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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2010, Kids & family/Fantasy, 1h 52m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Its leisurely, businesslike pace won't win the franchise many new fans, but Voyage of the Dawn Treader restores some of the Narnia franchise's lost luster with strong performances and impressive special effects. Read critic reviews

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Visiting their annoying cousin, Eustace, Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmund Pevensie (Skandar Keynes) come across a painting of a majestic ship called the Dawn Treader. Suddenly, the painting comes to life and draws the youths into Narnia, where they meet their old friend, King Caspian (Ben Barnes). Caspian is on a quest to find the seven lost Lords of Telmar, whose swords will save Narnia from an evil green mist that enslaves men's minds and bodies.

Rating: PG (Some Frightening Images|Sequences of Fantasy Action)

Genre: Kids & family, Fantasy, Adventure

Original Language: English

Director: Michael Apted

Producer: Mark Johnson , Andrew Adamson , Philip Steuer

Writer: Christopher Markus , Stephen McFeely , Michael Petroni

Release Date (Theaters): Dec 10, 2010  wide

Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013

Box Office (Gross USA): $104.4M

Runtime: 1h 52m

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Production Co: Mark Johnson, Dune

Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS

Cast & Crew

Georgie Henley

Lucy Pevensie

Skandar Keynes

Edmund Pevensie

King Caspian

Will Poulter

Tilda Swinton

The White Witch

Liam Neeson

Aslan Voice

Reepicheep Voice

Terry Norris

Bruce Spence

Bille Brown

Laura Brent

Anna Popplewell

Susan Pevensie

William Moseley

Peter Pevensie

Shane Rangi

Arthur Angel

Arabella Morton

Michael Apted

Christopher Markus

Screenwriter

Stephen McFeely

Michael Petroni

Mark Johnson

Andrew Adamson

Philip Steuer

Douglas Gresham

Executive Producer

Perry Moore

David Arnold

Original Music

Dante Spinotti

Cinematographer

Barry Ray Robison

Production Design

Rick Shaine

Film Editing

Isis Mussenden

Costume Design

Christine King

Rebecca Cohen

Set Decoration

Karen Murphy

Art Director

Mark Robins

News & Interviews for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Weekly Ketchup: Narnia To Continue With The Magican’s Nephew

Box Office Guru Wrapup: Narnia Leads Lackluster Weekend

Critics Consensus: Narnia Looks Great, but Lacks Magic

Critic Reviews for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Audience reviews for the chronicles of narnia: the voyage of the dawn treader.

I suppose that it's the best one of these adaptations as there's some good rearranging of certain plot points, that being said like the previous two adaptations the movie over-complicates the source material (which for "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" was fairly episodic and not really focused on some great evil) into a jumbled mess of half realized ideas.

The world is indeed not enough for director Michael Apted, James Bond fans, so he's heading off to Narnia, either because Andrew Adamson had more important things to do in 2010... like "Shrek Forever After", or because they had to kick Adamson to the curb due to people's drawing enough comparisons between this series and the "Lord of the Rings" series with a Kiwi filmmaker being taken out of account. Quite frankly, I think the excitement level of this film is enough to distinguish it from high fantasy "epics" like "The Lord of the Rings", for even the title's underwhelming, because, really, just how extensive of a voyage can this be if it's being led by someone who only treads around dawn? Dawn usually lasts around half an hour or so, so it figures that this "Chronicles of Narnia" installment actually runs under two hours and still be way too long. Speaking of meandering, I think you get the point about my lamely joking about someone who actually voyages during the dawn, but hey, at least give me some credit for trying to come up with a play on the title that isn't "The Voyage of the Yawn Treader" once again, because someone here has to be original, and it's sure not this film. Seriously though, there is at least something different about this film, and that is its being picked up by 20th Century Fox after it got dropped by Disney, as well as its replacing Eddie Izzard with Simon Pegg as Reepicheep. In all sorts of ways, this film is kicking powerful mice out of this franchise, though it's hard to tell the difference, because when it comes to the Reepicheep voice change, all they did was trade out one English comedian for another, and when it comes to the studio change, 20th Century Fox still Disneyfied this subject matter. Jokes aside, this film is decent, but it's a little more watered down than its predecessors, and for a number of reasons. There's something much less consequential about this film, even more so than "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", but that's hardly an excuse for this film to be so much fluffier than its predecessors, at least to the point of tonal unevenness, for although this is still not the overtly Disneyfied film that we were fearing an installment in this series would be when Disney was calling the shots, what tension there is often finds itself broken by overly fluffy comic relief, while a more realized sense of fluff is sometimes broken by an almost unsubtly considerable attention to the weight of this adventure opus' conflict, however limited it may be. The film is even more uneven with its tone than "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", and such inconsistency goes matched by an unevenness in pacing, because even though this film, at just under two hours, is the shortest of the "Chronicles of Narnia" films by a relatively sizable margin, storytelling is still bloated with fluffy filler and excess material to shake coherency in focus. I suppose the film doesn't put as much attention as its predecessors into its plot's layers, as it just doesn't have time to meander that much, but this installment is somehow arguably about as aimless as either of its predecessors, for thinness to substance is emphasized by the attempts at bloating that only result in pacing inconsistencies, and the attempts at breaking fluff with tension that only result in tonal inconsistencies. If nothing else, the film is at least consistent in familiarity, just like its formulaic predecessors, hitting trope, after trope, after trope, until it becomes hardly anything we haven't seen before out of this series or out an interpretation of subject matter of this type, unless, of course, you take into account that this story is a little more light than usual. The conflict is very much there, but there's something almost fillery about the story concept of this installment in the "Chronicles of Narnia" saga, whose momentum doesn't feel as important, and whose fluff feels too prominent, until what you're faced with is a fluff flick that sometimes tries, but is ultimately nothing all that special. The film does a lot of things very well, but it also makes many mistakes, and it can't afford to challenge your investment that much when it's having to deal with some serious natural shortcomings, whose emphasis wears down on the final product, until it collapses as the most underwhelming of the "Narnia" films, if not forgettable. Still, no matter how many mistakes and limitations wear this opus down, it's an ultimately worthy watch, at least for entertainment's sake, reinforced by sharp style. Due to its being more about adventure than the depth of "Prince Caspian", this film returns to the fine tastes in dynamic locations of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", enhanced by fine production designs that prove to be immersive, with a handsomeness that is complimented by Dante Spinotti's cinematography. A good bit of style goes a long way in bringing this world to life, and even flavor up action, which is more fluffy than intense, yet it still thrillingly well-staged, with sharp technical value and fun visuals to add to the color of the style. Now, it's debatable if this film is technically sharper, or at least more technically innovative than its almost importantly well-produced predecessors, but this pricy project offers nothing less than fine technical proficiency and style, which isn't to say that direction only has sharp style to offer. Although Andrew Adamson made his share mistakes, and although there's too much thinness to this subject matter to present all that much potential for directorial storytelling, I'm not sure I'm as crazy about Michael Apted as a director for this series in comparison with the now strictly co-producing Adamson, as Apted does not work as well with the performers, nor does he try as hard to place attention into depth, yet the heart of this effort is kept pumping by some effective moments - particularly the surprisingly very moving ending - in which a sense of depth is celebrated as punctuation into a consistently lively sense of pacing, anchored by colorful plays on style and David Arnold's score work. Really, while there are effective occasions to break up much too much underwhelmingness that was not this prominent in the predecessors, if nothing else, this film is genuinely fun, not just in execution, but in concept. I wish there was more meat to this fluffy piece of fat around the edges of a blockbuster series, but this was always to be a much less juicy installment in the "Narnia" saga, with an interpretation that is about as formulaic and uneven as this series' storytelling has ever been, and yet, there is still some worthy thematic depth and sense of consequence here to flavor up a lively adventure narrative, done some justice by a script by Michel Petroni and "Narnia" film series regulars Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely that offers some colorful characterization and sharp humor, and by the aforementioned inspired, if overambitious direction. Regardless of what the ambitious filmmakers clearly want you to do, you shouldn't expect much out of this relatively less consequential installment out of an epic high fantasy saga, but if you're willing to get past the loss of meat, there's enough fun here for the whole family to embrace, even if there's only so much beyond that. When dawn has been broken, unevenness in tone and pacing, as well as much too much in the way of familiarity, behind a story concept that is pumped with natural shortcomings leave the final product to tumble into underwhelmingness, but enough wonderment is captured through lovely art direction, cinematography and score work, fun action set pieces, colorful writing and delightfully well-paced and sometimes effective direction behind an adequately intriguing and dynamic story concept to make "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" a thoroughly entertaining, if somewhat disappointing third outing in the "Narnia" saga. 2.5/5 - Fair

A bit less confusing plot-wise, more visually impressive, expertly acted (namely Will Poulter's performance as Eustace), and faster paced than it's predecessors.

I was rather pleasantly surprised in this 3rd installment of the Chronicles of Narnia, feeling that, although a fairy tale and targeted at 10 year olds, there held in this one enough charm and a certain degree of cynicism to overcome the weaknesses so apparent in the 2nd film. This film, while following the 2nd film's coming of age aspects, foregoes many of the epic scenes of battle with all the cool creatures, and therefore becomes more human. Not to say the film is perfect, for there are some odd plot contrivances (for example, having the incompetent and trouble making Eustace included in all the ship's landing parties) and the type of ham fisted plot messages geared for the aforementioned 10 year old mentality, however, if you just check your brain at the door and watch the story unfold, I believe there is enough here to hold an adult's interest (though casting myself in that role may be suspect... LOL). There are some delightful CGI moments, which make the hideously bad CGI that also fills the film so much more glaring. If you look at the all the scenes when the Dawn Treader arrives at the apparently abandoned city, you'll see bad mapping, terribly drawn, static backdrops, and some seriously bad staging once the city's denizens populate the town. The acting throughout was respectable given the archetypes that had to be represented (and really, the mouse out acted all the real characters), and I really enjoyed the bratty performance of Eustace, who added a wonderful degree of adult levity with all this cynicism. Unfortunately there is a plot device that comes at the beginning of the grand fight between goodness and evil, that you know you've seen before... yes, I'm talking about evil taking your worst thought and making it real - shades of Ghostbusters! It would have been hilarious to see the Sta-Puff Marshmallow Man threatening the ship instead of the sea monster that was conjured out of Edmund's psyche (though I kind of enjoyed seeing a cameo appearance by the ice queen who, after Edmund complained that she was already dead, proclaimed "I'll never be truly dead as long as I exist in your mind"... pretty heady stuff when you think about it). I have to point out however that if you're thinking Ghostbusters rip-off, you may have it backwards - for C.S. Lewis penned The Dawn Treader decades before Ghostbusters. In the end, this is miles away from Tolkien, but then again, the books are as well (closer to Potter actually, both in target audience and tone); and certainly there have been far worse films based on beloved children's books (The Gold Compass comes to mind).

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This time around Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their pesky cousin Eustace Scrubb find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to a fantastic Narnian ship headed for the very edges of the world.

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

December 10, 2010

Action, Adventure, Family

Upon returning to Narnia to join Prince Caspian for a voyage on the majestic royal vessel known as "The Dawn Treader," Lucy, Edmund and their cousin Eustace encounter merfolk, dragons, dwarves and a wandering band of lost warriors. As the edge of the world draws near, their remarkable adventure at sea sails toward an exciting, yet uncertain, conclusion.

Rated: PG Runtime: 1h 53min Release Date: December 10, 2010

Directed By

Produced by.

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Cast & crew.

King Caspian

Skandar Keynes

Edmund Pevensie

Georgie Henley

Lucy Pevensie

Will Poulter

Engaging third Narnia adventure is fun for tweens and up.

• Average 5.7
• Reviews 168

Information

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (film)

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The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a 2010 epic fantasy film based on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader , the third published novel in The Chronicles of Narnia series. This movie marks the first Narnia film not to be distributed by Disney (both The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian were under the Disney banner). Instead, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was distributed by 20th Century Fox . On March 23, 2010, Fox announced that the film will be released in Digital 3D in select theaters.

The film was released in theaters in the United States and United Kingdom on December 10, 2010.

• 2.1 Main Protagonists
• 2.2 Dawn Treader crew
• 2.3 Narnians
• 3 Differences between the book and film
• 4 Production
• 5 Marketing
• 8 External links

Dawn Treader

Sometime has passed since the Pevensies ' last adventure. The two youngest Pevensie children, Lucy and Edmund , are staying with their odious cousin Eustace Scrubb during the final days of the second World War while their older brother and sister, Peter and Susan , are in America with their parents. Edmund and Lucy feel they are being left out; Edmund attempts to join the army, but is unsuccessful and Lucy is upset by the feeling that she does not match up to her sister in looks. They get a letter from Susan that they'll be staying with Eustace for another few months. And they are not happy about it. Of course, Eustace isn't thrilled about it either. They observe a painting in Lucy's room of a grand ship on the sea that looks very Narnian, only to be interrupted by Eustace who mocks them. Suddenly, just as Edmund and Eustace get into an argument, the painting comes to life and the water spills out into the room, transporting the three children into an ocean in Narnia. They rose to the surface to find themselves in the way of the ship from the painting, but are rescued by the crew and are taken aboard. this is a different sort of editing. one that stil works.

Among the ship's crew are  King Caspian X and Reepicheep and the ship is the Dawn Treader , the first ship Narnia had seen in centuries. Also among the crew are  Lord Drinian , who serves as the ship's captain, and a small number of Narnians including the Minotaurs Tavros and Jemain . Caspian shows Edmund and Lucy the hidden chamber where he kept all of the Pevensies' prize possessions. He also explains that three years have passed in Narnia and he is on a voyage to find the seven lost lords of Telmar , good men and friends of his late father, Caspian IX , whom his evil uncle Miraz banished when he usurped the throne many years back. Lucy and Edmund are delighted to be back in Narnia, but Eustace is less enthusiastic as he doesn't want to believe he is in Narnia and is at odds with Reepicheep. Lucy even asks if Caspian had found a wife in the three years they had been gone; he smiles bashfully and admits he had not, unaware that later events on the voyage would change that fact. Lucy also asks what is beyond the Lone Islands ; in a later conversation with Reepicheep when she hears him sing a song a dryad sang to him when he was a mousling, he says that he believes Aslan's Country lies beyond the Seas of the Utter East - a place he hopes to sail to on the voyage.

Finally, they arrive at the Lone Islands and first make land in Narrowhaven ; the Lone Islands are normally Narnian territory, but they discover that Narrowhaven has become a haven for slave trade by Calormen . Caspian, Lucy, Edmund and Eustace are captured by the slave traders as merchandise. While imprisoned, Caspian and Edmund meets one of the lost lords, Lord Bern , who is overwhelmed when Caspian reveals that he is the son of the late Caspian IX. Edmund then witnesses a group of slaves being sailed out to sea and disappearing when a mysterious green mist appears. Bern reveals those not sold are sacrificed to this mist that he and the other lords were investigating. The crew of the Dawn Treader arrive and rescue the four captive crew members, killing the slave trade leader and their men. The people in Narrowhaven also participate in the fight. Eustace tries to run away, but he doesn't know that Calormen is sneaking behind him, about to kill him, and knocks him out with a boat paddle. Caspian reclaims Narrowhaven and names Bern its duke, who gives him one of the Seven Swords that the lords possessed, which were given to them by his father. One of the citizens, Rhince , whose wife Helaine was one of those sacrificed to the mist, begs Caspian to let him join them so he could find her and Caspian agrees. But later, When Eustace and Reepicheep have a sword fight, much to the crew's entertainment, it is discovered that Rhince's young daughter, Gael , had stowed away on board the ship, but is accepted by Drinian and welcomed by Lucy.

Lucy reading the Book Of Incantions

The second island they visit is the Coriakin's Island and Lucy is abducted by invisible Dufflepuds , who force her to enter their oppressor's manor to recite a spell of visibility. She enters the manor and find the Book of Incantations, from which she rips out a page containing a beauty incantation that would make her look like her sister before reciting the visibility spell, making both the Dufflepuds and the magician, Coriakin visible again. Lucy and the others learn that Coriakin actually cast the invisibility spell to protect the Dufflepuds from the evil green mist that came from Dark Island . To defeat the evil of Dark Island, the crew would have to locate the other Swords of the Seven Lords and lay them at Aslan's Table on Ramandu's Island , but Coriakin also warns them that they are all about to tested by temptation. In order to reach Ramandu's Island, they have to follow the Blue Star. During a storm at sea after leaving Magician's Island, Lucy nearly becomes the first victim to the mist's temptation because of her lack of self-value; she casts the beauty incantation and transforms into Susan. She then finds herself at a party with Peter and Edmund, who recognise her as Susan and do not know of Lucy or Narnia. Realising that she no longer exists as Lucy, she awakes from the vision of the party as her normal self. Aslan appears to her in a mirror and explains that she wished herself away and much more with it because she doubted her value. Her brothers and sister would not have known of Narnia if it was not because of her, as she was the one who discovered it. After Lucy throws the page containing the beauty incantation into the fire, the mist moves to torture Caspian and Edmund with their own personal demons; Caspian has nightmares of his father and the mist appears to Edmund as Jadis , the White Witch.

The crew then make a stop at a volcanic island, where Caspian, Edmund and Lucy find a pool of water that turns anything it touches to gold, along with Lord Restimar , who fell into the pool and was turned to gold himself. After successfully claiming his sword, Edmund is tempted by the pool's powers and challenges Caspian over who is more worthy of being king. They fight, but Lucy stops them and warns them that they are being tempted, just like Coriakin warned them. Elsewhere, Eustace leaves the group to avoid participating in the work and finds treasure that arouses his greed, filling his pockets with gold and jewels and puts on a large golden bracelet from a skeleton. When Caspian, Edmund and Lucy return to the boats and realise that Eustace is missing, Caspian and Edmund go looking for him. They come across the treasure themselves and find Eustace's clothes burnt, but no sign of Eustace. Caspian then spots the skeleton and identifies it as Lord Octesian , while Edmund finds his sword. Suddenly, a dragon attacks the Dawn Treader and abducts Edmund, flying him over the island and showing him giant words it made with fire that say "I AM EUSTACE". They all realise that Eustace must've been tempted by the treasure and transformed into a dragon as a result. The Pevensies, Caspian, Reepicheep, Rhince and Gael stay ashore that night, keeping Eustace company. Reepicheep comforts Eustace, stating that maybe being turned into a dragon was a sign that he had a great destiny ahead of him; Eustace then helps the crew get to their destination the next day when Gael spots the Blue Star in the sky.

The crew finally arrive at Ramandu's Island and discover Aslan's Table, served with food and Lord Mavramorn , Lord Argoz , and Lord Revilian under a spell. Caspian warns the crew that the food was responsible and when Edmund spots the Stone Knife , they lay the swords on the table, realising that one is still missing. Suddenly, the Blue Star descends from the sky and turns into a beautiful young woman; she is Lilliandil , the daughter of Ramandu and Caspian immediately falls in love with her. Lilliandil warmly welcomes them and invites them to eat, stating that the food is safe and for them. She then explains that the three lords are under a sleeping spell because they were threatening violence upon each other by the time they reached the island, for violence is forbidden at Aslan's Table and they would only awake when the seventh sword is put with the others. She guides them to the location of the final sword; Dark Island itself and warns them that they will need great courage. Before Lilliandil returns to the sky, Caspian tells her that he hopes they would meet again and she reciprocates his wish with a smile.

Edmund and Lucy in the Dawn Treader

Upon arriving at Dark Island, Eustace tries to run away from the island as soon as he sees it. But Reepicheep reminds him that a noble warrior doesn't run from fear. With Reepicheep's words encouraging him, he ventures inside with the crew. The crew discover the seventh lord, Lord Rhoop and Eustace brings him abroad. The mist has made Rhoop paranoid and makes him think he's about to be attacked until Caspian introduces himself to him. Rhoop warns them not to think of their fears, or it becomes real. But Edmund fails and his fear manifests as a sea serpent that attacks the ship. Eustace fights the serpent and tries to kill it, but the serpent grabs Eustace and drags him under water, and slams him into a giant rock. But Eustace was able to breath out fire and burned the serpent, blinding one of it's eyes. Mad with fear, Rhoop throws his sword at Eustace, stabbing him and Eustace flies away, landing on a sandy island nearby. There, he is approached by Aslan, who turns him back into a boy and sents him back to Ramandu's Island to place Rhoop's sword with the others. The sea serpent goes back after the ship and coils around it. Edmund tries to distract it, and Lucy hits it near its eye with Susan's bow and arrows . The crew slam the beast into a giant rock. But it recovers and splits it's body. It tries to pull the ship underwater, but then the crew use harpoons to pull it down and to kill it. Eustace makes it to Aslan's table. But the mist tries to keep him from doing so. The mist tries to distract Edmund by appearing as Jadis again, but Eustace succeeds in getting the seven swords together and Edmund manages to overcome his own demons as he slays the sea serpent with Peter's sword, Rhindon . The spell is lifted, the three lords awake from their sleep, the sacrificed people, including Gael's mother, reappears and Eustace rejoins the crew.

Soon afterwards, Caspian, Reepicheep, Lucy, Edmund and Eustace head to the World's End, sailing in a small boat through a sea of lillies until they reach a shore with a massive wave. Aslan appears and tells them that His Country lies beyond the wave, but they would never return if they chose to go on. Caspian is offered the chance to go on when asking if his father is in Aslan's Country, but choses to stay out of realising that he already had what he needed in Narnia and that his father would not have wanted him to give up what he died for. However, Reepicheep comes forward and gains Aslan's blessing to see His Country; he bids farewell to his friends, including Eustace who is devastated at his departure, and paddles in a coracle up the wave and onto Aslan's Country, never again to be seen in Narnia. Aslan then opens a portal in the wave to send the children home, telling them that Edmund and Lucy would not return to Narnia because they have grown up, like Peter and Susan, but encourages them to know him by another name in their own world. However, Eustace, now a much kinder person from his time in Narnia as a dragon, could return someday. Edmund and Lucy bid a final farewell to Aslan and Caspian, before entering the portal along with Eustace.

The three return to Eustace's bedroom where the water returns to the painting and Eustace's mother calls out to him that Jill Pole has come for a visit. The three watch sadly as the Dawn Treader sails away in the painting and disappears behind the waves.

Main Protagonists [ ]

• Ben Barnes - Caspian X
• Georgie Henley - Lucy Pevensie
• Skandar Keynes - Edmund Pevensie
• Will Poulter - Eustace Scrubb
• Liam Neeson - Aslan (voice)

Dawn Treader crew [ ]

• Simon Pegg - Reepicheep (voice)
• Gary Sweet - Lord Drinian
• Shane Rangi - Tavros the Minotaur
• Tamati Rangi - Jemain the Minotaur
• Ryan Ettridge - Caprius the Satyr
• Steven Rooke - Nausus the Faun
• Morgan Evens - A Faun
• Chris Cruickshanks - Cruickshanks the Dwarf
• Mirko Grillini - The Belligerent Telmarine

Narnians [ ]

• Laura Brent - Ramandu's Daughter , Liliandil
• Terry Norris - Lord Bern
• Bruce Spence - Lord Rhoop
• Tony Nixon - Rynelf
• Arthur Angel - Rhince
• Arabella Morton - Gael
• Nathaniel Parker - Caspian IX
• Bille Brown - Coriakin
• Roy Billings - Chief Duffer
• David Vallon - Governor Gumpas
• Colin Moody - Pug
• Catarina Hebbard - Gael's Aunt
• Ozzie Devrich - Slaver
• Greg Poppleton - Dufflepud 1
• Neil Young - Dufflepud 2
• Mary Bradney-George - Dufflepud 5
• Scott "Ryctor" Brewer - Dufflepud 7
• Anna Popplewell - Susan Pevensie
• William Moseley - Peter Pevensie
• Tilda Swinton - The White Witch

Differences between the book and film [ ]

•  In the film, Edmund attempts to enlist in the army, only to be thwarted by Lucy, similar to how she embarrassed Susan in the previous film.
• In the film, Eustace makes up a couplet, not a limerick.
• In the film, Eustace addresses his parents as "mother" and "father" whilst in the book, he addresses them by their names, "Alberta" and "Harold".
• In the book, Reepicheep challenges Eustace to a duel before arriving at the Lone Islands; this challenge is replaced with a duel between Caspian and Edmund in the film and Reepicheep and Eustace later have their own duel after visiting Narrowhaven.
• At the Lone Islands, Caspian instructed his men to keep silent about their identities, and only revealed who he was to Lord Bern after he bought his freedom, having been reminded of Caspian's father. In the movie, Caspian shouts "I am your king!" the second they are ambushed by Slave Traders, and meets Lord Bern in the cell where the Slave Traders throw him and Edmund.
• In the book, Caspian learns from Lord Bern that the Slave Traders have been allowed to operate without interference from the Governor, Gumpas, who sees the practice as unavoidable and necessary for the economy. In the film, Caspian learns from Bern that the Slave Traders have been making sacrifices to a green mist.
• In the film, Lord Bern had not left Narrowhaven because he had been captured and imprisoned by the Slave Traders. In the book, he had not left because he had married and settled down there.
• In the film, Rhince is a Narrowhaven citizen who joins the voyage to find his wife, who is sacrificed to the mist. In the book, Rhince is a high member of the Dawn Treader crew.
• The Dark Island takes the form of a green mist, becoming a sort of sentient threat seeking to "corrupt all goodness" and "steal the light" from the world, rather than the embodiment of fear in Narnia.
• Caspian is much older and wiser in his personality and manner in the film than in the book, most likely because of the differences in his age. In the book, he is coming of age, close to Edmund and Lucy's ages, whilst in the film, he is in his early twenties.
• In the book, Eustace tries to steal water whereas in the film, he tries to steal an orange.
• The geography has been drastically changed for the film, resulting in some of the islands being visited in a different order than they were in the book. In the book, Dark Island came before Ramandu's Island; Dragon Island and Goldwater Island were two separate islands, neither were volcanic and both were visited before Coriakin's Island.
• In the film, Reepicheep never accompanies Caspian, Edmund and Lucy as they explore each of the islands.
• In the book, the ship is caught up in a violent storm for two weeks after departing Narrowhaven and arrives at Dragon's Island badly damaged. In the film, the storm comes after departing Magician's Island and before arriving at Goldwater Island and no serious damage is caused.
• In the book, though it's assumed that Lord Octesian died at Dragon's Island, it's implied variously that he was either killed by or transformed into the dragon that Eustace encounters. In the film, Lord Octesian's remains are found among the dragon treasure and identified by Caspian, though like in the book, it is uncertain what actually killed him.
• In the film, Edmund is tempted by the powers of the gold water pool on Goldwater Island. In the book, it was Caspian who was tempted.
• In the film, Coriakin turned the Dufflepuds invisible to protect them from the Green Mist, and they seek Lucy's help because they can't read. In the book, the Dufflepuds turned themselves invisible after Coriakin turned them "ugly" and they sought Lucy's help because only a girl could reverse the spell, but they were too afraid to send their own daughters.
• Eustace remains a dragon much longer in the film than in the book. In the book, he was unable to follow the Dawn Treader at sea, whilst In the film, he is able to pull the ship when there's no wind.
• In the film, a page from the Book of Incantations tempts Lucy by showing her as the exact image of Susan; she also casts a spell to make it snow indoors. In the book, she imagined her beauty surpassing Susan's and harmfully used a spell to spy on her friends.
• Peter was never seen in the book, but he was mentioned.
• In the film, Ramandu's daughter is a star, not half-star and is named Lilliandil. Her father never appears in the film.
• In the book, Lilliandil's dress is blue whilst in the film, her dress is white, though the colour of her starly glow is blue as she is a blue star.
• Lilliandil says that the three Lords were put into a sleep because they were half-mad and threatening violence upon each other when they arrived on the island and "violence is not permitted at Aslan's Table", whereas in the book, they slept because one of them took the Stone Knife and they were not meant to touch it.
• In the book, Caspian flirts with Lilliandil by referencing  Sleeping Beauty . In the film, he states in a formal manner that she is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.
• In the book, the Sea Serpent was a dumb brute encountered before arriving at Goldwater Island. In the film, the battle with the Sea Serpent at Dark Island is the climax and the monster is a manifest of the green mist after Edmund accidentally conjures it when thinking of his fears.
• In the book, Caspian was forbidden by Aslan to sail to the World's End.
• In the film, Aslan nevers shows up at the World's End in the form of a lamb.
• In the film, Eustace and Jill Pole are already friends as Jill is mentioned to be visiting Eustace at the end of the film; they were not friends in the book and only knew each other by surname.

Production [ ]

Michael Apted was announced as director on April 17, 2007; Andrew Adamson, director of the series' first two films, and Mark Johnson are slated as co-producers. Apted grew up reading the Narnia novels. Bob Beltz of Walden Media said the production company deliberately set up a fast-paced, staggered shooting schedule for the Prince Caspian , The Voyage of the Dawn Treader , and The Silver Chair films "in a way that it won't have to be two and a half years between them. We'll be able to bring them out sequentially a year apart". Michael Apted described taking over direction of the series as easy, "What’s fascinating about this particular franchise is how different all the stories are... there’s no element of Narnia in it at all. This is a journey that Caspian the Tenth is making into the islands, outside to the east of Narnia. So it’s interesting, it’s a whole different tone to the other things".

Production designer Roger Ford was replaced by Jan Roelfs. The owners of an AUD 2.1 million 40 metre by 30 metre by 5 metre water tank at Warner Roadshow Studios in Queensland are negotiating with the production company, in the hope that The Voyage of the Dawn Treader will be filmed there. Filming began in May 2009.

Due to Prince Caspian grossing less than expected, Disney wanted a $100 million budget. However, Walden Media wanted a $140 million budget. On December 24, 2008, Disney chose not to go through with the much anticipated sequel. On January 28, 2009, Fox 2000 decided to pick up the franchise, joining Walden Media for the production.

Marketing [ ]

In late November 2009, three stills from the film were released on the social networking site, Facebook. In February 2010, Narnia.com, the official domain, returned after a nine-month period of being down, bringing with it exclusive reports from the set. The first official teaser poster was released in May 2010. The first official public trailer for the film was released online on June 17, 2010, before being attached to Toy Story 3 on June 18, 2010. A second trailer was released to the Internet August 05, 2010, after being attached on the Diary of a Wimpy Kid DVD.

• Ironically, years after refusing to move forward with the film, with 20th century fox stepping in, Disney would eventually own the film by acquiring 20th Century Fox in 2019.

Gallery [ ]

External links [ ]

• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader at the Internet Movie Database
• Narnia Fans
• Dawn Treader -- a taste of what is to come?
• 3 Digory Kirke

Movie Reviews

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The alarming thing about Narnia is that you might be in the same room with it. It could be inside that old wardrobe. Or, this time, inside that painting with the nautical theme. Those waves look so real. In fact, says Lucy, they almost look like they're moving. The next thing we hear is, "I'm inside the painting!"

Indeed she is, and the Dawn Treader is approaching over the waves. Eustace, her nuisance of a cousin, unwisely pulls the painting from the wall, and seawater rushes out and fills the room until they seem in danger of drowning, but no, they surface and are rescued by sailors from the ship, captained by Caspian ( Ben Barnes ), who almost seems to have been expecting them.

"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," third of the films inspired by the C. S. Lewis tales, once again requires the services of English children to rescue an alternate universe. How a universe is possible that requires participation from a parallel universe I will leave to theoretical physics. If you don't ask a question, it's not a question.

Aboard the sailing vessel, Lucy ( Georgie Henley ), her brother Edmund ( Skandar Keynes ) and young Eustace ( Will Poulter ) ask no questions. They're too blissful to be back in Narnia, despite the hair-raising adventures they had in the earlier films. Lucy and Edmund, now in their mid-teens, seem uncommonly calm about being yanked from their everyday lives and put on a strange ship in uncharted seas, but these kids have pluck.

They're briefed on the situation: Narnia is threatened by evil forces from the mysterious Dark Island, which no one has seen but everyone has heard about. There is a matter of seven missing magical swords representing the Lords of Telmar, which were given to Narnia by Aslan the Lion (voice of Liam Neeson ) and must be brought together again to break a spell that imprisons the lords. Obviously, these kids can do it. Eustace is perhaps 7 years old, but, hey, bring the kid along.

On board the ship is a peppy little swashbuckling rat named Reepicheep (voice of Simon Pegg ). He walks upright, speaks assertively, falls squarely into the semi-obligatory Cute Little Sidekick role, has a heroic heart and a cute little sword he is unafraid to brandish. Why the little fella has never been stepped on and squished goes unexplained.

It's a rough voyage. There is a tempest. There is a horrifying battle with a sea monster. The monster looks big enough to send the Dawn Treader to the bottom with its tail, but the Narniaites prevail, not least because Reepicheep scampers up the rigging and imparts a nasty flesh wound. As they sail from one Narnian island to another seeking the swords, a series of other challenges confronts them, including an ominous sea fog as alarming as the one in Stephen King's " The Mist ."

A climactic voyage to the Dark Island becomes necessary, and it is fraught with hazards. Half rations of food and water for all on board! No one knows how far away it is. Lucky thing they know in which direction to sail. If they overshoot the island, they may sail off the edge of the Earth, Columbus having not existed in Narnia.

The island, first glimpsed from a distance, looks ominously like a skull, with the glow of possible volcanoes in its skeleton eyes. Skull Island comes to mind. Here the fate of Narnia will be sealed. The island, we're told, is the habitation and embodiment of pure evil; I suppose, since C.S. Lewis intended his books as Christian allegory, it is Hell. The children and the crew of the Dawn Treader are up against it, and Eustace is greatly pleased by being transformed into a fire-breathing dragon.

If I've lingered overmuch on the story, it's because mostly what you have is a series of opportunities for special effects. The characters have characteristics rather than personalities, and little self-consciousness. They spring to the service of the plot, which, not particularly coherent, boils down to one damn thing after another.

Still, this is a rip-snorting adventure fantasy for families, especially the younger members who are not insistent on continuity. Director Michael Apted may be too good for this material, but he attacks with gusto. Nor are the young actors overly impressed by how nobly archetypal they are; Lucy (who is really the lead) could give lessons to Harry Potter about how to dial down the self-importance. A universe may hang in the balance, but hey, it's only a movie.

I'm afraid it's in 3-D. I will say it has the best rendition of 3-D I've seen in one of these action spectaculars; Apted uses it and is not driven by it. The light level is dimmed. It always is in 3-D. I wish I could have seen it in 2-D. If you can, try to.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

Rated PG for some frightening images and sequences of fantasy action

113 minutes

Georgie Henley as Lucy

Ben Barnes as Caspian

Skandar Keynes as Edmund

Will Poulter as Eustace

Tilda Swinton as White Witch

Directed by

• Michael Apted
• Christopher Markus
• Stephen McFeely
• Michael Petroni

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LONE ISLANDS

Goldwater island, dawn treader, magician's island, ramandu's island, the dark island, rotten tomatoes® score.

The limitless possibilities of fantasy have rarely felt so unimaginative

Apted's ultimate downfall is the over-utilization of special effects in a film that simply doesn't require them to such excess.

What works on the page does not necessarily work on screen, and the woolly plot structure robs Dawn Treader of much of the previous films' energy.

A good vessel to board for kids of all ages.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader isn't exactly bad, but it lacks magical resonance and does not make up for it in character depth.

Embarking upon this seemingly endless, dot-to-dot like quest of flat and laborious special effect driven events, we fall victim further still to the franchise's ever growing, deluded and cocksure array of purportedly endearing characters.

Fortunately, by the time we sail into the sweet waters of Aslan's country, things are back on track.

The cinematography is gorgeous and the fusion of CGI and real characters seamless. Even more outstanding is the script that never stalls and blends characters, plot, and themes in ways that entertain and inspire.

What's been missing from the series since the first film is a strong, memorable adversary.

...rushes from the screen with ambition and color, excitement and thrill, and a relentless sense of optimism that catapults the story and its visuals to striking heights.

Additional Info

• Genre : Fantasy, Family
• Release Date : December 10, 2010
• Languages : English
• Captions : English, Spanish
• Audio Format : 5.1

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The chronicles of narnia: the voyage of the dawn treader, common sense media reviewers.

Engaging third Narnia adventure is fun for tweens and up.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The Narnia movies are filled with positive message

Aslan is an almost perfect role model, dispensing

The Pevensies and King Caspian and his crew battle

In one brief scene, Lucy looks at a couple who are

Some British insults -- like "sod," "what the blaz

Parents need to know that the third Chronicles of Narnia installment is, like its predecessors, a tween-friendly fantasy adventure. In general, you can expect the same level of special effects-heightened battles/violence and minor language as Prince Caspian . While there's little inappropriate content for…

Positive Messages

The Narnia movies are filled with positive messages about selflessness, self-sacrifice, and generosity. The characters, with the exception of Eustace (at first), are brave and want to help the Narnians defeat evil. As each of the main characters is tempted, they learn to make the choices that work for the greater good. Some of the messages could be considered religious, but it's not overt.

Positive Role Models

Aslan is an almost perfect role model, dispensing sage advice and guiding the characters to make the right decisions. The three kids are also positive role models -- as well as very relatable -- because they overcome their fears and insecurities for the good of Narnia. King Caspian doesn't surrender to his temptation to stand before his father before it's time. Instead, he honors his commitment to be the best king he can be.

Violence & Scariness

The Pevensies and King Caspian and his crew battle the elements and their own fears that turn into reality -- like a giant sea serpent that dozens of men try to bring down with swords and arrows. There's a fair bit of sword play and sword fighting, but no one is killed. On one island, people are "sacrificed" to the sea, so a girl looks horrified as her mother is whisked away on a boat, presumably never to be seen again ( spoiler alert : all ends well). A few characters look dead but are actually in a deep sleep. Two characters nearly turn on each other but only because they're under an enchantment. The White Witch appears, but only in Edmund's mind.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

In one brief scene, Lucy looks at a couple who are flirting with each other and embracing. A star manifests herself as a beautiful woman, and both Caspian and Edmund look completely taken with her. An ongoing theme in the movie is that Lucy wishes she were as beautiful (and attractive to the opposite sex) as her older sister, Susan.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Some British insults -- like "sod," "what the blazes," "bleedin," and "thick" -- as well as "crap," "shut up," "idiot," "oh God" (as an exclamation), and the like.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that the third Chronicles of Narnia installment is, like its predecessors, a tween-friendly fantasy adventure. In general, you can expect the same level of special effects-heightened battles/violence and minor language as Prince Caspian . While there's little inappropriate content for older elementary-schoolers and up, younger kids may be frightened by a few scenes with a giant sea serpent and others set on an island where people are routinely sacrificed. Like all of the adaptations based on C. S. Lewis ' classic books, there are some mild allusions to Christianity, though nothing overtly religious is said (Aslan does reference the "other name" he's called in the regular world). The film offers positive lessons about collaboration, selflessness, and overcoming personal doubts and fears, and the three central kids all grapple with self-worth issues that will be very relatable for tweens. Note: The movie's 3-D images add to the intensity of a few action sequences, particularly the battle with the giant sea snake. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (37)
• Kids say (96)

Based on 37 parent reviews

The epitome of Narniaian adventure

Very, very, badly made., what's the story.

In this adaptation of C.S. Lewis' third Chronicles of Narnia book , the two youngest Pevensie kids, Edmund ( Skandar Keynes ) and Lucy ( Georgie Henley ), are staying with their aunt, uncle, and obnoxious younger cousin Eustace ( Will Poulter ). They make the best of their unhappy situation ... until one day, when the seaside painting in their guest room comes to life and sweeps them (and unbelieving Eustace) onto the Dawn Treader , the royal Narnian ship of King Caspian ( Ben Barnes ). Caspian explains that he and his crew are on a mission to find the seven "lost lords" of Narnia, who were dispatched by his father ages ago but were never heard from again. To restore peace to Narnia, they must track down the lords' enchanted swords and lay them at Aslan's table. As Caspian, the Pevensies, and the crew of the Dawn Treader navigate treacherous waters, they're each tested by an evil mist that emanates from an ominously dark island.

Is It Any Good?

The Chronicles of Narnia series isn't exactly The Lord of the Rings saga, but, THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER is surprisingly engaging. Yes, it follows the less-glamorous younger siblings and their insufferable on-screen cousin, but that's true to Lewis' story and allows for Edmund and Lucy (and Keynes and Henley) to mature and show that they're as worthy as Peter and Susan to fight for Narnia. Simon Pegg replaces Eddie Izzard as the voice of Reepicheep, and once again the sword-wielding mouse is a highlight of the action -- in this case helping Eustace grow into a brave defender of Narnia.

Director Michael Apted , a master at nuance and character development (he made both the groundbreaking documentary series 7 Up and the Oscar-winning biopic Coal Miner's Daughter ), smartly focuses on the relationships between the main characters rather than the action. There are still some special effects-heavy sequences, but it's not mind blowing. So Apted chronicles how Lucy deals with her desire to be as beautiful as her older sister and how Edmund struggles with his jealousy over living in Peter's -- and now Caspian's -- shadow. These are believable younger sibling "issues," and it makes the Pevensies -- and Eustace, who's too logical and uptight for his own good -- incredibly relatable to a tween audience, many of whom are experiencing similar doubts about their self-worth. So although this saga isn't quite as memorable as other epic fantasies like LOTR and the Harry Potter movies , The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a worthier-than-expected journey.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how each of the main characters was tested and tempted and yet came out victorious. What insecurities did each of them overcome? What is the movie's message about pride and beauty?

For those who've read the books , how faithful is the film to the story?

Why do you suppose the Pevensies can't return to Narnia once they've grown up? What is it about getting older that makes your time in Narnia come to an end?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 10, 2010
• On DVD or streaming : April 5, 2011
• Cast : Ben Barnes , Georgie Henley , Skandar Keynes
• Director : Michael Apted
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Walden Media
• Genre : Fantasy
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Book Characters
• Run time : 115 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : some frightening images and sequences of fantasy action
• Last updated : February 18, 2024

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• DVD & Streaming

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

• Action/Adventure , Drama , Kids , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• December 10, 2010
• Ben Barnes as King Caspian; Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie; Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie; Will Poulter as Eustace Clarence Scrubb; voices of Simon Pegg as Reepicheep; Liam Neeson as Aslan

Home Release Date

• April 5, 2011
• Michael Apted

Distributor

• 20th Century Fox

Movie Review

When I was a kid, I’d go into the backyard and wait for Aslan to come and get me.

I knew, from repeated readings of C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia , that the great lion could come at any ol’ time. But I figured it’d be best if I was ready—and I tried to encourage him to come on an afternoon when there wasn’t much going on. So, on lazy summer days, I’d sit in the bushes (so my parents wouldn’t be alarmed should they see a sudden flash of light or a mysterious whoosh of wind) and think about how best to greet a centaur or make small talk with a squirrel. And, when that didn’t seem to work, I started asking my parents whether they’d ever be in the market for a wardrobe.

I never got to Narnia—not in a literal sense, anyway. For whatever reason, Aslan saw fit to keep me firmly in this world. We can’t all be swept away to visit another, I guess.

For Lucy and Edmund, of course, such trips are old hat. They visit Narnia more often than most of us visit Disneyland, so when one of Harold and Alberta Scrubb’s unloved paintings suddenly starts flooding the spare bedroom with seawater, the Pevensie siblings know better than to freak out: They simply swim around and wait to be plucked into their next adventure.

Not so Eustace Clarence Scrubb, for whom Narnia was just an imaginary land—something he referenced only when he wanted to mock Edmund and Lucy. He panics .

You’d think Eustace might’ve apologized for making fun of all his cousins’ Narnia talk after he, Edmund and Lucy are fished out of the drink and pulled aboard King Caspian’s Dawn Treader in the middle of the Great Eastern Ocean. Not him. As soon as he gets his sea legs, Master Scrubb sets to complaining about the accommodations, stealing oranges and antagonizing most everyone on board.

“Perhaps we could throw him back,” the gallant talking mouse Reepicheep suggests.

But Aslan doesn’t pull people into Narnia simply to have them tossed away. Even Eustace—especially Eustace—sniveling and shrinking as he is, has a place in Aslan’s plan. And that plan will set sail with all hands on deck even if Eustace has to be dragged aboard by his sopping wet hair.

Positive Elements

Reviewing some films, we say right up front that there’s “too much blood” or “too much sex” to catalogue it fully. Here, we have a more unique issue: There’s too much positivity to adequately deal with in this space.

In a nutshell, the story of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is one of high adventure: Caspian and crew must (in the film) find the source of an evil green mist and dispel it with the help of seven magical swords. But as we’re told by a magician early on, “to defeat the darkness out there, you must defeat the darkness inside yourself.” And so the Dawn Treader becomes a voyage of self-discovery, in which characters are challenged, tempted and tried before finding the wherewithal inside—and outside—themselves to triumph.

Lucy must conquer her jealousy and her self-image insecurities. Edmund, finally free from the shadow of his older brother, Peter, finds he must submit to a new authority in Caspian. Eustace’s issues run the gamut, from cowardice and greed to just being a pest. Everyone comes face to face with their fears and peevish natures—and what they see is rarely pretty.

And that’s the key: These faults are ugly. They aren’t excused or mollified or treated with a sense of relativist gentleness. Everyone brings aboard their own sets of bad qualities and, rather than accept them, our heroes and heroines are encouraged to overcome them—even if it means, as it does in Lucy’s case—appreciating yourself for who you are.

Lucy has long compared herself, unfavorably, to her beautiful older sister, Susan. So Lucy’s greatest challenge here is the temptation to turn herself into Susan—via the magician’s book. She recites a spell and is thrilled when she sees herself as Susan. Then, despite the protestations of Aslan, she rips the page out of the book and takes it back onboard the Dawn Treader to recite again. When she does she’s whisked back to England, this time transformed into Susan—and finds that, in so doing, she’s almost wished herself away. “You doubt your value,” Aslan tells her. “Don’t run from who you are.” Sage advice for our times, when many young girls try to conform to a standard template of beauty or pretend to be someone they are not.

Meanwhile, irrepressible Reepicheep takes a personal interest in Eustace’s maturation: Instead of running the boy through for stealing an orange (absconding with the ship’s stores, the mouse solemnly says, is a capital offense), he gives Eustace an energetic fencing lesson—helping him begin to overcome his fear. And when the lad must face a horrific challenge, Reepicheep tries to instill in him a sense of duty and courage.

It works. Eustace ends up the story’s hero, flying (literally) into the face of danger, selflessly staying evil’s hand for the sake of his friends—which is exactly what his cousins have become.

Spiritual Elements

C.S. Lewis always meant for Dawn Treader to reflect a Christian’s walk in this fallen world of ours, and the temptations faced by the film’s protagonists seem to reflect the Seven Deadly Sins outlined by Pope Gregory in 590—extravagance, gluttony, greed, discouragement, wrath, envy and pride.

While all of the characters have some work to do, it’s Eustace who gains the most, spiritually, from his trip to Narnia. After pilfering treasure from a dragon horde, Eustace turns into a dragon—and the fact that this very mean boy turns out to be a very nice dragon hints at the paradoxical nature within us all: We are creatures of God turned draggonish by sin—and yet, we’re sometimes at our best when we finally, fully understand our own twisted natures.

Eustace eventually turns back into a boy—not from any magic potion or as a reward for an act of heroism, but by the grace of Aslan. Though the transformation scene differs from what is found in the book (more on that later), the meaning is the same—underlined by Eustace’s own words: “No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t do it [change] by myself.” He needed, as we all do, the help of a Savior.

In Narnia, that Savior is Aslan, and his oft-referenced “country” is heaven. Lewis meant the great lion to be a Christ-like figure, and those of us who’ve been raised both in the faith and with the Narnia series are fully aware of that. To introduce that idea to moviegoers who are meeting Aslan for the first time here, the film draws a dotted line between the lion and the Lamb. When Lucy asks whether Aslan can be visited not just in Narnia but in our world, Aslan tells her yes. “But there I have another name,” he continues, in a line straight from the book. “You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”

That short speech preserves the book’s explicit, deeply spiritual underpinnings. And it marks Dawn Treader as a voyage of faith and belief. For, as Reepicheep says, “We have nothing, if not belief.”

Lewis also included a lot of magic in his books, and the film brings images to that as well. Lucy, for instance, both willingly and under duress reads spells from the magician’s spell book. It’s worth noting that in Lewis’ Dawn Treader , magic and the magician are clearly under Aslan’s authority, but the movie sometimes uncouples the magic from spirituality, making it feel more naturalistic. Aslan clearly disapproves of her dabbling. Still, it can be fairly said that it appears as though Lucy is playing around with the same kind of sorcery seen in Harry Potter or Charmed .

Sexual Content

Shimmering, translucent CGI naiads swim through the water, their feminine curves fairly evident at times. Lucy sees teens kissing in London. 

Violent Content

Dawn Treader’ s action sequences, though frequent, don’t wander far afield from those found in classic swashbucklers starring Errol Flynn. And they’re far less traumatic than those seen in the previous Narnia film, Prince Caspian . There are swordfights aplenty, and a few slave traders are thrown off buildings or take tumbles into the drink. But there’s no blood and no painfully obvious deaths.

There is, however, a pretty scary sea serpent that attacks the Dawn Treader as it sails toward Dark Island. The serpent is toothy, ugly and ever so mean, and it might well frighten younger moviegoers right out of their landlubber shoes. Also, Eustace, as a dragon, gets stabbed with a sword, and we see the remains of some of the lords Caspian is searching for. (One of them has been turned into a statue of gold. Another is a skeleton.)

The film tames down Eustace’s transformation back into a boy considerably from what the book indicates. Rather than showing Aslan ripping the flesh off a little boy—a scene that would’ve likely taken the film into PG-13 territory, according to Walden Media president Michael Flaherty—the scaly disrobing is treated to a one-step remove, where the skin magically falls off as Aslan claws the ground.

Crude or Profane Language

“Fool,” “pipsqueak,” “coot” and “sap” get tossed around in a name-calling context. There’s an interjection of “oh god.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Other negative elements.

Someone is described as smelling like the “hind end of a minotaur.” A little girl, against her father’s explicit wishes, stows away aboard the Dawn Treader. Back in England, Edmund lies about his age to try to enlist for the war.

If  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was cautious and  Prince Caspian grim, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is, quite simply, fun—a cinematic adventure that retains the spirit (both literarily and theologically) of Lewis’ original treasure. It even, incredibly, gives audiences a hint of his humor. As such, it is without question the best of the series so far.

It’s far from a slavish reproduction, mind you: Fans of the novel will find that the filmmakers took license at times. But the result is just a mouse hair short of wonderful. Dawn Treader is a classic children’s adventure in the vein of Treasure Island , Swiss Family Robinson or Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory that takes audiences to a fantastic place and gives them the license to imagine themselves in it. While some movies can stifle creativity—smothering imagination under a blanket of CGI and storytelling orthodoxy— Dawn Treader encourages it. Had I seen this film when I was 8, I would’ve likely gone home and turned the living room into the Dawn Treader’s deck, filled with sofa cushion battlements and sails made from sheets.

Before this film, I think the cinematic Narnia series was a little like Lucy, looking enviously at big-sister Susan. Maybe it was trying too hard to be the next  Lord of the Rings or aspire to Harry Potter -level success. It worked so hard to be literary and spectacular that, just maybe, it forgot what the Narnia books were at their core: children’s stories. Meaningful stories, yes. Good stories, absolutely, filled with allegorical heft and layers of meaning … but at their core, they’re meant to be fun .

Dawn Treader found the fun. For two hours, I was engrossed in a land I loved as a child and still love today. I was called into a magical world and I once again felt Aslan tugging at my heart. He wasn’t in my backyard, but it was the next best thing.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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Chronicles Of Narnia In Order (Books & Movies)

• Netflix is creating a film series adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia, with Greta Gerwig writing and directing the first two movies.
• There is debate among fans about whether to read the Narnia books in release order or chronological order.
• Previous adaptations of the Narnia books include a TV movie, a BBC film series, and three movies by Disney – the latter of which were well-received despite not completing the entire series.

With Netflix making a movie series adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia , it’s the perfect time to revisit the movies and books; however, understanding the right order isn’t agreed upon. Five years ago, Netflix acquired the rights to every book in The Chronicles of Narnia , the first movie company to purchase them all. They soon announced they’d be creating a mix of movies and a series that brought the Narnia books to the big screen. In the years since then, they’ve refined the plan. Netflix’s The Chronicles of Narnia will now only be films with Greta Gerwig writing and directing the first two.

As more news comes out about the upcoming film project, now is a great time for future viewers to get familiar with The Chronicles of Narnia . Author C.S. Lewis published the first Narnia book in 1950, gaining worldwide popularity. While he didn’t expect to write more than one book ( Collected Letters III ), Lewis would go on to write six more books in the series. Unfortunately, the release order conflicts with the chronological order , creating a debate within the fandom about which is the proper way to read the books. Multiple movie adaptations exist for each book, adding extra confusion to the Narnia franchise.

Geoffrey Bles originally published the first five Chronicles of Narnia books, and The Bodley Head published the last two.

How To Read The Chronicles Of Narnia Books In Chronological Order

• The Magician’s Nephew (1955)
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (1950)
• The Horse and His Boy (1954)
• Prince Caspian (1951)
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
• The Silver Chair (1953)
• The Last Battle (1956)

For a new reader, it’s better to read the Chronicles of Narnia books in chronological order instead of release order. This approach presents the events linearly, making it easier to follow from start to end. It has a clear start and end point in the timeline, rather than jumping around. C.S. Lewis even preferred this method of reading , according to a letter to a child published in the Collected Letters III . It’s also easier to find boxsets with this numbering and listing because the publisher HarperCollins switched universally to numbering the books chronologically. Any books with a different numbering were published before 1994.

How To Read The Chronicles Of Narnia Books In Release Order

Lewis first wrote The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – objectively his most famous work – in 1950, five years before the prequel The Magician’s Nephew . Additionally, The Horse and His Boy follows the same time period as the end of the second chronological book, but it didn’t come out until four years later. This makes the story difficult to understand when read in release order.

However, by approaching the series this way, modern readers can experience the books how others did when the Narnia books first came out. Additionally, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has more action and a faster pacing than The Magician’s Nephew . This makes it more captivating as a first book for readers with a lower attention span. By the time the prequel comes around in release order, there’s enough investment to get through it. Moreover, the first four Narnia books follow the Pevensie siblings , keeping the narrative tightly following a small group of people rather than exploring the larger world outside of Narnia .

10 Lessons Netflix's Chronicles Of Narnia Reboot Can Learn From The 2000s Movies

All chronicles of narnia movies in order.

• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (1979)
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (1988)
• Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1989)
• The Silver Chair (1990)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

Production companies have tried to adapt The Chronicles of Narnia multiple times for the big screen because of the phenomenal world-building, lore, and fantasy characters . The first time around, CBS created a two-part movie adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for TV. As of the time of writing, this is the only animated version of the Chronicles of Narnia . The second time, the BBC took on the book franchise, making four of the books into a film. Interestingly, they combined Prince Caspian and Voyage of the Dawn Treader , two of the longest books in the series.

It took another fifteen years before Disney rebooted the franchise for the third time. With a Disney-level budget, the visuals looked impressive and realistic. The Chronicles of Narnia cast boasted big-name actors like Tilda Swinton and Liam Neeson and newer actors like Georgie Henley and William Moseley. Unlike previous versions of the famous book series, these movies went over exceptionally well. Disney adapted three of Lewis’ works with a three-year break between the first and second as well as a two-year break between the second and third.

Netflix's Chronicles Of Narnia Reboot Using The Original Books' Ending Would Be A Huge Mistake

Plans were in the works for a fourth movie, but the actors had aged out of the roles by the time the company announced plans for The Silver Chair . The director would’ve needed an entirely new cast , adding an extra layer of difficulty. Additionally, each movie in the franchise grossed less than the previous film, making it more difficult to justify making a fourth movie. In 2018, Netflix acquired the rights to the franchise and announced plans for an entirely new movie franchise, restarting The Chronicles of Narnia cinematic adaptations over again. Still, this unfinished movie franchise is still worth watching due to its high production quality and phenomenal acting.

Source: Collected Letters III