Entertaining movie watch : The Voyage of Dawn Treader, a Narnia book based story

Taken from Imob's movie picture Gallery

Recently, I rented Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of Dawn Treader, checking out this trailer on Youtube Movies.

This was such a delightful watch!!

Sons of Adam and Eve again taken into the Narnian World for an adventure of a lifetime!!

We have two main characters from the previous two movies of the Chronicles of Narnia series - ‘Prince Caspian’ and ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’, continuing their journey here with Edmond and Lucy having another magical adventure into the World of Narnia and beyond.

Both the Pevensie kids are much grown now, being teenagers but stuck at cousin Eustace Scrubb’s home as their elder siblings Peter and Susan are in America, and World War 2 is taking place.

The entry into the Narnian World happens the way it does in the LS Lewis
story of the same name. A picture at Lucy’s room of a Narnian looking ship sailing the Ocean becomes the door sweeping these kids into the incredible World of Narnia. Yes, Eustace Scrubb is also swept into the ocean drawn inside the picture.

New kid taken along with Edmund and Lucy into the Narnian World

Eustace is introduced as a character who entertains himself by making his cousins’ time miserable, irritating them with his attics and words, so he is hated by his cousins. He is the youngest of them and still a boy, a kid. In this story Eustace is the rotten boy - selfish, ever whining, unhelpful and frustratingly irritating (although seriously funny) who has his own unique experiences transforming him into a noble boy who is brave, ever ready to do what he can to aid his friends in the Narnian world.

Starting their voyage getting on broad the Dawn Treader

Narnian ship Dawn Treader. Taken from Imob's movie picture Gallery

The visuals are pretty brilliant as can be seen in the trailer, with the picture at Lucy’s room coming to life, sweeping the Pevensie kids into the picture, where they swim up to the Ocean to be rescued by their old Narnian world friend King Caspian(now bloomed into young man), who takes them aboard Dawn Treader.

Thus, a grand voyage begins, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader…

Pleasant meeting with the noble mouse Reepicheep from the Prince Caspian story

We get to meet another interesting character from the ‘Prince Caspian’ Movie and he is none other than cute and brave Reepicheep, who although is just a mouse feels like a warrior at heart, very spirited to do brave and valiant acts but never taken seriously by others who smile at the mouse’s chivalrous nature but don’t count on him to do such tasks.

Charactors Reepicheep and Eustace in the movie. Taken from Imob's movie picture Gallery

Reepicheep is a noble soul, ever respectfully bowing and greeting the previous King and Queen of Narnia, Edmund and Lucy. As the saying goes by Emperor Aslan himself, Once a King and Queen of Narnia, always a King and Queen of Narnia.

Connection with the Chronicles of Narnia Movie series with the same actors playing main characters

Lucy and Edmund. Taken from Imob's movie picture Gallery

Edmund and Lucy are played by the same actors who acted as them in the earlier two movies of the Chronicles of Narnia movie series. So, there is an instant connection and continuity to the movie series with even Peter and Susan making appearances with the same actors representing them in previous movies playing a very short role here.

They are not there otherwise in the story itself, as they both are too old to visit Narnia again, ending their adventures at Prince Caspian movie with the beautiful youthful Susan departing having a passionate kiss with young Caspian to add a slight romantic element to the movie (adolescents you see!!, perhaps on their first unforgettable kiss)

The Quest unravels in the story…

Edmund and Lucy get armed for their adventure in the voyage with their own old sacred items, with King Caspian giving Lucy her Magical healing Cordial and Dagger that she received as a little girl from father Christmas at the ‘Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’.

Edmund gets his torch he got as a birthday gift but which he left back in Narnia at the Prince Caspian Movie (He never received any gift from Father Christmas, but not going to explain the back story to that here. True he has been a very rotten boy in the first story of the ‘Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’. )

The movie is a adventure, with Dawn Treader sailing the Ocean as the characters navigate the Ocean waters and explore island after island, with Reepicheep aiming to sail into the ends of the world to reach ‘Aslan’s own country’ while Caspian has a mission of finding the seven lost Lords who his uncle Miraz sent to the sea, so they don’t challenge his Kingship at ‘The Prince Caspian’ story.

However, slowly the main quest of King Caspian and his friends unravels, because a evil force has to be vanquished which is possible only when all swords of the seven lost Lords are gathered and placed at Aslan’s table that’s at Ramandu’s island which symbolizes the beginning edge to the end of the World.

Villain is the evil including every character’s fearful and unworthy thoughts

Most sequences inside Lewis’s book story crop up in movie but in different order.

We have Dawn Treader land in Lone island, Gold island, Dark island. However, evil in the form of the green mist plays with everyone’s minds. As is visible in the trailer, Edmund’s fear or nightmare is queen Jadis, she may be dead but she appears in his thoughts persuading him to do evil.

Map of Narnia taken from Imob's movie picture Gallery

There is ofcourse a back story behind Edmud’s fear of queen Jadis, she made him a traitor and used him as a bait to murder Aslan in the first movie story - ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’ when he was only a little kid.

Similarly every character in the story has their own fears haunting them in their voyage as the Dawn Treader sails nearer to the dreaded Dark Island. So, there’s an inner fight to be strong and conquer their own fearful and unworthy thoughts within each of these characters.

Sword fighting entertainment in the ship as its a sport people those folks enjoy normally

There is a variety of action throughout the movie from sword fights, and dragon trouble etc.

We have a fun sword fighting scene where Reepicheep challenges Eustace Scrubb to a duel as the boy hurt Reepicheep’s dignity by catching his tail to bully him.
*(Reepicheep’s tail has a back story with him being restored with a tail by Aslan himself after he lost it having his tail cut off fighting in war in the Prince Caspian story.) *

An entertaining duel where Eustace’s sword fighting session with Reepicheep trains him in the effective sword fighting technique. It is quite a beauty watching coward Eustace turning into a spirited soul enjoying his time doing those elegant sword fighting moves. (Narnia air is known to kindle energetic spirits in visiting people).

Slowly, the boy warms up to brace the adventure in his voyage on Dawn treader, but it’s only after he turns into a dragon by his own mistake, that he transforms into a brave hero in the movie, coached and mentored by Reepicheep who becomes his best friend. The sword fighting session proved useful to Eustace in the end too.

Dragon in the movie Taken from Imob's movie picture Gallery

Narnian fighting spirit driven by brave, noble and loyal souls

Edmund with High King Peter's sword on to fight a evil creature. Taken Imob's movie picture Gallery

There are humorous instances in the movie as well, making things light and sweet.

For Narnian fans like me who feel like a Narnian having read the book, one can connect with all the fighting the characters in the story are prepared to do - to save Narnia, for Narnia. Narnia is not featured in the story as characters are sailing the ocean, and exploring the islands on the way into the end of the world to Aslan’s own country.

All characters are Narnians including Edmund and Lucy for they ruled Narnia for a long period of time and seem to be expert sword fighters. We have Lucy too valiantly having sword combat duels with enemies, all this is a great action sequence watch!!

Important place in the movie - Ramandu’s Island

`As can be seen in the Trailer Lucy has her own adventure with her being tasked to open the Book of spells of Magician Coriakin and chat verses to make the ‘invincible’ visible again.

Crew also visit Ramandu’s island and meet his daughter, a star there, with Aslan’s table laid out there with food for travellers who made it so far into the edge of the ends of the world.

The Blue Star at Ramandu's island taking a women's form. Taken Imob's movie picture Gallery

(Note - Aslan’s table, is a sacred table with the stone knife that evil queen Jadis used to kill Aslan in the ‘Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’)

The visuals are lovely, with the blue star landing on the island and meeting the travellers as can be seen in the trailer… raise your eyebrows as the star offers to take another form that does not distract Caspian who expresses to her that she’s beautiful, to which both Edmund and Caspian react at the same time exclaiming “No”...Ha… light hearted movements.

Epic battle to end all evil and vanquish a giant Sea serpent!!

We have thrilling fight scenes between a Dragon and sea serpent, it’s a gripping watch!!

The sea serpent had to be killed for it was intent on destroying the Dawn treader killing all its travellers. This was finally done, but it involved the collective efforts exercised by multiple characters including Eustace. Obviously it was a tough task to finish but it was done.

There was suspense till the end of the elimination of the sea serpent with evil forces preventing characters from making that decisive move to kill the sea serpent!!

One can say the battle of the characters with the sea serpent is Epic!!

End scene of the Movie

End of the voyage of Dawn Treader here at the end of the World where Aslan greets our heros. Taken Imob's movie picture Gallery

Lastly, we have Aslan himself appear in his majestic form in the end appreciating all the characters for their successful completion of their mission for which everybody had played an important part showing amazing courage, nobility etc, having saved Narnia once again!!

**Closing thoughts **

The movie shows themes such as friendship. One can connect with Caspian feeling his guests from the other world are like his family, since he never grew up in a loving family. Then, we have characters learning to overcome petty thoughts like greediness for gold, some having learn it the hard way (like Eustace).

A must mention is the transformation of Eustace culminating with him becoming friends with Reepicheep. Everyone needs to be motivated, for that push to embrace their own strength and take off to do good deeds with their own unique qualities and abilities.

Eustace was lucky to have found his mentor there in the movie. And ofcourse, who would not like to listen to adventure stories and get entertained when one feels low.

The movie says everyone has a grand destiny, we just need to be ourselves and be geared to play our role when time comes.

Thank you for reading