat" (which can never be the outcome, since good always triumphs in the end, no matter how long it takes), & at the end, Aslan gives Caspian the option of whether or not he'll go on to Aslan's Country or return to Narnia, & it seemed to undercut Aslan's authority as High King above all high kings & His sovereign will for Narnia.
Other than that, there were some very good messages woven throughout the movie that are very relevant for our culture today. And the way they show the camaraderie between all the main characters is great.
I loved how they've redeemed Edmond's character, gaving him the chance to be a hero. And Eustace was great. He was very much how I'd imagined him, & the parts with the dragon-Eustace & Reepicheep were priceless.
So much of the story is tied very closely to my heart. Especially the whole part at the end where Aslan tells them that He is always with them, though He has another name in our world.
I think I'd rate it at an 8 out of 10. (I had expected it to be more like a 4) Overall, I think this film was one of the most beautiful things my heart has ever seen, leaving me with a viberant kind of hope I've never felt before, and an excited longing to see 'Aslan's Country' when our Savior takes us home, but still content to fight my way through life until He does, learning to know Him better here. It wasn't a perfect movie, but very beautiful. And definitely a new favorite.
I'll end with these words from a song I love:
(thank you, WarriorMaiden, for reminding me how much I loved the song when you put it in your Moot sideshow!)
"I will never be afraid again.
I will keep on fighting 'till the end.
I can walk on water, I can fly.
I will keep on fighting 'till I die."
