The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) User Reviews

Why bother adapting a book if you're just going to rewrite the plot???

[mistels · 6/10 · 11 December 2010]

I was SO looking forward to the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and was sorely disappointed.

The film felt like they took the original story, chopped it up, then threw it in a blender with seven magical swords and some ridiculous green mist!

While the film stayed true to main themes of the story, much of the character development and purpose to each of the minor island stories was lost. Unfortunately this meant that most of the magic of the story was lost as well.

I gave the film 6 stars due to the redeeming qualities that were the stunning visuals, some excellent acting (notably by Will Poulter as Eustace), and a beautifully executed final scene.

If you haven't read the book, then you may enjoy this film immensely, but if you are a true Narnia fan, don't go in with very high expectations.

Splendid adaption if you get over some bad dialogue

[theycallmemrglass · 7/10 · 30 November 2010]

I have watched this film in 3d at a preview screening in London.

First of all, I do not recommend anyone watching this in 3d. It is too dark and the action is just a motion blur. It's dreadful.

As for the film, there is much to enjoy with excellent visual effects, action set pieces (though ruined for me by the 3D) and a couple of stand out characters. But unfortunately there is also much to cringe at in some bouts of terrible dialogue.

The characters of Reepicheep (the kick-ass warrior mouse) and Eustace, (the obnoxious brat cousin) were the most fun with the actor playing Eustace demonstrating excellent comic timing. The relationship between them was funny and touching. And they even brought much needed zest to the action.

But alarmingly, Edmund and Lucy seem to have deteriorated as actors. Some of their emotions are too forced which is a pity. Not sure why, as I would expect them to improve with each film as did the young cast of the Harry Potter movies.

Overall, the story has surprisingly been well adapted considering not a great deal actually happens in the book. But the pacing is good, even though a little episodic. There are much more Christian analogies once again which would please many and irritate others. But I rather like all of the analogies.

I do feel however, that amongst adults, mostly those who enjoyed the Narnia books will enjoy this more than non readers of the books because the story is too bizarre even for a fantasy! But I think most children will enjoy this immensely, regardless if they read the books or not.

With better written dialogue and better handling of the child performances (namely Lucy and Edmund), this could have been a much better film but as its stands its an enjoyable enough entry in this series.

Oh and I will say it again, do not watch this in 3d.

Way above my expectations, but watch the 2D version

[Gordon-11 · 2 December 2010]

This film is about the Pevensies and their cousin entering Narnia again, in order to help Prince Caspian gather all seven swords of the lords to fight against dark forces.

"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is a good film. It has elements for everyone to enjoy, such as clean humour, excitement, dangers and also psychological elements. The plot is straightforward and easy to understand. It is also filled with excitement, especially the battle with the dragon is quite breathtaking. The plot and the characters engage me a lot. This time, the Pevensies have matured, and hence are a lot less annoying. They even become interesting characters as they battle to overcome their own inadequacies. This subplot is aimed at adults, but it still can be understood by children at face value.

The 3D though, is a lot less thrilling than the film. Most scenes do not have noticeable 3D effects. The scenes that do have 3D are quite underwhelming. There are little scenes in the film that makes use of the 3D technology. I can safely say that watching the 2D version would be just as enjoyable than the 3D version, and you can save a few dollars by doing so.

Narnian in essence yet shallow in fun and excitement

[kunalkhandwala · 6/10 · 12 December 2010]

Perhaps the most moralistic of C.S. Lewis' Narnia novels would be 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader', which is episodic in style with the Dawn Treader's aimless journey through Narnian seas. Michael Apted takes the helm of direction and brings this adventure to us in 3D; the first for Narnia.

Susan and Peter (King & Queen) have grown up now and reside in America where Narnia has no access. The teenagers Lucy (Georgie Hensley) and Edmund (Skander Keynes) who are in Britain in the midst of WW2, along with their unnerving cousin Eustace (Will Poulter) catch the moving waters in a painting in their room. Soon, the water flows into the room and in a spectacular fashion, they are underwater, only to be pulled up by Prince Caspian in front of the hull of the Dawn Treader. Welcome to Narnia! The trio are briefly introduced to the ship's crew that include the swashbuckling mouse Reepicheep and a Narnian buffalo sailor. Their initial inquiry about Narnia's state of affairs and the Dawn Treader's voyage reveal the book and film's weakness - Prince Caspian admits that there are no problems in Narnia. Peace rules the lands and barring the exploration of the farthest stretches of the waters where Aslan's country mythically exists, the ship has little to do on its voyage. Thus, they decide to go island hopping where, just on the first one, they are taken as prisoners and almost sold as slaves until a heroic rescue by the crew saves the day. It is within the walls of the prison that Prince and Edmund find out about the 7 missing lords and their magical swords. Oh and there's a LOST like smoke monster that devours boats full of slaves.

The most striking aspect about 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader' is that it lacks the mystery, build up and joy of discovery of the first movie. At the same time, it eliminates the excessive CGI and Lord of the Rings inspired battle sequences from the second installment and thus proves to be a closer- to- book adaptation. The focus is on retaining Narnia's adventures as an escape for children with funny bits that are memorable especially the endless picking of Eustace by the witty Reepicheep and the monopodial dwarfs on the island. Deeper into the story's entertaining layers, Evil tempts the protagonists in different ways and overcoming the lure is the didactic experience of C.S. Lewis' edition that is well captured by Michael Apted. Lucy's battle against her temptation to be as beautiful as her sister, Edmund's envy of Prince Caspian's position as the leader and Eustace's greed that draws him to hidden treasures are all lessons to be learnt in the battle of good v/s evil. On one hand, the white witch tempts Edmund to join the evil forces while Aslan, in his Christ like rendition guides Lucy on the right path.

The special effects involving the sea serpent in the cove are excellent and provide an ugly yet thrilling experience in 3D while the magical touches through the book of incarnations and entry to Aslan's country are simply enchanting to look at. Discovery of the 7 lords and their swords is itself a moral journey for everyone and while C.S. Lewis did brilliantly in detailing those aspects, Apted is short of time and just like all Narnian films, this one too falls short of the book's magical effect. But then again, Michael Apted is no Peter Jackson.

The climax is a sad farewell to what we were introduced to just 2 movies ago but The Silver Chair may prove to be an altogether different experience with Eustace. Will Poulter's brilliantly convincing portrayal of the annoying kid is the highlight of the film and the focus on him is a well thought out plan for the upcoming movies. Georgie Hensley IS Lucy as C.S. Lewis had once imagined and therefore, her presence is always charming. The rest of the cast could've done better with more focus on their characters had it not been for the time constraint; which, Apted has wisely been strict about. The shortest of the 3 films, yet least action packed, 'Voyage of the Dawn Treader' betters its predecessor by being closer to the book with moral implications and child-like adventures. The film is beautiful to look at but it leaves you craving for more fun, more adventure and sometimes, more heroism. It is by no means uplifting and we do miss Aslan in action at the required times. This is Aslan's shortest time on screen and that is a tragedy for the film indeed. Nevertheless, for loyal fans of Narnia, this is purely Narnian in essence but not an epic by motion picture standards.

• 7.033 on a scale of 1-10.

Visually Outstanding. A decent movie overall

[KrazzyDJ · 6/10 · 4 December 2010]

It's been an overdose of fantasy for me in the last few days I guess. First, in anticipation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, I watched all the previous ones at a stretch. For this, I had to do a similar thing. Else how would it make any sense ??? The Narnia series, it seems, is shaping up to be the replacement of the Harry Potter series. We all know that Harry Potter is gonna be done with by the next year. That will leave us with the Narnia series, and with four more movies to go, I suppose that's gonna last a long while till another fantasy movie series pops up.

The movie begins with the Pevensies being transported to Narnia "least when they expected". This time, they have their cousin Eustace with them who takes some time to accepting the Narnian world filled with talking creatures and other such wonders. He reacts similar to how the Pevensies did when they first saw Narnia, only he's more scared than surprised. Since they've landed in Narnia unexpectedly, there has to be a reason for it. And there is, and a supposedly good one - one which will not only test their battling skills what with dragons, serpents and storms on the way, but also bring them face to face with their inner demons and fears.

As far as the similarity of the movie's plot with the book goes, I frankly admit to having no idea regarding that. I've viewed the movie as a movie, as a sequel to the first two and as such, won't be able to comment on how well the movie follows the plot of the book. On the surface of it however, the plot is fairly basic but filled with too many characters to confuse someone who isn't familiar with the books. All the cast members perform well though the star of the show has to be Reepicheep the mouse - he is so endearing that you'd often find yourself rooting for him. And then again there's Aslan the Lion who, in my opinion, is the best (CGI) wonder ever created in the Narnian movie universe. His mere presence in a frame makes it stand out. He appears responsible, wise, calm and like a father figure to the Pevensies and others - the character is so greatly conceived that his mere sight makes you respect him. He truly has the aura of a king and rightfully deserves to be one. And Liam Neeson does a fabulous job of voicing him as do the animators on making him appear life-like. And when the soft and soothing background score plays in the background during his presence, you're bound to feel a lump in your throat. You'll definitely hear a child scream "Aslan" in the movie theater when he first arrives.

Visually, the film is simply outstanding. Such is the richness of the effects that it makes me wonder how on earth can the film be made on a budget of "just" $140 million. I mean, the amount of visual effects present in the film and the quality of each shot is simply brilliant - from the dragon to the serpent to the wide shots of The Dawn Treader to the Islands to the waves to Reepicheep the mouse and finally, the great Aslan. Lighting, it seems has improved to the point that it is difficult to tell what is CGI and what is real. The main musical themes have been recycled from the past films which is a great thing since those themes were simply heart touching, especially Aslan's. The set design is also good although as mentioned, it is hard to distinguish between real and digital sets.

Like many movies with excessive VFX, the movie tends to give a slightly more focus to the effects (maybe because it is a children centric film). Although made for children, adults shouldn't find this a reason to stay away from the movie. The movie might tend to get a bit boring at times. And the biggest drawback of the movie is the 3-D which, quite simply, is as good as not there. By all means, you'd be better saving some bucks and watching the movie in 2-D; it might as well also save you a headache. As a matter of fact, the commercial shown during my movie screening had better 3-D that that found in this movie. Despite its drawbacks, it is a good movie and can make for a good viewing with / without family. If not for anything else, I recommend it, For Aslan !!!

Score: 6.5 / 10

Great Adventure, Awesome CGI, Poor Acting

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 22 April 2011]

Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmund Pevensie (Skandar Keynes) are stranded in Cambridge, living in the house of their obnoxious cousin Eustace (Will Poulter), while the grown-ups Susan and Peter are living in the USA with their parents. When a painting of a ship sailing on the sea of Narnia overflows water in their room, Lucy, Edmund and Eustace are transported to the ocean of Narnia and rescued by King Caspian (Ben Barnes) and the crew of the ship The Dawn Treader. Caspian explains that Narnia has been in peace for three years but before he took his throne back, his uncle tried to kill the seven lords of Telmar, who were the closest and most loyal friends of his father. They fled to The Lone Island and no one has ever heard anything about them. Now Caspian is seeking out the lords of Telmar with his Captain Drinian (Gary Sweet), the rat Reepicheep and his loyal men. Sooner they discover that an evil form of green mist is threatening Narnia and the siblings and their cousin join Caspian in a quest to retrieve the seven swords of the seven lords of Telmar to save Narnia from evil.

"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is a great adventure supported by awesome CGI and the delightful Reepicheep that "steals the film". Unfortunately the acting of the wooden lead trio - Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley and Ben Barnes – is very poor. Surprisingly Will Poulter and his weird eyebrow is a good comedian and is very funny. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "As Crônicas de Nárnia: A Viagem do Peregrino da Alvorada" ("The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Pilgrim")

a great film for the entire family, and the type of film that belongs in December and should be watched time and time again by young and old alike!

[js38336 · 8/10 · 2 December 2010]

Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

It has been a few years now and a studio, director, and production team change since we last had a Narnia film but finally the third film in the series, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, has finally come to screen and what can I say? It is well worth your money for you and your entire family to see it. The film is made by 20th Century Fox and Walden Media, directed by Michael Apted, still with actors Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian, Liam Neesan as the voice of Aslan the Lion, Skander Keynes again as Edmund, Georgie Henley as Lucy, with Will Poulter (Son of Rambow) as their cousin Eustace.

The story centers around Edmund and Lucy returning to Narnia this time with their whiny cousin Eustace where they meet up with Prince Caspian, now King Caspian, onboard the Narnia ship the Dawn Treader. With years of peace enjoyed in Narnia, they are unsure why they are there but soon find themselves on an adventure to battle a mysterious force that threatened Narnia where they face slavers, dragons, temptation, serpents, and learn to become greater than they ever thought they could be. The film follows the plot of the book very well expanding in order to make it flow as a proper story. The additions are perfectly plausible and make the story more cohesive and unlike the changes in Prince Caspian, improve the story. Flowing along quickly, this is by far the shortest in runtime of the series yet also the most powerful and magical, it starts well and ends on a such a high emotional note there are few that will escape unaffected from any screening.

Special effects stand out, with the absence of WETA in the production and special effects I was anxious to see if the new team, actually a fairly large group of small companies, could match what WETA was able to create I am here to tell you YES and in some ways they have surprassed their creations. The dragon and a sea serpent in the film alone are well worth admission, both created with much care and love and really the magic of a fantasy world involved. Other characters from Reepicheep the mouse, a Minotaur, and other creatures are beautiful to behold. The only one that seemed a little down was Aslan who though looking good seems a step down from what WETA created in Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian but the rest is so vivid with color and imagination there is little doubt that it will not just capture the imagination of the young but the entire family and keep them from first shot to last frame.

Music is another powerful entry, the strong Narnia theme running through this film giving it wonder and magic that belongs in this type of film. The strongest song though involves the arrival of a dragon, a piece with great power and a pulse that gives one of the most powerful scenes in the film even greater amazement and magic. Do you want to capture the imagination of a child and your childhood, an escapist film that will be great entertainment for the entire family? THIS IS THAT FILM!

Acting has been hit but this one features better acting and character moments than the other films. With fewer characters than the other two films this one can focus more on the characters and each of the main characters get multiple character building moments that give us greater love and really infuses the film with such emotional power that its hard not to be moved, especially by the climax. Everyone from Edmund to Lucy, to Caspian, to Reepicheep, to Eustace, get powerful scenes that culimate in the strongest ending to a Narnia films and one of the most poignant scenes I have seen in a film in a very long time.

Christians out there, do you fear that the Christian themes are stripped out of this movie? Do not fear, this film is as powerfully religious as it is in magic. All of the religious undertones are not covered but are out in the open for all to see. There is no fear, like what Disney had, when it comes to hitting these themes and the director displays them in all their glory with as much power as C.S. Lewis wrote them to be.

The 3D of the film was fine, it does not detract now does it really add. I believe one would be fine seeing it or not seeing it in 3D, whatever you prefer.

Overall, Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a powerful entry in the fantasy genre, a great film for the entire family, and the type of film that belongs in December and should be watched time and time again by young and old alike! I give this film an 8.5/10.

Voyage of the Dawn Treader

[paperback_wizard · 7/10 · 11 December 2010]

This weekend, it was a rare treat for me to watch and review "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader". The Chronicles of Narnia have always been a favorite of mine. It's a series comparable to all the great fantasy epics, both in classic and modern times, and "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is my favorite chapter in the saga.

A brief history, for those who aren't familiar with the series. Narnia is a mystical kingdom in a magical world that can only be reached when it is of the greatest need. It is watched over by Aslan the Lion, who comes and goes as he pleases but always chooses champions who can protect Narnia in the face of evil. In the first movie, two brothers and two sisters from our world are brought to Narnia to overthrow a terrifying Witch-Queen. In the second, they help a young prince named Caspian ascend to the throne that his uncle had usurped. While only adolescents in our world, in Narnia these four young men and women had become great heroes, kings and queens of legend.

In this movie, the youngest two, Edmund and Lucy, travel to Narnia to find there is (apparently) no great need for their help. No wars are currently being fought, and King Caspian is now sailing on his ship, the Dawn Treader, to find seven Lords of Narnia whom his uncle had banished years earlier. Accompanying Edmund and Lucy, unwilling, is their cousin Eustace Scrubb, a thoroughly unpleasant boy who had never even read books about magical lands, let alone believed in them. His only delight in life seemed to be annoying others. Naturally, his attitude won him little friendship or sympathy when he found himself dragged along on a magical voyage in a land he'd teased his cousins for "inventing".

The ship's company sails to the east, following the last known course of the seven Lords. Along their way, they battle slave traders, encounter an island full of invisible creatures and buildings, and deal with all sorts of fantastical creatures and enchantments. They find themselves tempted by their greatest desires and threatened by their worst fears, even as they strive to discover the fate of the missing Lords.

The most valiant of the sailors is the brave Sir Reepicheep, a Mouse granted the gift of speech (and a new tail when his old was lost) by Aslan himself. Never one to back away from a fight, Reepicheep has a different motivation for embarking on this journey. As a young Mouse, he was told that he would some day travel to Aslan's Country in person. Delighted to see King Edmund and Queen Lucy once more, he finds it particularly difficult to tolerate Eustace. Reepicheep comments that, if Eustace hadn't been related to them by blood, he might have drawn his sword on the lad more than once (and from a Mouse who has faced dragons, it is no idle threat). Eventually, though, as Eustace is forced to face the reality of life in this strange and dangerous world, the noble Mouse becomes something of a guide to him, and even, oddly enough, a comfort from time to time.

There's certainly enough adventure and danger to create an epic, and the emotional and personal trials that each character faces make for interesting moral and dramatic scenes. However, the main difference between the book and the movie is the nature of the voyage on which the crew of the Dawn Treader embarks. In the movie, more than simply finding the lost Lords, the crew is told by a magician that they must bring the swords of each Lord to Aslan's Table and lay them upon it. Doing so would mean the end to a terrible curse that plagues the isles of the east and threatens to spread to the shores of Narnia in time.

Finding the seven swords grounds the movie more firmly in the epic fantasy genre, but it hardly seems necessary. Adding this element to the quest actually changed the dynamic of it. Certainly, it sharpened the focus of the dangers they faced, making the encounters with spirits and sea serpents seem less random; but it also called for changing the order of certain events, such as the order in which they visited the various islands. Also, it takes the focus off the characters themselves, even as the movie tries to bring their personal battles to the forefront, at times.

These aren't major departures from the book. The same issues are addressed, and the storyline is very similar. In the end, not much was changed, especially not the messages delivered by the Great Lion. That's the important part. The books, written over half a century ago, endure in large part because of the author, C.S. Lewis, and the lessons he hoped to teach through his characters. Like the fables of old, The Chronicles of Narnia have their share of talking animals, but that's just window dressing. What's important is what you can learn from the story itself.

(Originally appeared at http://fourthdayuniverse.com/reports/ )

Dawn Treader is incredibly entertaining and deep in meaning!!

[jennanoah · 10/10 · 20 November 2010]

This is by far the best so far of the Narnia films! Loaded with action and adventure, really funny scenes where Eustace's attitude and twisted face provide many laughs, and spiritual symbolism that is so rich -- this film is a total winner! I loved Reepicheep's courage and dignity, and the virtue in spite of struggle of the Pevensies. Aslan comes through in the lives of those he loves in his perfect timing. Jam-packed with special effects, this movie is visually stunning and will be an excellent film for families with tweens and teens! My teenage daughter loved it too -- we went to a special preview screening last night. I'm definitely going to recommend this film to all of the families I know, and I can't wait to see it again . . . already!

Will Poulter

[rgriger-67254 · 7/10 · 18 September 2021]

This movie is like getting checkers fries 30 minutes after you ordered them. Their not bad they just cold and soggy much like this movie. The plot is barley resembling to the book which at that point you might just put "inspired by" in the beginning not "based off of". The Narnia book franchise is a classic piece of art. But this movie feels like I went to target looking for oreos but they didn't have them so I got the store brand. Not bad but like 😑. There are some redeeming things about this movie. Like will poulter's excellent portrayal of Eustace Scrubb! God it's soooo good! Other high lights of this movie: The acting is general is also good, CGI is good. Overall 7/10, Will Poulter really saves this movie.

A big disappointment if you have read the book!

[djansen24 · 4/10 · 14 October 2013]

The third installment in the big budget Narnian films gives us a more or less solid film with impressive special effects wasted on a hackneyed script and mediocre acting. There are a couple of exceptions in the acting department. The boy playing Eustace hits his mark and the voice work for Reepicheep is handled well. The special effects are dazzling; merging reality with digital almost seamlessly. But my critique of this film is exactly the same as the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe film (I never saw Prince Caspian): The atmosphere is all wrong.

Lighthearted whimsy is exchanged for somberness. A slow paced voyage is traded for a rapid fire adventure that moves so fast, we cannot enjoy the characters nor the moment. This isn't fantasy, it is a special effects reel. Added negatives include the actors, none of whom (Reepicheep excepted) capture any semblance of the royalty they attempt to portray. The actor playing Caspian is especially dimwitted in playing a king. He seems more like a befuddled commoner who learned a few royal gestures at school somewhere. At no time do you feel nor do his men feel like they are in the presence of a great king (which was the case in the book). The movie takes great liberties with the plot of the book, opting instead for a silly new plot about an evil mist which sucks away slaves in boats. This brings about a couple of new side characters (a father and daughter), neither of whom make much of an impression.

What this movie series need is to RECAPTURE THE MOOD OF THE BOOKS and avoid throwing out the plot for a newer one. They can keep the special effects, but temper them with a story that takes its time and is as entranced with its surroundings as the passengers aboard the Dawn Treader were. Are the producers afraid to elevate the material up to the audience, instead of pandering down to short attention spans? It sure seems so. While taken on its own terms the movie is professionally handled, I guarantee the movie would have stuck in the minds of the audience more if greater pains were taken on a good script and good acting. As it is, you watch the film, leave, and then don't remember much afterward.

Fun third part with rousing adventures , incredible monsters and dazzling sea fights .

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 12 March 2012]

C.S. Lewis' classic is reborn in this third 'The Chronicles of Narnia' when three children from war-torn England find themselves transported to a land of myth and fantasy . Return to magic ,return to hope , return to Narnia. Some journeys take us far from home . Some adventures lead us to our destiny . It begins during German air raids over London in WWII . Three kids travel through a picture to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free it and help Prince Caspian . Lucy (George Henley) and Edmund Pevensie (Skandar Keynes) return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace (Will Poucher) where they meet up with Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader . Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarfs, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world . Then, all of them go throughout the fantastic world and where animals speaking as a likable giant swords-rat , a bull and many others . It has been foretold that they will bring peace to Narnia with the guidance of the mystical lion . They must survive the evil treachery of the mysterious White Witch (Tilda Swinton) who still claims to be Queen . They team up with Aslem (Liam Neeson), the mighty Lion , fighting to defeat the evil in an epic finale battle against a huge sea monster .

In this impressive production , C.S. Lewis' imagination is brought to life with top-notch computer generator special effects . It packs amazing fantasy , breathtaking adventures and overwhelming sea battles . This enjoyable story is lavishly produced by Andrew Adamson from ¨Shrek trilogy¨ and Mark Johnson . The pic is a magic story with rip-snorting adventures , exciting fantasy , state-of-art FX , sensational scenarios and good feeling . Plenty of action and emotion with incredible sea battle scenes and really influenced by ¨Pirates of Caribbean¨ . Provide enough amusement to keep the hands on your seat and dazzling eyes until the epic ending . In spite of overlong runtime and the difficult of adapting , the film still managing to keep a quick enough pace for those unfamiliar with the fantastic saga . Sympathetic performances for all casting with special mention to Will Poucher who steals the show as a grumpy kid turned into incredible hero . The film displays a colorful and evocative cinematography by Dante Spinotti . Musical score fitting perfectly to action-adventure by David Arnold . The motion picture is marvelously directed by Michael Apted , he's director, producer of several successes such as ¨The word is not enough¨, ¨Gorillas in the mist¨ , ¨Class action¨, ¨Nell¨, ¨Enigma¨ , among others . Rating : Above average and worthwhile seeing , the whole family will enjoy this film . It's a very likable adventure-fantasy and enormously appealing for kids, adolescents and young men . Overall this is a really nice movie . If you are familiar with the story, then there are no real surprises, but makes up for it with overwhelming CGI animation.

Not as good as the book or the first Narnia movie

[l-piotrowski · 6/10 · 11 December 2010]

I was disappointed in this movie. It was just OK, but could have been a lot better. I have read the Chronicles of Narnia series many times and have always thought this book would be the best one in a movie. Unfortunately, this was not the case in this version.

The problem was that it strayed too far from the book with unnecessary tangents and subplots. There are added characters and additional story lines not in the book that detracted from the movie. The movie did not flow well at all and at times, seem forced. I was also disappointed that the ending was changed from what was in the book.

This is a OK film too see. The special effects are good. The actor playing Eustace Scrubb did an excellent job. There are scary parts so I thought a PG13 rating was warranted. I would not take any child under 10 years old.

Not really close to the book, and not really good either

[FairlyAnonymous · 5/10 · 6 June 2011]

If it weren't for the ending I would've given this movie 4 out of 10. Since I am a fan of the Chronicles of Narnia books, I kind of had to see this one. The other two movies which were made by Disney weren't bad, but weren't the best. Twentieth Century Fox gets a try, and well... they don't do good.

The movie doesn't really make much sense. This really bothered me since I read the books, and I was expecting something along certain lines, but the movie doesn't really follow it. The acting really wasn't all that good which was really distracting, and the dialog wasn't all that better. None of the characters except for possibly Reepacheep, and maybe Eustace when he was a dragon, were likable.

For some reason when reading reviews I keep on reading silly comments about how this movie had good visuals. This confused me greatly, because when you see the green mist for the first time it looks awful. I mean really bad. Actually the green mist looked bad in every scene. Why did it look bad? It's mainly because it wasn't integrated well into the scenes. You could tell the mist was put in badly, so when someone looks at the mist floating overhead it looks like the mist isn't even on the same plane. Since the mist was a big part of the movie, seeing it constantly really ruined it for me. The dragon was cool at some scenes, but in others didn't look too good. Now the serpent was pretty cool, but it seemed a bit cartoony, along with the dragon. That was my biggest issue is that both of the monsters in this movie look cartoony, and really bright. Now the water effects in this movie are real good, especially near the end, and when the serpent is splashing.

Probably the biggest issue in this movie was the camera. Let me tell you I have never seen camera work this bad. The scenes flowed horribly, and the camera angles were all boring. There were no dynamic camera angles, and emotional shots except for maybe one which was near the end. The camera was also really shaky. I was kind of wondering why they didn't try getting a crane, or something for moving shots. But in all of the moving shots it is someone holding the camera, and when the person holding the camera moves the camera starts rocking back and forth. This was unbearable during conversations, or sword fighting sequences.

The scenery was also a bit stale in this movie, especially in the city on the desert island place. It just seems like this movie could have no vegetation which really got old fast. The sets seemed boring, and just ordinary. Only (again) near the end did the sets get a little bit more interesting like on the ancient forest island.

IF there is one thing everyone can agree on, it's that the slave catchers battle was incredibly bad, and put together horribly. None of the people in the battle look like they are taking it seriously, and there is almost no threat. The slave capturers just run around, it doesn't seem really intense. The sword combat is pretty lousy, and their moves seem slow. So bad combat scene+bad camera really makes this scene even worse.

Now the movie didn't really explain the plot really well, so it wasn't until about the last 20 minutes of the movie did it make some sense. Still it seemed like the plot was thrown in. Why not just keep the plot of the original? I guess it wasn't good enough. Either way the movie did get much better in the last 20 minutes as well. The combat improved with a goofy looking serpent, in a well done dark mist realm that was not green mist. Though since the dark realm did have green mist in it, it started forming green figures that looks quite off. The movie does get better at the end when talking with Aslan and the nice water effects.

All in all the movie was a real let-down. This movie has almost no artistic perspective with camera shots, so the movie is overall boring to look at. The effects are good when they need to be, but they are generally bad. I feel like this is evidence that WETA must make all action movies' effects which they already do. The plot was changed, and this left the movie quite confusing. I really feel bad for having to review this movie with a low rating, but trust me, if it weren't for the final last 20 minutes, this would've been a 4/10 and I'm still arguing with myself if I should change it to that.

The best of the movie series so far

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 16 March 2011]

I personally liked The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but I wasn't so taken with Prince Caspian, while not a bad movie it could have been much better. I love the books, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was always my personal favourite, but Voyage of the Dawn Treader I loved just as much.

As for this adaptation of Voyage of the Dawn Treader, while not completely perfect it was the best yet for me. It was a little too long however, and there is some wooden dialogue at times with Caspian's dialogue not as well fleshed out as it could have been. That said, there are some improvements over Prince Caspian. One is Ben Barnes, I found him bland and a bit too eager to please in Prince Caspian but here he is much more charismatic and warmer too.

The pace is another improvement, I found it rather lethargic in the previous two entries particularly in Caspian making the story not as engaging as it should have been, but in Voyage of the Dawn Treader the pace is brisker and the story as well as truer in spirit is easier to get into. The direction feels more confident as well.

The strengths of the previous two movies are also in abundance. Once again, Voyage of the Dawn Treader is visually stunning. The scenery is beautiful with a etheral and almost epic feel particularly in the sweeping action sequences, the cinematography is fluid and skillful and the special effects alone are what makes this entry the best of the series so far particularly with Dawn Treader which is gorgeously realised. The score is pleasant to listen to and memorable, it doesn't intrude too much and fits well with each scene.

The acting is pretty much very good. Georgie Henley has improved hugely having grown in so much confidence, although Skandar Keynes isn't quite as enthusiastic this time around though he was decent. Will Poulter is delightfully obnoxious and selfish as Eustace, but his character transformation contrasted beautifully towards the end. Reepicheep comes close to stealing the show voiced very well by Simon Pegg, Tilda Swinton is still quite chilling in her brief appearance as the White Witch and Aslan is majestically voiced by Liam Neeson. The ending is also very well-done and quite moving.

All in all, a surprisingly good film and the best of the series so far. 8/10 Bethany Cox

A Narnia Film That Expands Its Contents Beautifully From the Previous Two

[aaronjbong · 9/10 · 4 December 2010]

It's been five years from "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" debuted on theaters. The Pevensies have grown up. The first movie would see a very young Lucy still with a cute face like a first-grader. In this movie, she looks like she's in seventh grade or eight grade. Seems like time flows like Narnian time here.

"Voyage of the Dawn Treader" marks the third film in the Narnia franchise. It follows King Caspian in a journey to find the seven lost lords of Narnia whom King Miraz banished during his reign in the previous film with his ship, the Dawn Treader. On the way, he met Edmund, Lucy and their pathetic cousin, Eustace Scrubb who turned out to have a change in the movie. However, there's this horrifying green mist that can tempt you to do things that can lead up to bad things and the whereabouts of these lost lords are unknown. So, these people take on a journey that passes the beyond the Silver Sea (which must be really somewhere very east) and to the "End of the World". END of the world not those doomsday things.

"Voyage" is actually a very enjoyable film for both kids and adults alike. The adventures were really great and breathtaking and should be a good way to take people's spare time. Its story is understandable for young kids and its characters are enjoyable and fun to befriend with especially the mouse, Reepicheep.

"Voyage" will actually give good laughs to its audience with its jokes especially with the appearance of the Pevensies' coward, pathetic Eustace Scrubb who actually changed ever since he visited Narnia. His actions are the main source of laughs here. His acting also maximized the laughs in this film and I think comedy is what strengthens this movie.

"Voyage" is also powerful in exciting action scenes. This is what seems to be lacking in the previous films even in the climax where it doesn't seem that exciting. "Voyage's" climax is very exciting and deserves to be called a climax. The setting of the scene was well-suited and the scene was shot beautifully. Definitely awesome. But, this movie is quite dark for very young children especially in the climax part. It has grown quite scarier than the previous ones.

"Voyage" also has a new director allowing the series to turn into a quite different style of film. While the previous ones were really too childish, this third one puts on several scenes to attract an older audience. Michael Apted replacing Andrew Adamson is definitely an advance in the Narnia film series.

However, Narnian fans will miss Peter and Susan Pevensie as they would not return as main characters but rather just as cameos. The reason in the story why they didn't return is that they're now too old to return to Narnia. This movie will only see two Pevensies plus their cousin, Eustace Scrubb. What a pity.

The 3D effects of the film were actually acceptable. They are actually quite conspicuous and are good. 3D or 2D would be OK in watching this movie.

You might notice that the Pevensies have grown a lot over the five years gap between the first film and this third film. Compared to the Harry Potter series which had a 3-year gap between the first and third film, Narnia had a longer gap. As it is also a seven-book series, I'm quite worried how it will end up in the final film(even though some of the installments don't include the Pevensies). Let's just hope they have no problem encountering this situation.

About its loyalty to the book, the movie did have some changes and some of them are quite major, QUITE not REALLY (be careful). The arrangement of scenes were also ordered in a new way. In the middle of the book starting to the end, that's where the movie's change was big. But, for me, it was acceptable and let's hope that it's acceptable for other fans of the book.

"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" (what a long title it is) is absolutely a must-watch film for this holiday season and is very suitable for Christmas. Rather than watching some bloody films people, merry up and rather watch something appropriate for Christmas and in 3D if you prefer. It's definitely great and perfect for families to watch.

Prince AJB's Score: 9/10 (90%)

Thanks for reading my review and hope it's useful.

They aren't improving as the films go on!

[FilmFanatic03 · 6/10 · 19 December 2010]

This film seemed like the film where many challenges would be encountered, obstacles to overcome and to make a huge epic spectacular of it all. But, it didn't measure up to what i would expect from an adventure movie at sea would be like. The mission felt too easily accomplished, they have to find the swords of the lost kings to bring peace to Narnia, so when they started their journey it was like: arrive at an island, heres a sword, move on over and over again. There was no "meat" to the adventures. Plus i felt Georgie Henley (lucy) and Skandar Kenyes (Edmund) were quite shallow in acting, during the climatic parts Edmund would shout but not convey any emotion in his performance. The boy who played Esutace was really good. In all fairness the last epic scene was amazing plus, at least there was more fantasy to the film the the previous Narnia film. But still, it feels that so far with each new Narnia film, they lose that quality which should make it amazing. The first one had the family feel to it and it was action packed and had emotion in, the second lacked that family feel but had substance to the plot but this one has gone slightly down as it just felt it lacked emotion and substance. Well, hopefully they can redeem themselves with the future Narnia films

As always, it's stylishly produced, but most of the magic of the first two films seems to have been lost.

[Ryan_MYeah · 5/10 · 15 December 2010]

Today, I checked out the latest entry of the Chronicles of Narnia film franchise based on the books by C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

In this film, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie are currently taking shelter in a home owned by their uncle. But, through the magic of a mysterious painting, they're suddenly brought back into Narnia, and brought aboard the Dawn Treader, the strongest ship of the Narnia armada, but they also bring along their cousin, Eustace. With the help of Caspian, they seek seven legendary swords that can destroy a mysterious new enemy, a deadly green mist.

The film makes good use of its cast, and their performances are fine, and do their best to carry the film. Just like the first two films, Dawn Treader is handsomely produced, boasting impressive production design, costumes, makeup, sound design, and special effects, and some great battle sequences, such as a daring escape from slave traders, and a nail biting final battle with ferocious sea serpents.

But you know what? Those things can't save the film from it's pretty big faults. Most of the magic that seemed to make the first film, and to a lesser extent the second film, so special seems to have been lost through the film's unfocused narrative. This time around the magic feels kind of generic. I also found the editing by Rick Shaine to be inconsistent, as the pace of the film tends to hop infrequently between slow and developmental, to fast and offbeat.

As for David Arnold's score, not only was it a big no no to fire Harry Gregson-Williams, but his score also gets a little derivative at times. I couldn't help but be reminded of Pirates of the Caribbean and Edward Scissorhands at points. There's also a somewhat distracting end credits country tune performed by Carrie Underwood, which by itself is quite lovely, but in the context of the film, feels out of place to the fantasy of Narnia.

It really does seem like the series has gotten worse with each new film. Either the film makers need to get their acts together (And hire a new editor), or they need to hand it to more capable hands.

I give Voyage of the Dawn Treader ** out of ****

No action thrown together, just not good

[skyline09 · 6/10 · 15 December 2010]

Film seemed thrown together too quick even tho there was a 3 or 4 year gap between the last. I'm no huge fan and didn't read the books but the 1st two are far better than this one. The additional character that was added the cousin Eustace or however you spell it was very annoying and his voice was horrible. Again I love the 1st two and me and my daughter (7) watched them quite a few times together and she loved them but this one was just a total disappointment. Let me put it this way, I got up about the mid point to go to the bathroom and stood in line to get some popcorn before I returned to the movie. Also everything now a days is 3D my "PERSONAL OPINION" its useless and there wasn't anything that was 3D about it, just had to wear those annoying glasses the whole movie.

i don't know what to think

[nikowanamate · 6/10 · 19 December 2010]

this trailer for this movie certainly had me jazzed to see it. it felt as if it was a movie trying to break from the other two, but having seen this one, the other two seem to be completely different from this one. i don't know whether it was the change of director or change of the big studios to fox 2000, but the film lacked in a lot of places.

i felt destroyed because i didn't emotionally connect with all the film's character. the only outstanding performance was from the mouse and the little we had of aslan, other than that the acting tendered to be stale and predictable, which i found cliché and boring. the dialogue also made them look extremely bad, it was cheesy to the point of embarrassment. even i would i have done a better job to guide this film from one point to the next, not tell a story that should about 40 minutes in 10 minutes, as i felt were many of the small story lines in the movie.

despite the fantastic visual effects, they weren't helped by the lack of performances from the main actors, who should have done a better job ... ala... the last two narnia films.

however, on a more positive note, the ending perhaps revive the narnia spirit we have all come to love and respect. it's beautifully filmed, and aslan's entrance is done majestically. the battle at the end is done so convincingly, but the way it ends...i just don't know what to say.

i don't know if i would recommend this film...but if you go to see it...have an open mind, because the film certainly had some...but small good moments.

Narnia meets Pirates of the Caribbean

[freemantle_uk · 8/10 · 11 December 2010]

There were reasons to be both excited and nervous about this third instalment of the "Narnia" series, but luckily Michael Apted has made a fun, swashbucking family film.

Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) are stuck in Cambridge, England, living with their bratty and selfish cousin Eustace Scrubb (Will Poulter). Edmund and Lucy long to return to Narnia; Peter has been rejected by the army for his age and Lucy, like many teenage girls, starts to have doubts about her looks. Through a magic painting the three youngsters are teleported to the oceans of Narnia and found by King Caspian X (Ben Barnes), leading a voyage to the Lone Islands. After freeing the people from a slave trader, Caspian, Lucy, Edmund and co. have to go eastward to find the seven lost lords and stop a mysterious green mist.

Everything you would want or expect from a fantasy is here: sword fights, dragons, magic, legends, strange creatures, wizards and a quest into an unknown territory. The adventure was light-hearted and there is a great amount of humour. Poulter was excellent as the butt of the jokes as a spoiled child who is overwhelmed by his surroundings. He had a particularly good acting relationship with Keynes and Simon Pegg, the voice of Reepicheep. Pegg was able to inject some really comic energy as Eddie Izzard did with the role.

The action was well handled and the special effects were decent. Because of the smaller forces involved and the sea-faring adventure there are no massive battles between large armies but more smaller, quicker skirmishes. The final battle was very much like the final action scene in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, a small group of people fighting a sea creature. The costumes were very similar to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films and the filmmakers seem to be influenced by the "Harry Potter" series and the glowing sword from Lord of the Rings.

Apted paces the film quickly with no moments of boredom to settle in. The voyage to a number of strangle desert-like islands was very similar to classic adventure films like Jason and the Argonauts. The dry islands were very similar to the Greek islands. It has an old-fashioned style and feel, but that is not necessarily bad -- in fact it's pretty good. The cinematography and set designs are bright and colourful and this is a perfect film to take children to.

Whilst Keynes and Henley are a little unsteady at first in the film, they grow into their roles and becoming more assured. Barnes drops the Spanish accent from Prince Caspian and it helps him improve his performance. He was much more comfortable in the role and Caspian has grown up as character. He was more believable as a king then as a young prince.

A problem with "Voyage" is there is a lack of a compelling antagonist. This film is more about the "quest" than The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian and there is a fresh amount of mystery, but the mystery has a lacklustre conclusion.

Bye Edmund, Lucy and... Narnia

[abdel · 6/10 · 13 December 2010]

I enjoyed the third movie only because I'm a big fan of the books and the previous ones. Although I have to say that I was as sad as Edmund and Lucy at the end because just as them, I don't think we will be coming back to Narnia anymore. The special effects and make up lacked the magic of the first two movies, the dialogs were almost too teenager at points losing the wittiness and greatness of the kings and queens we've learned to love and admire. Eustace was at points irritating. And I couldn't stop having the feeling that there was no turning back. We're going to have to learn to love the name of Aslan in our world, because I have serious doubts we will be back anytime soon. To Aslan, Narnia and the Kings and Queens of old. Farewell...

The best one yet!

[Pixie-Belle · 9/10 · 4 December 2010]

Once again we are draw into the world of Narnia as Edmund and Lucy along with their cousin Eustace to help King Caspian find seven Lords banished from Narnia by his uncle.

This third film in the Narnia series is a great improvement on the last and by far the best yet. Sadly with Prince Caspian it appears the film makers threw the book out the window and made up their own story where as this one sticks a lot closer to the book I am pleased to say although there are naturally a few twists and changes to the story. Seeing the film in 3D adds little as clearly it was post converted.

Ben Barnes looks a lot more comfortable in the skin of Caspian this time especially having dropped the Spanish accent. Will Poulter as Eustace is a clear stand out too but being a kids film none of the cast really get a chance to show off their acting talents with any long monologues or scenes. Reepicheep's story is also well done.

The film is good fun and there are some great action pieces especially with the sea serpent. The special effects are well done too. A great family flick for the holidays.

I must also note a wonderful touch over the closing credits by using images from the book. A source of reference I wish had been used in the last film.

Overall a good job by Fox having now taking over the series from Disney. Now if you can just go back and re-make Prince Caspian for me please?

Good... but Bad.

[alerasoul · 6/10 · 13 December 2010]

About a year and a half ago, I was thrilled about this film. I kept that excitement with me for all that time, then saw the film, and I was disappointed.

I'm a book-reader for the Narnia series. However, I do realize that film's primary purpose is to entertain. If a movie is based on a book, T.V. show, comic book, video game, etc., I rate the movie according to how entertained I was, not necessarily on how close the movie stayed true to the source material. With "Voyage of the Dawn Treader", I wasn't really entertained.

Now, the book is my favorite of the whole series. This film seemed WAY too fast-paced to me. Nothing that was done was satisfying. The introduction to earth was far too short, and didn't let the viewer take in enough. The jump from earth to Narnia was too quick. Then there were other things like the first sword fight looking like it was filmed with a television show camera. Caspian's accent has apparently changed from Telmarine (Spaniard-like) to full-throttle proper British over the course of just three years. Hard to not notice.

But the thing that made me cringe the most was the acting. The script was fine. The acting was horrifically bad. It's like Apted told Georgie (Lucy) and Skandar (Edmund) to deliver their lines in the most corny way possible, with the least amount of feeling or realism. Their jobs in the first and second films were superb (I thought). In this film it was like they'd gotten worse. And it wasn't just the Pevensies, it was Eustace. OH, THE HORROR! It was like he was in a school play. His condescending, annoying obnoxiousness was acted out like a newcomer to the film world. His way of speaking was just trite and completely unrealistic. Absolutely atrocious acting from him; I'd say he was the worst actor in this of the lot. Not to mention Simon Pegg as Reepicheep. Ever wondered what face would appear next to the dictionary definition of "melodramatic"? Now you've got it. I was cringing in my chair.

The story was still quite interesting, however. And there's a certain line that Aslan says in the end of the book that's vital to include in the film. Happily, it was. But that still wasn't enough to get me to really love the film. The climax just didn't feel satisfying enough to me. Then there was a plot element in the novel between Caspian and Ramandu's daughter 'the star' (a love interest) that I was looking forward to, but was never included.

The overall experience made me give this film a '6' because the story was still intriguing. The acting and fast pace, however, were mostly what put me off. Maybe it's just me. You might like the film. You might not pick up any of the faults that I found, and love the movie just like my sister did (she thought it was wonderfully cute and amazing). I'm not saying I don't recommend the movie. I'm just saying if you're a movie buff like me (I've watched over a thousand films), if you love the Narnia series, and if you have a good eye for performance, you might not enjoy this movie. I really can't judge others for liking the movie, because it wasn't technically a bad film. In my opinion, however, it wasn't that good a film, either.

6/10 stars.

Fantastic Locations

[trooperjac · 7/10 · 11 April 2011]

The Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe remains the best of the Narnia movies so far. That story is a rightful classic and fondly remembered by kids of all ages. The movie version was fabulous and a lot of that was down to the obvious chemistry between the young actors playing the Pevensies.

Dawn Treader suffers slightly when relying on the two younger siblings for it's emotional center despite Georgie & Skandar turning in good performances. The film doesn't quite feel the same without Susan & Peter but I know it would have been a travesty for them to appear in this film. I found Will Poulter's acting a touch overblown even for a fantasy movie but these are minor points as he come's good in the end.

All in all I enjoyed the movie very much. A proper boy's own adventure (& girl's) with great photography and fabulous fantasy locations. The ending was pretty moving with Lucy & Edmund saying goodbye to Narnia for the last time.

Seems they are filming The Magician's Nephew next which looks cool.