Kathmandu:

Harry Potter has fair competition now! As valiant as he might be with all those dud incantations and the mumbo jumbo he learnt at Hogwarts, the lovely kids in the Chronicles of Narnia can deliver their part with no less dare-devilry. What’s more, they can wipe out the pestilence brought upon the land of Narnia, without ever having to learn the art of broomstick flights and faltoo abracadabra. In some ways, they even seem more intelligent and heroic with their swaggering acts.

As the kids embark to salvage the land from the evil spell of the White Witch, we drift into the land of wondrous dreams — the land of Narnia.

Apart from experience of the thrill of being kids, the story is not without its lofty and subtle Biblical metaphors that encourage the spirit of love, solidarity and sacrifice. As the story unfolds, the characters come alive, more vibrant and vivacious, straight from the pages of Lewis Carol’s classic. And all for once, you get an escape out of the banality into the mystical, magical and the magnificent world of Narnia.

Indeed, if it’s turning out to be as good as this, nobody would even mind if Walt Disney turned the entire franchise of fairy tales into flicks, complete with captivating CGI and action galore.

You almost find your adrenaline pumping the moment Lucy (Georgie Henley) discovers the magical land of Narnia hidden in the wardrobe. And though, not even one of her siblings Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes) believe a word of their little sister, they unwittingly become a part of the prophesy that almost all humans knowingly or unknowingly partake of.

The magical land of Narnia is ruled by the wise and the benevolent lion Aslan, while the evil White Witch Jadis has kept the land in a perpetual wi-nter for over 100 years. And the children, as the beavers later elucidate – are the children of Adam and Eve — following the lines of the prophesy, joining forces with the astute Aslan to vanquish Jadis, for once and forever.

Though the flick raised a raging controversy about its PG ratings, with its horrific bloodbaths and brutal killings, The Chronicles of Narnia is by and large, overwhelming. Despite its subtle implications, it spells that it is the dictums of destiny that we can’t avoid, which also edify the high morals that makes life worth living.

The battle sequences are executed deftly and almost remind us of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The exhortations and the words of wisdom from the lion are captivating to the point that we almost scream our support. The Chronicles of Narnia is definitely a fantastic adventure story with wondrous creatures and rivetting performances, particularly the little kid Lucy (Georgie Henley).

It’s as entertaining as it is enlightening.