Update: Here's another, way-better-than-mine review of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe over at Biblical Christianity. 
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It was excellent! Better than Goblet of Fire.
I've just returned from seeing The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and I loved it from the opening scene to the closing.
The movie added a few scenes that weren't in the book, but it was still enjoyable for a purist like me. In fact, I think the WWII blitzkrieg opening, though not in the book, was very effective in establishing the characters and subsequent action.
All the young actors were good, especially the boy who played Edmund. He was appropriately naughty and heroic. Tilda Swinton as the White Witch gave me chills, and her seduction of and cruelty to Edmund were compelling. The musical score was hauntingly beautiful.
Is anyone here old enough to remember the movie Candleshoe? I think that was the first "English manor" kids movie I ever watched. British children's movies have a certain charm that American movies don't. The English accents, an air of formality, cavernous mansions, and dark and dreary scenery remind me of Agatha Christie’s “cozy” mysteries, some of my favorite books.
The Christian imagery is even more obvious on screen. In fact, you'd have to be completely ignorant of the Bible to miss it.
I give “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” a thumbs-up, and I can’t wait for the inevitable movie adaptations of the rest of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books. 
Related posts:
(Disney image)
Addendum: Now this is a review!
Soundtrack review at Infuze Magazine's Narnia Blog.
December 28th, 2005 at 7:56 pm
Update: La Shawn Barber has a short, positive review up on her Fantasy Fiction site. Check it out.
December 29th, 2005 at 7:43 am
I too like the opening bombing scene, even though it wasn't in the book. Later in the movie, when eagles drop rocks on the White Witches army, I felt as if this was a tactic suggested by Peter (inspired from his London experience), establishing him as a real participant in the planning of the battle rather than just a figurehead leader. A subtle touch, but one I really appreciated.
December 29th, 2005 at 8:16 am
I saw the movie yesterday as well. All members of our party enjoyed it. It's been a long time since I read Lewis' books, but the climax of the film seemed a bit rushed. Aslan died and rose almost too quickly for my liking. I think that this climactic event would have been more powerful had the "happy ending" been held off a bit longer. A great movie nonetheless.
Thanks for you review.
December 29th, 2005 at 8:52 am
Bit of a spoiler here - so don't read further if you don't want to know!!
I loved the movie, and have no complaints with any of the changes to Lewis' work–except one. I didn't like the way the girls were inserted into the combat. Lewis took pains to tell the girls to stay out of the battle, because "wars were ugly when women fight", or something like that. In this movie, not only is Susan involved in the fighting, but she actually kills one of the bad guys (the queen's runty, little dwarf-driver, who, admittedly, “needed killin’”, as they say in Texas). Still, I wish that concession to modern political correctness hadn't been thrown in there.
Still, great movie. I'll probably see it again.
Waidmann
December 29th, 2005 at 9:22 am
I loved the movie, too, and have recommended it highly to my friends, but feel that in the end, it really didn't do justice to the book or to the character of Aslan. The quote about Aslan not being a tame lion is a good example of the movie's shortcomings. It was out of context, and incomplete in a way that dramatically changed it's meaning. If I may quote the book at length:
"Is - is he a man?" asked Lucy
"Aslan a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion, the Lion, the great Lion."
"Ooh," said Susan, "I thought he was a man. Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, abd make no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king I tell you."
That's the kind of dialogue, and portrayal of Aslan, that the movie needed. Nevertheless, my hope is that many people who had never even heard of the Chronicles will purchase them and read them. If the movie accomplishes nothing else, that would be fine with me!
December 29th, 2005 at 10:12 am
I must be ignorant…
Like LaShawn, I went to see Narnia over the Christmas break (actually, on Christmas). Had it not been for all the braying in the blogosphere about the Christian allegories, I wouldn't have thought that any of the movie had anything to do with the Bible.
December 29th, 2005 at 10:18 am
I liked it but I didn't love it. The movies theme of reluctant heroics turns the Pevensies from active participants into passive ones. In the books, the kids were committed to fighting the witch almost from the get-go. In the movie, they are continually looking to run back through the wardrobe door to safety.
Oh and they conspicuously left out that Peter was High King. I really didn't like that, especially considering that even Caspian was crowned King under both Aslan and Peter in the second book.
On the other hand, the effects were good and some of the script additions worked really well too. Definitely worth a movie ticket.
December 29th, 2005 at 12:51 pm
I agree with your assessment, it was better than the Goblet of Fire. My entire family
including my neice and nephew went to see it (8 - 17 years old) and had a wonderful time.
The soundtrack was awesome, the scenes with all the animals in them were amazing, totally
capturing my childrens attention.
We were all captivated by the wonderful scenery, superb acting, and music. We gave our children
the entire Narnia boxed set of books for Christmas so they can fully enjoy the exceptional
writings of a exceptional Christian and author.
December 29th, 2005 at 11:52 pm
Hi again, LaShawn, my humble review is linked here:
http://tinyurl.com/qbgdm
December 30th, 2005 at 10:41 am
My family went this past Monday, and everyone (wife & kids ages 20 to 12) loved the movie. Not quite as good as the book, but it is difficult to think of any movie that is better than the book.
Highly recommended.
Message to Hollywood… we go to the theatre maybe once or twice a year. If you produce more movies like this, you will earn our business.