Faith in Film, The Chronicles of Narnia

Tonight we'll be screening the first of the "Chronicles of Narnia" films, "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe." The film is based on the first of a seven book series from author C.S. Lewis, a Christian who is probably best known for his non-fiction theological works like "Mere Christianity."

I always think fondly of "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" because it was part of the first major event of Highlands Church. The first event was our Movie Under the Stars screening, and the first screening was "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe."

The first of the "Chronicles of Narnia" films came out in 2005. At that time, Disney hoped that it had a hit film series on its hands. "Lord of the Rings" generated big box office takes, and the "Harry Potter" films were huge successes as well, so the hope was the "Narnia" series — seven books in all — could offer a similar windfall. It never really materialized.

We have now had three "Narnia" films released, including "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" in December, and the first one remains by far the best. Though it is rumored that production has begun on a fourth "Narnia" film, it remains to be seen if the series will be completed. I see a few reasons for why "Narnia" hasn't connected with filmgoers.

First, the story. "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" are epics where each chapter builds on the story as part of one, long, continuous narrative. The "Narnia" films are connected by a shared world, but each is a stand alone story. And, to this point, the films have felt very similar in terms of their narrative flow.

Second, a lack of familiarity with the series. For many, myself included, reading "The Chronicles of Narnia" meant reading the first book. I have read, or had it read to me, a number of times. I know the story well and love it. The same can't be said for the other six books. While there are ardent fans of the series, I think the lack of continuous narrative hampers the success of the work as a whole.

Third, a lack of a concrete villain. This was particularly a problem with the most recent film. The villain the characters fought was the darkness within themselves, particularly in terms of greed and a lust for power. While that makes for a great theological discussion and is illustrative of principles upon which the Christian faith is built upon, in terms of a film it saps some of the drama.

And finally, the casting of the child actors. What makes "Harry Potter" work isn't just the story, it's the great performances from Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. They hit the jackpot with that casting. "Narnia" wasn't as lucky. While the actors that portray Lucy and Edmund are fine, they aren't dynamic. Absent a strong emotional connection to the character on the screen, you just don't become attached to a film the same way.

Which leads me back to "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe." Not only does this film do a better job creating three dimensions for its young actors, it has an engrossing story, and a very concrete villain. This film, more so than any of the others, offers the traditional Gospel message. Aslan is meant to be a representative of Jesus Christ. Lewis intentionally added this story element as a way of sharing the heart of the Gospel message with readers of all ages.

The narrative even includes references to the narrative of Jesus offered in the Bible. For example, after Aslan is sacrificed as atonement for Edmund — referred to in the film as a "Son of Adam," or representative of mankind — the stone table upon which he was slain cracks straight through. This is an allusion to the reference made in the Bible that after Jesus, the lamb of God, died on the cross the veil for the Holy of Holies in the Temple was torn.

If nothing else, "The Chronicles of Narnia" should be revered in the Christian community as an exceptional outreach tool because of its ability to weave the heart of the Gospel message into a film that proves to be a draw for viewers of all ages.