Drawing upon his own experience and culture, writer C.S. Lewis published The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe in 1950, the first in his The Chronicles of Narnia series. In doing so, Lewis not only penned a classic tale of adventure that entertained generations of adults and children, he also created a story so grand in fantasy and so rich in imagination that it would take another 50-odd years to successfully bring it to the big screen. Despite the high standards set for this genre by Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings series, Walt Disney Pictures shatters all expectations with the big screen version of Lewis' classic.

As the director of Shrek and Shrek 2, Andrew Adamson knows something about CGI, needless to say. But with Chronicles he marks his live-action directorial debut, and ironically it's the people parts of the film that work best. Adamson beautifully reflects Lewis' compassionate touches by focusing on the children who form the heart of the story. His CGI-work only acts as an enhancement to the experience and is never overtly obtrusive or brash. It's a perfect melding of modern-day technology and old-fashioned storytelling.

To escape the incessant bombing raids on their London neighborhood during WWII, Lucy (Georgie Henley), Edmond (Skandar Keynes), Peter (William Moseley) and Susan (Anna Popplewell) take refuge in the country home of a kindly professor (Jim Broadbent). The young siblings eventually discover the magical land of Narnia via a portal in the back of an antique wardrobe. They venture into the snow-covered land of Narnia, where a curious host of fauns, unicorns, centaurs, giants and elves live in fear of the icy rule of the White Witch (Tilda Swinton). As their curiosity gets the better of them, the children soon find themselves the unwitting leaders of a fight to free the Narnians and return them to the rightful rule of their deposed leader, Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson) the titular Lion. The fantasy culminates in a spectacular battle scene, the likes of which we've rarely seen on screen. Think Braveheart or The Return of the King. It's that big.

The four young actors who portray the displaced Pervensie children carry the weight of this story. They are relatively new on the acting scene, but we never get a sense of greenness even though their roles are quite meaty and call for a wide range of emotions to be displayed in the most distracting of environments, including elaborately staged sets, exotic on-location shoots, and even green screens. Georgie Henley will steal your heart as the wide-eyed and loveable Lucy. Keep an eye on this kid, as her role will most assuredly be a springboard to a huge acting career. But the most memorable performance of the film is given by Tilda Swinton as the evil White Witch. She was good as the androgynous archangel Gabriel in 2004's Constantine, but she knocks it out of the park with her performance here. Jim Carrey's antagonist in Lemony Snicket came across as more funny than menacing, but Swinton's Witch is downright mean and evil from the icicle spikes atop her head to the polar bear-driven chariot beneath her feet. She provides a genuine sense of danger to offset the story's playful whimsicality.

Many will mistakenly write off Chronicles as a money-grubbing, big-budgeted kids adventure film made solely for the purpose of hauling in its share of the holiday box office. But while those accusations might be true, writing it off would be a big mistake. The Chronicles of Narnia is wide-ranging and emotional. It's beautiful, and scary. It's thought provoking and educational with wholesome themes of good vs. evil and power of family that run throughout. The film follows Lewis' story almost as gospel, but as an added bonus, Adamson and screenwriter Ann Peacock build slightly bigger prominence into the personalities of the children, giving us an oft-needed retreat from the grand and unfamiliar setting.

(Released by Buena Vista Pictures and related "PG" for battle sequences and frightening moments.)

Review also posted at www.franksreelreviews.com.