A few years ago, after the moderately successful Prince Caspian, the House of Mouse decided that C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series was not profitable enough. Two years later, however, and Aslan and co are back courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox. Whilst there is a certain nobility in Fox’s faithful continuation of the story (almost all the cast remains unchanged) there is nothing to say that this latest instalment will break the mould by besting its predecessors box office performance.
Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third of C.S. Lewis’ biblically infused books sees the younger fifty percent of the Pevensie kids once again transported to Narnia, this time through, what is to all intense and purposes, a well tech magic eye picture. Along with their less pioneering cousin Eustace played by Son of Rambow’s Will Poulter, Lucy and Edmund are reunited with the now King Caspian who has set sail on the titular vessel in search of seven of his father’s most trusted advisers.
Despite the films more nautical slant there’s still the traditional array of Narnian creature features including Tavros the minotaur, some diminutive monopeds (Dufflepuds) and Reepicheep the swashbuckling mousey rat type thing now voiced by Simon Pegg (Previously voiced by Eddie Izzard in Prince Caspian). Whilst the franchises high bench mark for practical effects seems at least matched here, the story of the Dawn Treader does itself, demand a number of CGI heavy set pieces. It’s arguably these moments where the efforts of Michael Apteds effects team fall slightly short. Obviously, when held up against the famous 80’s BBC series the computer effects are undoubtedly an improvement but if, like me, the previous adaptation is a verdant (if perhaps fleeting) memory of your formative years then these cinematic updates will fail to replicate the sentimental nostalgia that a mere glimpse of an ungainly animatronic Aslan will still produce.
Transversely, younger audiences, born and raised in the digital age are likely to be unimpressed by the visual effects which they’ve seen both before and better.
Those characters, which don’t require a head to toe layer of fur are, for the most part played by human beings. Although no longer a titular character, Ben Barnes returns as an older, wiser Caspian whose new facial hair has failed to sedate his latent daddy issues. Whilst Barnes is capable in the role and just about pulls off the swagger and bravado of Caspian he is, for better or worse, joined by the younger Pevensies played by Georgie Henley and Skander Keynes. Unfortunately, it was always my belief that it was the older siblings Peter and Susan who were the better of the four young actors and their absence is noticeable. However, in a time when Daniel Radcliffe features in numerous Hollywood hot lists, craft obviously isn’t an imperative for cinema goers as it once was.
As a result, Voyage of the Dawn Treader works well as a family film. Of course, unless you’re stalwart a fan of the existing instalments save your pennies; this is unlikely to win you over. Having said that, come Christmas 2011, when you’re bulbous with Turkey and the remote is way over on the other side of the room, you may find yourself watching this movie and what’s more, you may just find yourself enjoying it.
