The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

  I feel as though I should admit, up front, that I am a huge C.S. Lewis fan.  Perhaps that impairs my ability to see and criticize clearly, or perhaps that should make me criticize more boldly, but it strongly colors how I see his works.  Last night, Rachel and I watched the latest Chronicles of Narnia installation, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  And we both loved it.

  Now, this movie came out some time ago.  I seem to remember, back in the cobwebs of my mind, that it was not entirely well-received.  Correct me if I am wrong here, but I don't believe the reaction to this movie was a great one.  I also believe this is the last one they planned to make, which I now find to be terribly disappointing.  It's only the third in the series, and since it's not my money, I'm all in favor of them making them all!  (Seeing as how the Dawn Treader apparently has brought in over $450 million, I'm not sure these guys are hurting for money.)

  The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is, at the heart, a story of transformation.  Eustace, Lucy & Edmond's terribly annoying cousin, is brought along to Narnia for the voyage to search for the lost seven elders in a lonely and magical group of islands.

  The voyage is filled with adventure, intrigue and danger, all the things that make movies great.  There is plenty of suspense, and the film is beautifully done.  Even without Lewis' Christian message that is at the heart of the story, this is a great movie.

  But the Narnia stories aren't meant just to be exciting stories.  They're meant to tell a greater story, The story, of God's great love and how he is at work in us.  We see Aslan, we hear his voice and his message, and we are meant to examine our own lives, to see the places we have fallen short of how we are called to live.  We draw courage from God the same way the children in the story draw courage from Aslan--though we may not be sailing the seas, we, too, live an adventure for God.

  The transformation of Eustace is complete.  C.S. Lewis uses this great story to invite us into transformation.  Will we follow, or will we sit safely on the couch?