The Movie
The third film in the beloved fantasy franchise and the first from Fox since Disney bid farewell, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader catches up with the two youngest Pevensie children, Lucy and Edmund, three years after the events of Prince Caspian. The siblings are transported from war-torn England back to the magical kingdom of Narnia, this time with their priggish cousin Eustace, and immediately swept up in a seafaring adventure.
Caspian, now King but relieved of his Spanish accent, is searching for seven missing lords and their seven magic swords, needed to defeat an evil mist that has been abducting innocent citizens. Together they journey to a series of islands and encounter new wonders, while facing tests, temptations, and their own inner demons. It's a fun Voyage, especially for the youngsters, more focused and engaging than the previous installment.
You might also want to consult Jim Dooley's review of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader before setting sail.
The Picture
Dawn Treader was captured on digital video and is given a TV-perfect 16:9 presentation. The image is rife with detail and the colors are exquisite, like a storybook come to life. Blacks are deep and extremely natural. Owing to its video roots however, there is definite, frequent streaking in motion which undercuts the epic feel. The movie is heavily augmented with digital effects, many quite impressive, even under HD scrutiny.
The Sound
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 channel soundtrack makes excellent use of the rears for an exciting, enveloping experience. It begins with British planes flying around us, and before long they are replaced by an attacking dragon. In between are the myriad noises of a sailing ship, the generous creaking of ropes and such. In one scene we are convincingly surrounded by the voices of invisible enemies, later we are the victims of some nasty weather. Bass rumble nicely underscores the bigger action beats.
The Extras
The bonus contents of the disc are scattered, grouped by the various locations visited by The Dawn Treader as well as the ship itself. We are rewarded for exploring the menus, uncovering such special features as an audio commentary by director Michael Apted and producer Mark Johnson; the "Untold Adventures of The Dawn Treader" short which fills in some story background, in the simple animated style of the movie's end credits (about seven minutes); and the interactive "King Caspian's Guide to the Dawn Treader: Legends and Lore of the Great Ship," hosted by Ben Barnes as Caspian, about four minutes total.
There are also four deleted scenes, five "Islands Explorations," seven "Narnian Discoveries," three behind-the-scenes segments including "Good vs. Evil:
Battle on the Sea" about the ship of the title, as well as several Fox Movie Channel featurettes about the actors and more. These last bits appear to be the only ones not in high definition.
We are also given a set-top matching game and BD-Live connectivity with Fox's Live Extras, which serves up the exclusive Carrie Underwood mini music video "There's a Place for Us." Disc Two is a DVD of the movie with the audio commentary and deleted scenes. Disc Three carries a Digital Copy for iTunes and Windows Media
Final Thoughts
Fans of the Chronicles of Narnia books and even more so those lapping up the movies will likely enjoy The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, with its charming blend of character, morality, and high-seas adventure. Video taint aside, the image is lovely, paired with strong 5.1 channel audio and copious extras.
Product Details
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