I had been looking forward to this movie with great anticipation since I first saw its trailer months ago. My whole family loves the Chronicles; we own a set and have read each book at least once. Our biggest concern was that the movie remain true to the books. It did not disappoint! The only problem I had with the movie, simply stated, is that it was too short. It was wonderful, and definitely lived up to my overall expectations.
While I understand that time constraints made it impossible to include parts of the book, I did think a certain sequence of scenes fell short. I'm a big Aslan fan; in the movie his look, his voice, his dignity and power were wonderfully portrayed. His greater presence, however - his depth of emotion on the way to the stone table, the great love the girls had for him, their grief after his death, and his joyous interaction with them after his resurrection - were portrayed much more fully in the book. He seems more matter-of-fact in the movie.
The battle scene was incredible. Wonderful creatures, fantastic sequences, a visual and emotional feast. Awesome! And it was so gratifying to me that my children were exposed to great battle scenes that didn't resort to huge amounts of gore and atrocity.
The characters were wonderful. Jadis was effectively intimidating; the beavers were delightful, and Tumnus all the more endearing as we witnessed his suffering in the dungeon. And the children were excellent; Peter's transformation from boy to man, Edmund's conflict, Susan's hesitancy and Lucy's unshakable faith all came through beautifully.
The scenes of Tumnus'imprisonment and the bombing of London were well-chosen additions to the film; they made Edmund more sympathetic and helped new audiences appreciate the horrors of WWII and the older children's reluctance to get involved in another war.
I have enthusiastically endorsed The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to my family and friends. After viewing it once, I happily list it as one of my favorites.