That Was I Night I Should Have Just Stayed Home & Read Fanfic

[redbrunja]

Narnia: after the worst audience ever, the fenderbender (I wasn't driving), the movie's much more blatant christian imagery, the LoTR rip-off plot cinematography, plus

the crappy Peter Pan ending,

it so wasn't worth the 8 bucks and 2 1/2 hours of my life.

Comments

[solace-adrift.livejournal.com]

It was better than the first one. Not, you know, a lot, but a little better.
The Christian imagery… it actually wasn’t as bad for the first half. I mean, it was still there, but it was kept to the background, relegated to that little girl’s (yeah, I forgot her name) storyline. And then it sucker punches you in the ending. The thing about the Christian influence is that from a narrative point of view it simply isn’t very satisfying. And it just doesn’t make a lot of sense.
And also, as a pet peeve of mine, Susan charging into battle has to be one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen. Bows are ranged weapons. Their meant to be used at range. Not in the middle of a melee.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

And then it sucker punches you in the ending. The thing about the Christian influence is that from a narrative point of view it simply isn’t very satisfying. And it just doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Exactly. It's like, okay, why did Aslan disappear? We never actually got a reason. As my mom said, when she first read the books, they were just a little unsatisfying. Now there's a LOT unsatisfying. And total word about it not making sense.

Frankly, I was just so glad to see Susan DOING something that I didn't care about that. You can really tell that the book was written in the 1940s and the writers really didn't update it that much, you know?

[solace-adrift.livejournal.com]

Apparently JesusAslan’s ego was such that unless someone begged him to help it wasn’t worth saving lives. Or something.

Movies of books tend to be pretty good at doing this really. Because they have so little time compared to a book, they have to distill the main ideas in a simpler form. And once all the trappings of the idea are gone, if it was a stupid one to begin with that stupidity will shine through all the brighter.

I think they tried to update Susan role (I saw an interview to that effect) but with the kind of source material they had, they really didn’t have much to work with.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Apparently JesusAslan’s ego was such that unless someone begged him to help it wasn’t worth saving lives. Or something

That was my call. And apparently it had to be the right someone. Just anyone who needed his help wouldn't do.

I think they tried to update Susan role (I saw an interview to that effect) but with the kind of source material they had, they really didn’t have much to work with.

*nods* I did that actually did alright with her - what really bugged me is that you only really had men, male creatures, and Susan fighting. If they'd shown some of the female centaurs fighting alonside the men, or some female minators, I don't think I would have had the problems I did. That would have been realitively easy to do, and would have changed the tone a lot.

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

And didn't they actually *have* female centaurs fighting in the first one? I remember it really caught my eye, because it was such a departure from the "battles are ugly when women fight" attitude in the original text.

[solace-adrift.livejournal.com]

Huh. I didn’t notice that, though that may have been because I watched an online version that’s quality was such that the Centaurs and Minotaurs were really just brown hairy blurs.

I do feel the need to point out though that at a glance you really wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a male or female Minotaur. Or even a lot of the animals either…

{i}That was my call. And apparently it had to be the right someone. Just anyone who needed his help wouldn't do.{/i}

Yeah, apparently Narnians aren’t important enough. It has to be one of the chosen people. You could even say it has be one of the master race…. Oh, and not one of the unbelievers.

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

Heh, I had to go Googling just now to make sure I wasn't hallucinating -- looks like there was indeed a whole squad of female centaur archers (http://costumes.narniaweb.com/femalecentaurs.asp) in the first one. Easy enough to miss if watching a low-res version, I'm sure!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Yeah, apparently Narnians aren’t important enough. It has to be one of the chosen people. You could even say it has be one of the master race…. Oh, and not one of the unbelievers.

That was what the subtext was screaming, yeah.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

The christian imagery in the Narnia books is one of those, ymmv things: when I first read the books I didn't see it at all, until I got the very end, and I was like, 'what, this is the end, and it's super unsatisfying.'

But I think CS Lewis stated that his story was christian allegory, which means that people really talk about it - I don't know if they talk about it less in England, but America does have - or at least currently is - in the midst of a cultural struggle about the separation of church and state, so I'm not surprised that it's a topic that gets discussed a lot her.

[studentrobin.livejournal.com]

I liked and disliked this movie. The action was well done, and Susan had a much bigger role than in any of the books. The character development they give her now WILL make it much more tragic, and less sexist, when she abandons Narnia, if they film all seven books. That being said, I spent the entire film trying to ignore Christian symbolism, as that's really the only way I can enjoy Narnia. Eddie Izzard was really good as Reepicheep - better than any other comedian turned VA I have ever seen, that is. But the cinematography was very awkward, as was some of the writing. Caspian/Susan reminded me a tad of Zutara, though.. One thing that bugged me, and this is really, really strange, is the water. Every time they show water, it looks as if New Zealand recently had a huge accident involving a cargo ship containing crates and crates of blue food coloring.

..Also..Caspian was Inigo Montoya. Seriously. The long hair and the Spanish combined with the swords and the father vengeance plot?
"My name is Caspian of Narnia. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

You basically had the same reaction I did. I did like what they did with Susan, and they are doing well with the 'it's just too painful to believe and then go back' with her, although I've always hated how they ended her story.

Eddie Izzard was really good as Reepicheep - better than any other comedian turned VA I have ever seen, that is.

I spent most of the movie sure I knew who he was and unable to figure it out. I almost squealed when the lightbulb went off.

One thing that bugged me, and this is really, really strange, is the water. Every time they show water, it looks as if New Zealand recently had a huge accident involving a cargo ship containing crates and crates of blue food coloring.

I noticed that too! The water looked like it was from somewhere far, far more south than the land.

Caspian/Susan reminded me a tad of Zutara, though..

Oh, god, not mean. Neither of there where anywhere near awesome enough to possibly be compared to those two characters.

[studentrobin.livejournal.com]

Agreed about Susan. I hate that ending, as well, but if they build her character up just right, they can make it tragic and heartbreaking. And Izzard, yeah. He is just awesome, and he does an amazing job as Reepicheep.

Oh, no, not the characters. Zuko and Katara are awesome in ways C.S. Lewis could never fathom. I just meant setting wise, it seemed a little like Zutara-lite.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I sort of see what you mean, only Caspian/Susan seemed like classic star crossed lovers, not star crossed enemies turned lovers, you know?

[studentrobin.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Completely agreed.