The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

by Jim Sutton

Disney’s movie, Narnia, opened here in Montana this last weekend. My wife and I went to see it Friday. I was pleasantly surprised to see they stuck to the heart of Lewis’ story.

The acting was good, as were the special effects. I was not surprised to see any of that. But I had wondered if they would stick to the central message C. S. Lewis wanted to get across. The Chronicles of Narnia have been a favorite in our family since our children were very young. They grew up hearing the books read, and then they read the books themselves. We’ve almost always had a set of the Chronicles around.

When I read Narnia the first time, it required me to pay close attention on many levels. I was always impressed with how Lewis could keep things so simple, yet also work at the story on so many levels, offering so many ideas at the same time.

For Christian believers, the Narnia tales are a great blessing. A little like Pilgrim’s Progress, in some ways, but not so focused on the things that occupy adult believers that they fail to communicate to children of all ages. Lewis was intent on including the many creatures of ancient lore and fairy tales, and using terms like “magic” to convey great spiritual truths.

And, like just about any good writer, Lewis introduced us to a lot of his own ideas, and shared with us many of the questions that roamed and worked in his mind. One central theme in his stories of Narnia was the power of God at work in redemption and reconciliation. For Lewis, a professor or medieval literature, that reconciliation meant a lot more than many Christians get around to thinking about. He often wondered about the ancient tales and myths, as to what really inspired them, and what had gone on before our time. And he had no doubt that when God reconciled all things to Himself, that it meant ALL THINGS in heaven and earth.

Disney has never had a problem producing movies about magic and fantasy. But the studio hasn’t always been friendly to the Christian faith. In Narnia, the studio has demonstrated that it’s willing to cross the borders, going from pagan myth to Christian fantasy. That may not sound like a lot to those who place little value on storytelling. But it means a lot when children are watching and learning about life from the big screen. And they’re always learning whenever they are watching.

The symbols and core message of Narnia are worthwhile. And if the film leads curious minds to read the books, so much the better. I’ve always believed that, in every generation God has His witness. And I am grateful that He is not without His witnesses in Hollywood and on the big screen.

To me, Narnia is a decent film, carefully made with the little ones in mind, and true enough to the original story to hold my respect. Thanks, Disney.

For more about the movie, visit the NarniaWeb site: http://www.narniaweb.com/

Jim

originally punlished at Jim’s blog: “Notes from Jim’s Desk” ( http://www.jimsdesk.com )