by Donald Lind

Created on: January 28, 2011

“Let “Narnia” go out with some dignity”

If there is any justice, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” will be the last in the series of books by C.S. Lewis to be adapted to the big screen (if judging by its so-so box office, it probably at least will be put on ice for a while).  Not because the movie is so good, no sequel can possibly top it, nor because it’s so bad, that it kills the whole franchise.  No, the movies should stop, because this film told everything one should need to know about the Pevensie children and the land of Narnia.

The story, as told by Michael Apted, director of the “Up” documentaries, perfectly sums of the journey of growth and maturity the children learn from their magical sojourns in Narnia, away from war-torn England.  It sums up all the messages and themes that Narnia represents, and the final, final battle at last takes place.  Basically, there is nowhere else for the story to go, at least nowhere intriguing.  Besides, “Narnia” has dipped in quality from film to film; this is the weakest least awe-inspiring of the three (comparatively, since “Narnia” in film form wasn’t all that magical to begin with).  It’s best to leave well enough alone before the filmmakers do end up making an embarrassment.

As the Second World War rages on, the younger Pevensie siblings Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes), suffer their own hardship, as they live with relatives and have endure their insufferable cousin Eustace Clarence Stubb (Will Poulter).  But, things are looking up as Narnia calls to its king and queen.  As usual, their trip comes by way of a random portal, through a picture on the wall and Lucy and Edmund (and Eustace, who is along for the ride) are soon all wet in the sea of Narnia.

They are pocked up by the magnificent vessel, the Dawn Treader, captained by their old friend, now King Caspian (Ben Barnes).  Caspian is on a trek to find the missing lords, followers of his father, and Lucy and Edmund have been called to their old kingdom to help out.  This turns the film into a treasure hunt movie, with a series of wacky adventures and magical diversions on land.  On their way, they head toward an inevitable confrontation on an island powered by an evil mist that has been stealing the souls of Narnia’s citizens.

Most of these scenes have decent special effects,

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