Voyage of the Dawn Treader - 2010
Ok, we FINALLY got to see this movie after much anticipation (by me of course). Someone told me they heard it was closer to the book than tho others... it is and it isn't. "Lion, Witch and the Warddrobe" was closer to the book than Dawn Treader. First of all, they changed the overall plot by intertwining the scattered islands plots into one big plot that wasn't in the book, this actually worked to the movie's advantage to help keep the movie together and it was handled quite well, despite how this was not in the book. Eustace's (ahem) situation lasted a LOT longer than it did in the book. The islands were out of order to help with order for the movie's added plot lines. One thing about the added twist with them getting the swords did help for FOX to add in some extra "magic" which helped add spice things along. The whole idea of "temptation" was littered throughout the movie and was done well, without being over done (for those unfortunate non-Christians out there). I was wondering how they were going to deal with the slavery issue, and they did it well, but it wasn't just Lucy (in the book, I think it was just Lucy) and they did NOT "sacrifice" them to the Stephen King-like Mist either. Which leads me to another point, the mist. The novel was nothing but the three Earthbound kids helping Caspian finding the lost lords. It was very episodic and things just sort of happened when they did, much like Carrol's "Alice in Wonderland", and much like Burton's take, they had the Magician lay things out for them with that awesome magical map to help lay things out for them. The resolution for the puddlefoots, or whatever they were called wasn't really... there, but it was still cool SEEING them! Sorry, back to the Mist. Originally they come upon the mist sometime after the Magician's island(where Lucy originally unveils Aslan with the un-invisibility spell- also changed), and after the sea serpent attack. They just drift into the Mist all starving not able to go around it. After a while they do hear a shout and find someone in the water. The White Witch does NOT make an appearance in the book. They rescue the Lost Lord from the still ocean surrounded by the mysterious black mist. And then Lucy does or says something about Aslan helping them, maybe a prayer (I can't right remember...) the mist simply disappears as if it was never there. At least the part of the ocean filled with water lillies was still there, wish we could have seen more from a horizon point-of-view, it was supposed to give the effect like it would never end. We never see the evil mermen in the movie. But the movie does end gracefully with a few lumpy throats and nice farewell, and we learn Eustace still has some unfinished business in Narnia. And just before the credits roll, we hear his mother yelling that Jill is there visiting! They both return to Narnia, in the next novel, The Silver Chair.
On a good note Aslan has a much more active role in this movie than the previous movie, though he is missing, when they find him (in the novel) on the magician's island where everything is mostly invisible...
Review Score: 8.5
Nifty's Score: 10!