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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Play trailer 2:22 Poster for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe PG 2005 2h 23m Kids & Family Fantasy Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
76% Tomatometer 216 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
During the World War II bombings of London, four English siblings are sent to a country house where they will be safe. One day Lucy (Georgie Henley) finds a wardrobe that transports her to a magical world called Narnia. After coming back, she soon returns to Narnia with her brothers, Peter (William Moseley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and her sister, Susan (Anna Popplewell). There they join the magical lion, Aslan (Liam Neeson), in the fight against the evil White Witch, Jadis (Tilda Swinton).
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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

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Critics Consensus

With first-rate special effects and compelling storytelling, this adaptation stays faithful to its source material and will please moviegoers of all ages.

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Critics Reviews

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Namrata Joshi Outlook 01/09/2019
3/4
Incredibly engrossing but intermittently so. It holds you, but the grip could have been even more firm. Go to Full Review
Sukhdev Sandhu Daily Telegraph (UK) 02/10/2007
This is a worthy opening salvo, a film that succeeds through the sheer weight of our expectations, and that won't disappoint younger audiences. Go to Full Review
Ian Freer Empire Magazine 12/30/2006
3/5
It's an enjoyable adaptation and good enough for us to welcome this new franchise. Go to Full Review
Alan French Sunshine State Cineplex Nov 25
6/10
Adamson’s [The Chronicles of Narnia] makes for a decent holiday flick for the family. There’s action, adventure, and plenty of good-natured heroes. Go to Full Review
Joe Lipsett Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast 12/30/2022
2.5/5
The film captures the essence of the novel, which succumbing to the 2000s tendency to lean into fight scenes and CGI (puppets look good, though!). The kids are well cast, but this adaptation feels bloated and padded at nearly 2.5 hrs. Go to Full Review
Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 09/29/2020
6/10
Despite its generic swords-and-sorcery storyline, it's amusingly padded with extensive fantasy elements, making it a must-see for those itching for magic-doused adventure. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Kevin S. @RT12772119 2d Great movie. Best Narnia movie. In a way this film does have a lot of representation of the 2nd coming of Christ in the last days. I won't spoil on why that is, but if you like good defeats evil and representation of the 2nd coming of Jesus then this is the movie for you to watch. Great movie before Hollywood became woke and see evil as light and good as darkness. See more Vinicius M @Vini_Monteiro 2d This passionate review celebrates "The Chronicles of Narnia" as a timeless fantasy that brilliantly anchors magic in the real-world trauma of the London Blitz. It praises the film's deep reverence for C.S. Lewis's original work, avoiding modern cynicism to preserve an innocent, 1940s atmosphere. The emotional core relies on authentic, flawed sibling dynamics, highlighted by Georgie Henley’s pure wonder as Lucy and Skandar Keynes’s complex redemption arc as Edmund. Tilda Swinton also receives high praise for her chilling, aristocratic portrayal of the White Witch. Technically, the film is lauded for its organic world-building, utilizing real locations, phenomenal practical effects, and a masterful score rather than relying solely on green screens. Ultimately, the review views the film not just as a kids' movie, but as a nostalgic, emotionally weighty epic about family and forgiveness. See more Paul S @PManRager 4d This movie was amazing! This is one of the most heartwarming and fantastical journeys I have ever seen in a movie, and I feel it encapsulated the original book incredibly well. I definitely recommend this for fantasy, action, and adventure fans, and for fans of The Chronicles of Narnia series of books! See more Noah H. @Noah85 Jun 13 Childhood favorite. Grew up watching it with my brother. There is so much to love in this: The action, the tension, the emotionally-moving score by Harry Gregson-Williams, the fantasy world, and much more. I personally never read the book it’s based on but for what it is, I think it’s a really fun movie. All the actors deliver and Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are very relatable characters. Me and my brother’s favorite character was always Peter. He was awesome! Speaking of awesome characters, Aslan ROCKS! I still remember the very first time I watched the movie and the part when they revealed the King of Narnia. I was BLOWN away. I did NOT expect the king to be a lion and I loved lions at the time so that really surprised me. And man, the queen of Narnia is such a good villain in this. I forgot how menacing she is. As for some other supporting characters, Mr. Tumnus such a sweet guy too. It’s a shame he didn’t come back in the sequels. Oh, well. Rating: 10/10 See more Faiz S @RT19049740 May 25 The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe is a fantasy film that mixes wonder, emotion, and mythology beautifully. The idea of four siblings escaping war and accidentally discovering Narnia through a wardrobe. This simple idea alone becone one of cinema's most iconic fantasy concepts. The atmosphere of snowy forests and silent kingdoms feel magical from the first minutes. Visually, the film loooks impressive years later See more Kymber H. @SandlotLover17 Feb 28 Aslan is king! We love Aslan! See more Read all reviews
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

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Movie Info

Synopsis During the World War II bombings of London, four English siblings are sent to a country house where they will be safe. One day Lucy (Georgie Henley) finds a wardrobe that transports her to a magical world called Narnia. After coming back, she soon returns to Narnia with her brothers, Peter (William Moseley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and her sister, Susan (Anna Popplewell). There they join the magical lion, Aslan (Liam Neeson), in the fight against the evil White Witch, Jadis (Tilda Swinton).
Director
Andrew Adamson
Producer
Mark Johnson
Screenwriter
C.S. Lewis, Christopher Markus
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Walden Media
Rating
PG (Frightening Moments|Battle Sequences)
Genre
Kids & Family, Fantasy, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 9, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
May 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$291.7M
Runtime
2h 23m
Sound Mix
SDDS, DTS, Surround, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)