At first, the kids resist their "destiny" (Susan is especially rational, and so finds the fantasy a bit illogical). They are instructed by the beavers as well as Father Christmas (James Cosmo) himself who gives out gifts (a bow and arrows, sword, a healing potion) specific to the tasks the children will perform in battle. At this point, Peter, Susan, and Lucy are looking for Aslan, in hopes that he will help them save Edmond, currently in chains at the Witch's feet, even as she and her secret police (a pack of wolves) are hunting the children. The Witch's power depends on her capacity to instill fear in her subjects, while Aslan inspires hope, the faith that conditions might change, that the sun might warm the earth.

The film, directed by Shrek's Andrew Adamson, designates moral positions in part by associating certain animals and mythical creatures with them. These embodiments take a cue from the Lord of the Rings franchise, assembled according to beauty and horridness: sleek and elegant animals like cheetahs and horses and centaurs form Aslan's crew; ogres, dwarves, and minotaurs constitute Jadis' fearsome assembly.

The final battle returns the children to the film's opening: they witness (and now enact) violent destruction of bodies and material. The fight images are rendered in grand terms, as the two armies gather on hilltops and leaders raise their arms to prompt forward motion. This motion initially is like thunder -- a rush of rumbling hooves and wheels. At the moment of first impact, when a cheetah and a tiger leap on one another, the sound goes out for an instant. It's awful, maybe thrilling, but only for a moment. It recalls the awesome power of war, to pretend glory and abstract honor. And that is scary.

Families who like this movie might also want to watch a British television version of the same story, 1988's The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe, available on DVD. They will also want to read the book. Families with older children will, of course, like the Lord of the Rings movies. Besides the beautiful New Zealand countryside present in both movies, it's interesting to note that Tolkein and Lewis were the closest of friends and both wrote books that ultimately railed against the evil and brutality of the World Wars.