FINAL CUT: The Lion, King

Despite my earlier difficulty taking in multiple motion pictures in one day, I'm happy to report that it still possible to maximize your moviegoing experience in the city of Chicago. And given how much it costs to go to the movies in Chicago, I tend to think of it as a moral imperative. I don't want to get anyone into trouble or somehow cause an increase in security measures, but suffice it to say, if you were to go to some sort of multi-cinema -- perhaps an American one -- your chances of enhancing your ticket are very strong.

Part one of our triple feature was The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which is looking to follow in the footsteps of The Lord of the Rings in both (a) successful adaptation of beloved fantasy series by god-fearing Oxford don and (b) long and unwieldly title. Based on the initial product off the assembly line, the prospects look pretty good.

I just finished reading the Chronicles for the first time a couple weeks ago, so the story was pretty fresh in my mind. In adapting C. S. Lewis, the filmmakers have quite the opposite problem of those attempting to put Tolkein or J. K. Rowling on screen. Instead of trying to condense vast amounts of information into a digestible movie, Lewis is a very economical writer. I don't think a single one of the Narnia books clocks in at more than 220 pages. So the trouble becomes trying to add material without disrupting the delicate balance of the original book or making the whole thing seem overinflated. Given that handicap, it really is high praise to be able to say that the movie has faithfully captured both the story and the spirit of Lewis' book. In fact, when you look at the potential for slavish faithfulness to a source (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, anybody?), the filmmakers have to be justifiably proud for having captured the original material so thoroughly and honestly.

In many ways, this is the kind of movie that is just asking to be a disaster. With the exception of Tilda Swinton's icy White Witch, it's pretty much children and CGI characters most of the way through. But if you're looking for an example of how far the movies have come in the past 15 years, look no further than any scene with the Pevensie children and a pair of long-married beavers. Not only do the beavers look and feel real, but director Andrew Adamson shows great aptitude in filming them as you would any flesh-and-blood actor. The camera can move fluidly and flexibly, and the vast array of animals and fantasy creatures are ready for their closeup, or to remain safely in the background. This universe, to put it simply, works.

Of course, none of this would matter if the story's most important character didn't work. But from the moment the great lion Aslan first appears, any doubts about the film are utterly erased. In each of the seven Narnia books, Aslan is the most vital, most essential character. But more significant than his role in each plot is the overwhelming impact of his presence on each and every person in the series. Aslan is quite simply awesome. You can't helped but be thrilled with his every appearance, and impressed by his stature and depth. I don't envy the filmmakers the challenge of getting all this across, but they pulled it off. Aslan is a masterful CGI creation, with real heft and a magnificent mane. But he also has the power and grace that he should as a character. I am not totally convinced that Liam Neeson's performance is the best we could have; there's a touch of boredom in his reading. But he does convey both the traits of ferocity and gentleness that make Aslan so potent. To re-iterate: if Aslan doesn't work, nothing else matters. Aslan works.

For those who know Narnia as an allegory, Aslan's importance is even greater. (Hint: He's Jesus.) And that's been a subject of some controversy, as co-producer Disney has been attempting to lure much of the same audience that flocked to see The Passion of the Christ. (What a strange-looking DVD shelf that must be.) I didn't see Mel Gibson's savior-snuff film, so I don't know how much religion is necessary to appease that crowd. But I feel pretty confident in saying that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will prove satisfying no matter what your particular slant. The themes of sacrifice and faith resonate clearly, without the need to know the New Testament. And for those who do look for the Christian themes in Lewis' original book, they're still in there. Everybody wins.

I am a little concerned for the future prospects of the series. Lewis is constantly introducing new characters, jumping around in time, telling completely disconnected stories, with only Aslan and the concept of Narnia is constants. Whether audiences will want to follow along, and how much future adapters will have to work to flesh out flesh out the increasingly thin plots, remains to be seen. But even if they can't maintain this level to the end, that should be no reflection on the beginning. The Chronicles of Narnia are off to a fantastic start. And best of all, the figured out how to do Aslan. That makes things a whole lot easier from here on out.