Just watched Narnia (Possible spoilers)

[WayneLigon]

If anyone finds some good Narnia wallpapers at 1280x1024, especially any showing Peter in his armor, let me know. Finding stuff like that has become an exercise in frustration and spyware.

 

[Micah]

For those of you who have seen it - how would you rate the violence aspect and intensity of the movie?

I have just finished reading the book to my children and am considering taking them to see the movie. They are 3,4, and 5 years old and have seen PG movies like Treasure Planet and Star Wars. I wouldn't let them watch LOTR though.

Thanks in advance. . . .

 

[CrusaderX]

For those of you who have seen it - how would you rate the violence aspect and intensity of the movie?

I have just finished reading the book to my children and am considering taking them to see the movie. They are 3,4, and 5 years old and have seen PG movies like Treasure Planet and Star Wars. I wouldn't let them watch LOTR though.

Thanks in advance. . . .

The violence in Narnia was more intense than I thought it would be. It's not quite at the LOTR level, but it's not too far from it, without showing gore or limbs falling off.

 

[Krieg]

Let me rephrase. Jesus does not fight a demon as part of the passion.

You're not rephrasing, you're changing the parameters to fit your argument.



Edit: Oops, did I forget to mention that I agree with most of your points though?

 

[Black Omega]

Saw the movie today and quite enjoyed it. The audience was really into the movie which helped as well. I'll probably see it again in a few days, the last movies I liked that much was the LotR movies.

I'm on the side of it being an allegory but that doesn't bother me. It's a good allegory and the values highlighted in it are pretty universal.

For basically a kids movie, the violence was surprisingly intense. No blood, but lances shattering on bodies, Edmund stabbed and left dying, animals tearing into each other, etc.

And despite the total lack of anything like sex, Tilda Swinton still managed to look pretty darn good, though cold. Her appearence toward the end of the movie in the chariot was impressive.

 

[Flyspeck23]

Given that the symbolism practially beats you about the head and shoulders in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe this is an almost amazing statement.

Edmund, the sinner whose life is forfeit to evil is redeemed by Aslan, the son of the Emperor-Over-The-Sea who made Narnia. Aslan, though without sin himself, willingly sacrifices himself to redeem Edmund, and is abused, humilated, and ritualistically killed on the stone table. He conquers death, breaks the stone table, and returns, to be found by two women, and then frees those bound by evil, and defeats the devil incarnate.

You cannot really get more obvious without inserting "mankind" for "Edmund", "Jesus" for "Aslan", "cross" for "stone table", and "Satan" for "White Witch".

Note that Jesus didn't willingly sacrifice himself to save Barabas (who in fact was a "sinner"), nor did Jesus try to redeem Barabas in any way. And Jesus didn't came back from the dead to defeat the "devil incarnate", Satan (and neither did he break his cross, for that matter).
There's an allegory, but it ain't that obvious.

But now we're hip-deep in a religious discussion... although you might call it historical

 

[Firebeetle]

But it DOESN'T beat you on the head and shoulders

Given that the symbolism practially beats you about the head and shoulders in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe this is an almost amazing statement.

Edmund, the sinner whose life is forfeit to evil is redeemed by Aslan, the son of the Emperor-Over-The-Sea who made Narnia. Aslan, though without sin himself, willingly sacrifices himself to redeem Edmund, and is abused, humilated, and ritualistically killed on the stone table. He conquers death, breaks the stone table, and returns, to be found by two women, and then frees those bound by evil, and defeats the devil incarnate.

You cannot really get more obvious without inserting "mankind" for "Edmund", "Jesus" for "Aslan", "cross" for "stone table", and "Satan" for "White Witch".

Very well done summary of it, thank you.

We all get the comparison, yet it is not immediately obvious to the uninformed reader. The whole literary merit thing started with me saying that this allegory is not obvious to everyone, in fact, most people don't see it initially. Yes, it is certainly there, but most don't realize until it is explained to them at which point they say, "Duh, I didn't notice that." I feel this is due to the craft of Lewis' writing. It is the essence of the passion out of biblical context. If you think back to your initial experience with the work, you will probably find that you had some forewarning about the nature of the book and read it in that context. (gritting teeth for the inevitable, "I'm so smart I got it without anyone telling me it was about Jesus and stuff" response) Those who don't often need a cue to get the connection, which they agree is obvious on retrospect.

We churchies get all excited about this sort of thing. Anything that explains the gospel in new and exciting ways. For me personally, I didn't get the concept of salvation until I read this book. That is when it clicked. Speaking of which, it's time for church.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

(gritting teeth for the inevitable, "I'm so smart I got it without anyone telling me it was about Jesus and stuff" response)

well, I did get it on my own, but only after exposure to the story in three different presentations over 9 years or more to percolate. So it doesn't particularly give me an "I'm so smart" feeling.

I'm sure age and religious exposure at first reading/watching will effect how easily people "get it" as well.

 

[Storm Raven]

Note that Jesus didn't willingly sacrifice himself to save Barabas (who in fact was a "sinner"), nor did Jesus try to redeem Barabas in any way.

Edmund isn't a stand in for Barabas. He is a stand in for mankind.

And Jesus didn't came back from the dead to defeat the "devil incarnate", Satan (and neither did he break his cross, for that matter).

Jesus' descent into hell and defeat of death and the devil is part of the tradition of many Christian sects. His breaking the cross is symbolic, and also included in many traditions.

 

[Storm Raven]

If you think back to your initial experience with the work, you will probably find that you had some forewarning about the nature of the book and read it in that context. (gritting teeth for the inevitable, "I'm so smart I got it without anyone telling me it was about Jesus and stuff" response) Those who don't often need a cue to get the connection, which they agree is obvious on retrospect.

I got it without anyone telling me it was a biblical allegory. But not until I had read several books in the series and matched up what was going on in Narnia in a larger sense with the stories in the Bible. Once you get to The Magician's Nephew it gets really hard to miss. If you read The Last Battle without figuring it out, you probably have had no exposure to the Bible to begin with.