The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

PG

Released Dec 9, 2005

2h 20m

Kids & Family

Fantasy

Adventure

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Popcornmeter

75%

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216 Reviews

61%

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250,000+ Ratings

During the World War II bombings of London, four English siblings are sent to a country house where they will be safe. One day Lucy (Georgie Henley) finds a wardrobe that transports her to a magical world called Narnia. After coming back, she soon returns to Narnia with her brothers, Peter (William Moseley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and her sister, Susan (Anna Popplewell). There they join the magical lion, Aslan (Liam Neeson), in the fight against the evil White Witch, Jadis (Tilda Swinton).

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Critics Consensus

With first-rate special effects and compelling storytelling, this adaptation stays faithful to its source material and will please moviegoers of all ages.

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Namrata Joshi

Outlook

Incredibly engrossing but intermittently so. It holds you, but the grip could have been even more firm.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 9, 2019

Full Review

Sukhdev Sandhu

Daily Telegraph (UK)

This is a worthy opening salvo, a film that succeeds through the sheer weight of our expectations, and that won't disappoint younger audiences.

Feb 10, 2007

Full Review

Ian Freer

Empire Magazine

It's an enjoyable adaptation and good enough for us to welcome this new franchise.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 30, 2006

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast

The film captures the essence of the novel, which succumbing to the 2000s tendency to lean into fight scenes and CGI (puppets look good, though!). The kids are well cast, but this adaptation feels bloated and padded at nearly 2.5 hrs.

Rated: 2.5/5

Dec 30, 2022

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Despite its generic swords-and-sorcery storyline, it's amusingly padded with extensive fantasy elements, making it a must-see for those itching for magic-doused adventure.

Rated: 6/10

Sep 29, 2020

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

A wonderfully realised and pleasant feature.

Rated: 7/10

Apr 19, 2020

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Mark J

Overall a good fantasy movie and adaption of the book. Some of the acting from the younger cast is pretty bad and the pacing seems off which does detract from the visuals and other casting somewhat.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/01/25

Full Review

Daniel J

This movie comes right out of the Golden Age of Disney productions. It's wild how the movie gets even better the older I get! With such amazing stories, as are told by C.S Lewis, It takes quite a miracle to pull something like this off, and boy, it did. It bewilders me how the visual effects in this film are better than many productions coming out today!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/30/24

Full Review

Brayden G

Best Narnia movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/30/24

Full Review

James S

In light that movies (arguably) should be different from the books while retaining the basic feel and flow of it, this movie is an absolute victory of a adaptation of a beloved book. Cannot recommend enough.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/11/24

Full Review

The Wandering D

I forgot how GOOD this movie is. I absolutely adore it and I'll always go back and rewatch this. This movie was my childhood.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/11/24

Full Review

Benjamin H

The fantasy elements are well handled in the first beloved Narnia film, and while this film certainly succeeds on a lot of its effects and provides exciting sequences alongside moments of charm and curiosity, it is still pretty hollow in some places and lacks a proper emotional punch alongside an even flow throughout which does affect a lof of its core human characters. Aslan and the White Witch were cool though.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/30/24

Full Review

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Andrew Adamson

Director

Tilda Swinton

Jadis The White Witch

Georgie Henley

Lucy Pevensie

Skandar Keynes

Edmund Pevensie

William Moseley

Peter Pevensie

Anna Popplewell

Susan Pevensie

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

During the World War II bombings of London, four English siblings are sent to a country house where they will be safe. One day Lucy (Georgie Henley) finds a wardrobe that transports her to a magical world called Narnia. After coming back, she soon returns to Narnia with her brothers, Peter (William Moseley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and her sister, Susan (Anna Popplewell). There they join the magical lion, Aslan (Liam Neeson), in the fight against the evil White Witch, Jadis (Tilda Swinton).

Director: Andrew Adamson
Producer: Mark Johnson
Screenwriter: C.S. Lewis, Christopher Markus
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Walden Media
Rating: PG (Frightening Moments|Battle Sequences)
Genre: Kids & Family, Fantasy, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 9, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $291.7M
Runtime: 2h 20m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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