A bit of background may be necessary here. A day before I planned to see the film someone contacted me, perhaps as a request to write a critique or an affirmation that the film was evil because of the mention and use of magic in the film. Even if I would not like the subject or the book preceding the film, there would still be no reason to call it evil. I'll give you my impressions on it. I admit that I am a bit biased at least on the subject of Narnia, I read the books as a teen and liked them. I admit to liking fantasy fiction, which is not a sin. I was already born-again when I read them and the concept of Christ seen in the character, Aslan, was winning rather than repugnant.
The story itself cannot be a complete allegory; in my opinion it would have been sacriligious to have crucified the lion as Christ was crucified. I would think that C.S. Lewis had considered it and then rather quickly opted for the knife and stone table idea. It was just meant to be a series of books to lead children to the idea of Christ in a playful and fantastic way.
In my opinion neither the books or the film encourage magic, the only instances that people other than Aslan worked magic was when the White Witch herself employed it and when Digory's uncle used it in another book in the series entitled, "The Magician's Nephew". His magic and that of the witch was seen as evil. Only the magic of Aslan and his father, the emperor over the sea, were acceptable. This might be seen as synonymous with creative power and the power to bless, curse and distribute spiritual gifts. God's and Jesus Christ's authority and kingship might also be associated with the magic of Aslan and his father in the story.
From experience I would encourage a parent to read the books together with his child and point out the difference between the magic of the two sides, good and evil. I would encourage him to tell his child that there is no such thing as magic, but explain to the child what the concept was intended to mean by the author. In reading the book I would try to look for what the author was trying to convey, the Christlike character and majesty of Aslan wrapped in a story that contained fantastic elements and characters like centaurs, fauns and dryads, that we know don't exist. They DO exist in the story however, and one can read it and could accept the magic and fantasy, but only there in the book as part of the story, that is the fun in reading such stories, it is possible to escape to another world where things are different. I think that this is completely compatible with Christian thought, we all long for a better place. The difference is that Jesus will bring it with him when he comes back. What we believe sounds as fantastic as Narnia, but whoever the Holy Spirit has touched knows that the gospel message is the truth.
I do see a difference between Narnia and Harry Potter, for instance. Reading Harry Potter puts one in a position to sympathize with him and want to share in his magic, seeing how he pays his enemies back, the magic has a completely different character. Reading Harry Potter is not a sin, no matter what others may tell you, but I would not purposefully expose children to it, that is my personal opinion. If they see it at a friend's I wouldn't get angry, though. The Harry Potter books and films, in my opinion, may lead the reader/viewer to want to do magic himself, like Digory's bad uncle did in Lewis' "The Magician's Nephew". Sympathizing with Aslan, however, one knows that only he can work the magic and distribute gifts like he had distributed to the four children (by Santa), anyone else that tries to practice this on his own is against him. I think that the reader/viewer would rather look for Aslan's approval and be willing to serve him rather than try to practice his magic. His character conveys sovereignty (better conveyed by the books rather than the movie), a Godly quality, "It is not as if he were a tame lion."
I went to the movie, enjoyed it immensely, and really felt that I was in Narnia for a few short hours. I don't think that Disney* botched the details as much as some other films that have recently been made from books have been changed, the little they did was overlookable. Aslan could have been a bit larger and more majestic, and the witch could have been a bit more afraid of him, but otherwise I found the movie pleasant, adventurous, appropriate for children, Narnian, and more than acceptable.
Some others in the Christian community choose to boycott fantasy and fiction films, labeling them as sinful, but I cannot agree if they base their claims only on that. I don't see the Narnian books or the Disney film based on "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" as a sort of deception, nor do I see them destroying or even impairing good Christian teaching. They are not false doctrine.
I'd say go and enjoy it and don't worry about what others will say. If others don't want to see it then they don't have to. No sin, no pressure, no problem.
* Addition August 24, 2006.
This is in no way an endorsement for Disney films, parks or products. I respect the original founder, Walt Disney, and the principles he laid down for the company. I admit I liked visiting the parks as a child and as an adult. I like many of the older films and even some of the more recent films released for children. I have purchased the Narnia DVD. But (and this is going to be a big but) I am dissatisfied with the general and moral principles of the company after Walt Disney could not have his staying hand on it. For more about this read a book by Peter Schweizer and Rochelle Schweizer called Disney The Mouse Betrayed. The book is a bit outdated now that management has made some changes at Disney, but is a shockingly revealing exposé of the character of the company under M. Eisner concerning park safety for workers (including safety from one another), park safety for guests (including from workers and one another) especially children, money over safety and civility, release of films not suitable for children 17 and under - boxed through by lawsuits that gained the films lower ratings and minimal cuts in the films that only microscopically diminished the level of unsuitable content. The company also has an autonomy under the US government like no other company; it comes close only to the autonomy that the US military enjoys. According to the book, company security has obscured case evidence concerning crime and accidents from county and highway police. Employers that produce Disney products in sweatshops in third-world countries such as toys and t-shirts are known to underpay workers, including the children working for them, and do not maintain acceptable safety and hygiene levels.
Things may be changing for the better though, see an older article:
The Haunted Mansion: How Michael Eisner continues to hang on at Disney. By Daniel Gross, Posted Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2004, at Slate.
Now Bob Iger is at the helm, and some think it looks promising.
Iger's New Model, The Disney CEO's embrace of digital technologies means big change. by Marc Gunther, Jan. 20, 2006.
Roy Disney makes Statement supporting Iger and the Disney takeover of Pixar.
Iger, Pixar Cheered At Disney Shareholder Meeting
by Greg Levine, March 10, 2006, Forbes.com.
I don't think it is just a shareholders' dream, but that Disney may be on its way back to being the wholesome company that Walt Disney had established. Time will tell. Sure, I think that some of their older movies were corny, but better that than the perversity of some movies acquired under the Miramax label. Disney did split with the founders of Miramax, but kept the name and the films.
Dis, Weinsteins are done by Thompson and Kilday for The Hollywood Reporter, March 30, 2005.
Also see similarities between the work of Japanese animator Osamu Tezuka's Kimba the White Lion and Disney's The Lion King. Personally I did like The Lion King, but the Disney company's continual insistence that all ideas were Disney originals is an injustice to the author of the ideas who had met Walt Disney and loved and respected his work, Osamu Tezuka. One page with information is: Remake of Tezuka's Popular Story... As far as I know, the Disney company still hasn't admitted to using ideas from Osamu Tezuka's work for The Lion King, something that Walt Disney likely would not have approved of had he still been alive at the time. Let us hope that Iger can make a belated apology for the company. I don't think it has to do with rights or money, but rather with company image. Tezuka is deceased, and the rights may have expired long ago. It is only appropriate, for the artistic world as well as the scientific, that the authors of talent and creativity are given due credit. Osamu Tezuka's talent and creativity should be honored. I wanted to include a picture of a t-shirt that was being sold at American animation conventions after The Lion King was released, but could not find a photo anywhere. Kimba was depicted looking at himself in the mirror and the reflection looked like the character Simba. The caption read, "The Lyin' King: Mirror mirror, on the wall, who created me after all?" Such an admittance might actually help the company in my opinion, showing that it is making a conscious effort to resurrect and live up to Walt Disney's original principles. If they can get over that comparatively small hurdle, they might even be able to make sure that their products are produced at least by adults, not children, and that the workers receive ample pay under safe and humane working conditions. Let's see if the company can clean the inside of the cup as well as the outside, or whether it might be a case of whitewashed tombs. If they succeed in washing the cup inside and out, another book like Disney The Mouse Betrayed won't be necessary. After reading that book within the last week I would have to say that if someone would want to boycott the Disney company in its present form, I wouldn't blame them.
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