I have now seen The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader five times, and I've been having trouble coming up with my own thoughts on it. The first time was in 2-D and the second in 3-D. For the first screening with a 'normal' audience, I opted for a 2-D screening. This really is a movie that you need to see more than once. Go see it at least twice. I'm not saying that because I want them to make enough money to continue the series, though that would be nice. I am saying that because, when you go from a book to a movie there are going to be changes. Those changes can be jarring and take you out of the movie. Seeing the movie only once can rob you of the experience of the movie on its own two legs. The second time through lets you see the movie on its own terms. (Unfortunately, most of the audience for the Narnia movies have not read beyond The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.)

Thematically, the movie captures the book wonderfully. There is a lot of real character growth, and a lot of trial and tribulation along the way. Themes of temptation, self-esteem, and greed run throughout. Add to that the constant mention of Aslan and we've got a great adventure on our hands. I feel it is the best of the three films, and also the most magical. I think the ending is the most emotional end so far.

This is a very intimate film, focusing more on the characters that are mostly stuck together aboard the majestic Dawn Treader. The characters, being in such close quarters, get to know each other very well. And the director, Michael Apted, manages to capture honest performances from his actors. Coming from a background of documentaries, as well as filming a James Bond as well as a film called Amazing Grace, he has focused on each individual character and it shows. The acting is much improved across the board by all of the returning actors from prior Narnia films.

The cinematography of this Narnia is much more fluid and remarkable than the prior films as well. Those did have some great moments, don't get me wrong. Dante Spinotti managed to capture scenes in very interesting ways, capturing performances on camera as well as the incredible scenery and amazing shots of the Dawn Treader.

The dialog, a lot of others are saying they didn't like as much as the previous two movies. I must disagree for a number of reasons. Eustace, Reepicheep, Caspian and Aslan. Eustace is spot on from the book. Everyone that I talk to tells me that they were so annoyed by him at the beginning (and if they have not read the books, I tell them the first line of the book and they laugh, because they get it from having seen the film). Plus his character's quips and journal as well as his narration are all wonderful. Reepicheep has some of the most incredible moments in the film and speaks with a very poetic charm throughout the film. Much more charming than in Caspian, much more Reepicheep than he ever has been. This was the quintessential Reepicheep to me. Caspian has a lot of fun, and his big moments toward the end of the film, which I'll mention later, are a great lesson. Finally, every time Aslan speaks, his words are very carefully chosen.

As for the overall screenplay, I found it to be as good as the others. I didn't have anything really stand out to me as uncharacteristic from my own perspective on the film. I found the film to move very quickly when compared to the previous two, and I know a bit more for why that is. They were delivering a film that was under two hours in length. I learned that while they were shooting it. It does show that they did some chopping to some scenes, but overall the storyline remained intact.

From this point on, the review is going to become very SPOILER FILLED, including the ENDING, so if you'd like to go into it fresh, stop reading now.

There are many moments in the movie that I really love, from the introduction of Eustace, to the entrance to Narnia. I found the interaction of Eustace and Reepicheep to be fantastic from beginning to end. Starting out with a few confrontations, the whole dynamic shifts when Reepicheep first compliments Eustace. Eustace doesn't really know how to handle a compliment and he seems to really enjoy what was likely the first honest compliment that he has ever received, aside from awards at school. Speaking of Eustace, Will Poulter does an amazing job of capturing the character as written in the book. He is spot on from beginning to end, and I would love for them to get going on The Silver Chair immediately so that he is still young enough to reprise the role. One other thing they managed to do was give the film a sort of narrative voice with Eustace. His journal helped to serve that purpose. I remember thinking that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe would have been better if we either had a narrator or could listen to the thoughts of the children at times. Edmund, in particular. In this film, Eustace gives his thoughts on what is going on, and I'm sure there are some Narnia fans that will agree with his statements at times. His transformation in the film is definitely one that you can see very well by the end. I think he's got a great career ahead of him and I hope that people really take notice.

Simon Pegg has absolutely nailed the character of Reepicheep. The change in voice actors is not a distraction at all, and serves to bring more gravity to the character. He has some very good moments in the film, not the least of which is a scene where he is able to give comfort to Eustace, who has found himself in a situation where he cannot speak, or even sleep. Reepicheep offers to stay up with him and tell him stories of his adventures. It is a very tender moment that is paid off in one of the final moments of the film, as characters are parting ways. "What a marvelous puzzle you are." (Not sure I've got that line right, but it is one of my favorite lines in the movie.) Reepicheep, in this film, is one of the finest characters on the screen, and I think that he has (like the book caused) become a fan favorite even moreso than he was from his action adventure stint in Prince Caspian.

Skandar Keynes steps things up in his role as Edmund. He has one big moment that has been reminding people of Orlando Bloom or Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean. I guess that's a fair comparison, though you could also say that it's like Errol Flynn but many would be scratching their heads at that reference. There was one particular moment that was classic Edmund. If you remember the scene in Prince Caspian when he was challenging King Miraz to a duel on behalf of Peter, I loved this moment just as much. Just look at Edmund's face when Caspian hands him something he'd lost.

Georgie Henley's return to the role of Lucy is a meaty one. She is in a situation where she wants to be beautiful, she sees her sister Susan, and feels she cannot measure up to her. Her self-esteem seems to have taken a pounding somewhere along the way and that is something that is only added to when Caspian mentions Susan in a line that causes many fans to roll their eyes. However, after he says that line, keep your eyes on the screen, and watch Lucy very carefully. I noticed the second time I saw the movie, and confirmed it last night: Lucy really thinks about what Caspian is saying, and her face falls. In the book, Lucy kind of has a crush on Caspian, but that doesn't come into play in this film beyond that small moment. It adds to her self-esteem issues, though Caspian did not intentionally do so. Though that line also alludes to the fact that Caspian has been looking for a woman to be his queen.

Caspian is much more fun this time around. Barnes appears to be having a great time finally playing the role he earned in the movie he was most excited to be a part of. He plays the now King Caspian with nobility and grace. Gone is the quick temper, as he has matured and grown into his new position in the few years since the last adventure in Narnia. Caspian has retained a bit of the innocence he had, but seems to be having much more fun, now that he doesn't have an uncle out to get him. His character arc is slightly modified from the book, but in a way that is positive. He merely wishes to be as great a King as his father was, but he doesn't really know how. When they get to the edge of the world, Caspian has this moment of realization after speaking to Aslan. "I spent too long wanting what was taken from me and not what was given." That is a very good lesson that we can all learn from.

Liam Neeson's voice role of Aslan is excellent once again. People were a bit concerned that Aslan wouldn't look as good this time, but he most certainly does. And Liam Neeson knocks it out of the park with a very tender and thought provoking vocal performance. The emphasis is in all the right places. He speaks the lines with a tenderness and warmth that no prior Aslan has managed to capture. Every time he is on the screen, I have found that the entire audience is suddenly quiet. I have read that some prefer the James Earl Jones style vocals for Aslan, but having seen that in previous Narnia versions, it's nice to have an Aslan that you don't fear.

Will Poulter's turn as Eustace is certainly the best performance of the character, hands down. You go along with him for the ride as he goes from pest to friend. His heartfelt goodbye to Reepicheep and the narration at the end of the film both capture the journey that we've been on with him well. The words he speaks at the end of the film also sum up the audience's emotion as the film heads toward the close. It's extremely poetic in that it is Eustace that puts the painting back on the wall. Look also for the undragoning scene. I have seen enough people mention this that it seems important to mention. People seem to miss the moment that Eustace is scratching at his dragon skin, but it is there. The moment that Aslan rips the dragon skin from him is also present and it is done in a way that you can tell what is happening, but also in a way that is characteristic of Aslan. It keeps the movie kid friendly, shows his great power, and he roars the rest away with fire. It's all far more symbolic than most will notice, and that includes the fire.

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Let's take a quick look at the two major additions to the story on film vs. the story in the book.

The Seven Swords. I learned about the swords over a year ago from Ben Barnes. I find the seven swords intriguing. In the film there are seven swords that were given to the seven lost lords by Aslan for the protection of Narnia. Some have stated that it makes no sense that Aslan would give them something for the protection of Narnia, let alone weapons. I must point out a few things. The tree of Narnia was also there for protection, as were the gifts that the children were given by Father Christmas in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The most interesting thing is that they were given swords, but the way to fight the evil is to lay the swords down on Aslan's Table. Live by the sword, die by the sword. So they lay the swords down and don't ever really use them in battle. The only sword that is used is the one gifted to Peter by Father Christmas in the first film. It is used to protect the Narnian sailors aboard the Dawn Treader from the manifested sea serpent. The only way that the sword had the power to defeat the serpent, however, was after the seventh sword was on Aslan's table. If you notice, it didn't actually glow until the seventh sword was finally there with the others. It was a combined effort, therefore, of the children with the help of Aslan who had not only made Eustace a boy once again, but also placed him back on Ramandu's Island in reach of his table.

The Green Mist is the one thing that I find many people have a very big problem with. Personally, I don't have a problem with it. For one thing, in The Silver Chair there are Narnians disappearing inexplicably, and that's where the film makers took that story point from. Another thing is that the mist seems to be an extension of the Dark Island, which is found in the book. The mist is explained as Narnia's natural reaction to evil being introduced to the world. However, it also made me think of it from another point of view. If you've read The Screwtape Letters, this Narnia book / film is very much a Screwtape Letters for kids. Whenever the mist appears, it seems to be messing with all of the characters in some way. I began to see it as an evil force, much like Wormwood, that is the source of the temptation. In the film, slave traders are making sacrifices of Narnians to the green mist. I thought about it a little, and realized that they would only do so if they were under some sort of threat. Perhaps the green mist is also a hint at things to come in The Silver Chair, with the Lady of the Green Kirtle. I could see her making a reference to the slave traders, should that film be made.

I look at it like this. The Dark Island appears in the book, and that justifies every single moment that the green mist is in the film. The fact that the Dark Island, which came out of nowhere, a place of evil and nightmare even appears in the book is completely random. Even moreso if you've read the books in chronological order and know about the creation of Narnia. It makes no sense that the Dark Island would be intentionally placed in the world. The fact that it does exist means that it had to manifest somehow, as things don't cause themselves to happen. There must be a sentient evil presence to cause that effect. Therefore, the green mist has just as much qualification for appearing within the world of Narnia. It, too, appears to be out of nowhere. This also brings us back to the Lady of the Green Kirtle from The Silver Chair. Evil being brought into Narnia from outside of it in the form of Jadis caused a lot of the trouble in the first place. And that evil, though defeated by Aslan, still persists in the same way that it does in our own world.

Gael. This character was created to give Lucy a character to teach, and to learn from. She looks up to Lucy and wants to be like her some day, which gives Lucy a nice bookend to her journey of self esteem. I have said before that Arabella Morton, the girl that played the role, is a total sweetheart and that's true. I did like her in the film, but there were a couple of shots that the editors used of her that I might have taken one or two more takes to get just right. Her acting in the rest is very good. One shot, however, was done in a single take, and that one would take the same minute or so for each take to accomplish: "When you grow up, you should be just like you." That said, she gives us more of a connection to the missing Narnians.

Other details

Now, let's talk about the music, by David Arnold. I'm a big fan of movie scores, and when it comes to this film, the music is definitely good. The problem, to me, is that I felt the Dawn Treader theme was a bit too understated. A ship that magical, that majestic, needs music to match. The theme was good, but could have been great with a bit more sound. It took until the fourth time through that I remembered the themes from the movie that Arnold wrote.

Now, there are some call backs to the music of Harry Gregson-Williams that were written for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. (Side note: Some believe that Caspian was mostly a copy of the score from LWW, with a few small changes. As a film music buff, I must say that is an incorrect assessment. The music in Prince Caspian is probably 25-30% from LWW, an not more than that. Plus, even if it is thematic material from the prior film, it is written and recorded for the new film. However similar it sounds, it has to be timed to fit in the film and they never just take an old track and re-use it.) When it comes to using themes from the prior films in this one, I think it does a good job of having a singular theme for the story, and using the major and memorable Narnian themes at just the right moments. Because the themes don't show very often, they sweep you into the emotion of the scenes in which they are used: the first time you really see the Dawn Treader, and when they arrive at Aslan's Country. While many believe these themes are direct copies, all were re-written for this film by David Arnold. Instrumentation has changed some, and the tempo is made to match the sweeping moment and flow all the way to the credits. The one thing that I missed were the vocals of Lisbeth Scott, who graced the first two films very memorably to me.

I can't talk about the film without mentioning the final moments of the film. I think the last few scenes from the sea of lilies on are some of the finest that I have seen, in any movie really. The fact that every time that I have seen the movie, the audience is completely held captive by these moments is just incredible. I think King Caspian's line toward the end of the film sums up pretty well my feelings about the books becoming movies. It was something like: "I spent too long wanting what was taken from me and not what was given."

And the final shot of Lucy closing the door is a great bookend to the order of discovery of Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Eustace leaves, followed by Edmund, and Lucy closes the door.