Absolutely Fantastic

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Walden Media has done it again with a third wonderful Narnian fantasy adventure. The plot, the action, the effects, the acting and the humour all soar high! Despite being quite different from the book, it is quite good in its own right. Will Poulter does a fantastic job as the comically annoying Eustace Scrubb, who provides heaps of comedy (Poulter is the best actor in the film). The ending is also pretty good emotionally. It also has both the best effects and highest level of effects in the series. All in all, a good movie and a welcome ending to the trilogy.

The third and final instalment of the recent big-budget adaptations of C. S. Lewis's NARNIA books, VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER is a mini-masterpiece in comparison to the strong PRINCE CASPIAN that came before it. As a film, it's fast-paced and engaging, a children's adventure film that feels refreshingly old-fashioned and much like the classic adaptations of Edith Nesbit, for example. I should note that I haven't read the book.The plotting sees the older kids from the first two films jettisoned while the youngsters (Edmund and Lucy) now take their place. Once again, they team up with Caspian (Ben Barnes, never more than one dimensional) to go on an epic maritime adventure, tackling sea monsters, magic and a mysterious green mist en route.A potential problem with VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER is that we've seen it all before, but this matters little when the film is so entertaining from the word go. This effects-packed movie features all manner of CGI backdrops and one or two CGI beasties, similar to the Harryhausen epics of old. Will Poulter, as newcomer cousin Eustace, gives a masterful and hilarious performance and a real star-making turn. The movie has a decent pace, the introductory scenes are very well realised (I loved the way the kids access Narnia this time around) and it's more colourful and involving as any PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN film you might name. For me, the trilogy ended on a high.

This movie was a major disappointment. The movie for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was a huge flop when it comes to being accurate to the book. The entire plot was changed. Sure, they still wanted to find the seven lost lords, and to find Aslan's Country, but there were so many things they changed. It was quite ridiculous. The first scene was accurate, except that Eustace didn't use his book as a diary until after entering Narnia. Then, once they were in Narnia, the first few moments were accurate, but after that, it all just went downhill. First, with Eustace trying to steal food: he never did that in the book. He tried to steal water. Reepicheep trying to teach Eustace how to swordfight: that never happened in the book. The dufflepuds attacking Caspian and his men: that never happened. Lucy reciting the spell to make her look like Susan: that never happened. Lucy reciting the spell to bring snow: that never happened. And Aslan never appeared to Coriakin and Lucy in the movie, like he did in the book. Prince Caspian, Eustace, Reepicheep, Lucy, and Edmund weren't kidnapped by a slave trader in the movie like they were in the book. In the movie, there was also a green mist that was a huge part of the movie. This was never in the book. In the movie, when they entered the Dark Island, a sea serpent tried to destroy the ship. In the book, nothing really happened in the Dark Island except for finding one of the seven lords. The sea serpent, in the book, came earlier on, but it was easily defeated. Also, Jadis is again in the movie, when in the book she was barely even mentioned. Plus, the whole deal with the seven sword of the seven lords...ugh. That wasn't in the book either! Never once was it. In addition to that, in the movie, Caspian went with Lucy, Edmund, Eustace, and Reepicheep to the world's end, while in the book, he quite clearly wasn't allowed to. That basically sums it up.

If you enjoyed The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and have high hopes for this third Narnian installment and hopes that it will be as good as its predecessors then I think you'll be disappointed. I was myself displeased with the movie. Its script is weak, its pacing is businesslike and empty and the lion Aslan is horribly CGI designed unlike the previous Narnia chapters where he was so wonderfully CGI designed. However, this third Narnian chapter does improve upon its predecessors on a few levels: it has more magic, more Narnian creatures and the main danger in the film is bigger, the challenges are higher and they're all striking. The character of Eustace makes for an impressive new-coming character entrance with powerful personalities. The movie includes other wholly amazing elements such as Lucy trying to be more beautiful than what she is and realizing the terrible consequences that could arise from such a thought, Eustace's thought- provoking character development, the unusual relationship between Eustace and Reepicheep at the end of the film, Reepicheep's dream of entering Aslan's Country, Aslan's country featured as big rising waves, the Sea Snake design and more still. My rating: 6.0/10