That you would even compare "The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe" to "The Lord Of The Rings" trilogy in and of itself is a complement. Indeed it is an appropriate comparison not only because they rank as two of the three best efforts to put the fantasy genre on the big screen, but also because J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, the authors of "Rings" and "Narnia" respectively were friends and authored their fantasy epics around the same time. "The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe" is not nearly the masterpiece that the "Rings" trilogy is, but it is a very good children's fantasy film.

I read the book as a child as part of one of my classes, but I only recalled some basic, major story elements. As an introduction to a "Narnia" franchise, "The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe" does an excellent job establishing a vivid world that children will want to return to.

One of the risks that a film like "The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe" runs by having children in the lead roles is the quality of the acting. Poor performances by the young actors would have sunk the film, but fortunately children playing the Pevensie kids, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes and Georgie Henley do a fine job, with Moseley and Henley particularly standing out. Tilda Swinton always brings a creepy edge to her roles it seems, and this plays perfectly as the White Witch. It was also a pleasure to see James McAvoy in a key role as the lovable fawn Mr. Tumnus, as he's probably one of the most underused and talented actors in show business, as anyone who has seen "Children Of Dune" knows.

One concern I had going into this "Narnia" film was that the commercials made the effects and the visual design of the world look somewhat cheesy. This isn't the case at all. Taken within the context and spirit of the film, the design works well and is appropriate for a movie directed primarily at children.

A lot was made before release of the story's Christian overtones and these are indeed obvious but also play into the tale nicely. As opposed to the way the media built this aspect of the story up in its quest for controversy, "The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe" is a film that Christians and non-Christians should be able to enjoy alike. There's no beating anyone over the head with a political message here. It's just a kids movie that happens to borrow some themes from the New Testament, and that's nothing new.

While "The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe" isn't going to make any adults who loved "The Lord Of The Rings" forget that emotionally complex masterwork, it is a great introduction to worlds of magic and heroism for little ones not quite ready for the more edgy of the "Harry Potter" films or "The Lord Of The Rings" itself.

4/5 Stars.

--Chris Kivlehan