The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Incredibly engrossing but intermittently so. It holds you, but the grip could have been even more firm.

This is a worthy opening salvo, a film that succeeds through the sheer weight of our expectations, and that won't disappoint younger audiences.

It's an enjoyable adaptation and good enough for us to welcome this new franchise.

A fun and literate package.

It's easy to see why Disney chose to start with The Witch and the Wardrobe.

This PG-rated movie feels safe and constricted in a way the story never does on the page. It leaves out the deep magic of a good movie, or a good sermon: the feeling that something vital is at stake.

The film captures the essence of the novel, which succumbing to the 2000s tendency to lean into fight scenes and CGI (puppets look good, though!). The kids are well cast, but this adaptation feels bloated and padded at nearly 2.5 hrs.

Despite its generic swords-and-sorcery storyline, it's amusingly padded with extensive fantasy elements, making it a must-see for those itching for magic-doused adventure.

A wonderfully realised and pleasant feature.

Tilda Swinton as the ice queen... is so good and so scary.