VDT -One Year Later

[Movie Aristotle]

The one year anniversary of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader has gone by without much notice. How has time and repeated viewings of VDT changed your opinion of the film? Has it gone up or down? How often do you watch the film? Have you had a chance to look back into the forum archives to your VDT predictions? Were you right? Were you wrong? Were you laughably wrong?

The time to talk of the longevity of the VDT film has come. How do you feel about VDT, now that it is one year later?

[icarus]

To tell the truth i have yet to re-watch Voyage of the Dawn Treader at all since seeing it at the cinema, and that probably tells you everything you need to know. I did start to watch the DVD once, but when it quickly became apparent that the movie wasn't go to be any better than i remembered i didn't really have the heart to stick it out till the end. I probably will someday, but its hard to find the desire to do so.

[Nic5]

I've watched VODT alot since i got the dvd.

In some ways it's the easiest film to watch out of the three Narnia films - it has some great looking sequences/sets and it doesn't require much effort to watch the film as it's very brisky. There's not a whole lot to absorb as far as story or depth goes yet it keeps moving quickly enough to keep watching to the end even if attention wanders abit during the film in some viewings.

If taken as just something to watch purely as a film, it's a pretty good adventure type of lark with entertaining fantasy elements. I normally wouldn't be into such a type of adventure fantasy film though or go out of my way for it anymore than other films of a similar type, but with the Narnia elements as well, it makes it something that is worthwhile having as an enjoyable home film option to watch

Taken as a light hearted adventure fantasy film it's fun to watch in that way, BUT as a Narnia film though it's only average and also abit in-coherent which can be slightly frustrating as far as it having momentum in investing into the story experience.

In a story way, it doesn't come close to the abundantly integrated drama & realised Narnia setting of PC's tale - if start of ropey Telmarine end battle skipped to Lucy - or LW&W's transformative journey of discovery.

6/10 if not Narnia film but is, so..
7/10


update (15/01/12)
I'd give the two disc special edition 7.5/10
I like the discovery wee shorts with the voice over by the lady that is most of the other dvd disc. She embellishes alot of the different story sections in a storybook kinda way - it's actually pretty good. In fact just watching the whole film with her doing a commentary like telling a story from a book would have been just as watchable as the film itself, in being a fun way to experience the story.

[GlimGlum]

I still like VDT as an escapist fantasy film with excellent special effects. As an adaption however, it will always be a big disappointment.

In some ways it's the easiest film to watch out of the three Narnia films - it has some great looking sequences/sets and it doesn't require much effort to watch the film as it's very brisky.

It is actually easy to just watch certain sequences as I've done recently, rather than the entire movie.

From IMDB I actually have tried to keep track of the ratings since the last two movies have come out on DVD. Prince Caspian has an average rating of 6.723 (36,248 votes since DVD) and VDT 6.524 (16,924 votes since DVD). Not much of a difference really (6.7 to 6.5).

If I saw those ratings for a movie I knew nothing about, I would probably think it would be worth a look, but definitely not an all-time great. It will be interesting to see what others will think after one year.

[Louloudi the Centaur]

This is kind of a difficult one for me. I liked VDT from 12/10/10 from the start, but I'm beginning to become more neutral towards the Walden series as a whole.

At least the film was considerably better than most family films. There was actually plot, and no annoying characters, except for Eustace of course. I still remember the whole audience, ranging from perhaps six years old at the youngest, to those is their elder years enjoying the movie to bits and pieces.

[fantasia]

It's probably not quite fair for me to vote "I didn't like it then and I don't like it now", because I've only seen it once. So I'm just going to say a big ditto to what icarus wrote above me. (Except that I haven't even started to watch it again.)

[Liberty Hoffman]

I liked it then and I still like it now. let me rephrase that: I loved it then and still love it now

it's still (I will always be) very high on my list of favorite movies of all time it's just so amazing and epic and I love how it's put together it's beautiful

[Lion's Emblem]

Uh well, it's hard for me to say. I started off having high hopes and great excitement to see the film (mind you, this was before VDT was actually released in theaters... whether or not that really counts for mentioning, I don't know). Quickly though, these feelings sank as the film seemed quite clear to be going in the wrong direction. I have only seen the film twice, by forcing myself, so that might make me bias.

I enjoyed the beginning of the film, but it was made evident that the rest of the film was going to be a mess (on multiple levels)... overall- until the end (this worked for me as well). I forced myself to listen to the commentary, just so I could perhaps have a deeper understanding of just what exactly they were trying to accomplish. Didn't help much and it took a lot of effort to sit through. That being said, I have to go with the answer of I didn't like the film before and I don't like it now (but again, I can't say much because I haven't really given the film a chance to grow on me yet... unfortunately, I don't know if it ever will though).

[Valiant]

I didn't like it then, don't like it now. Well, right after I watched it I had mixed feelings and after thinking about it I decided I didn't like it. And I still don't like it.
Actually, to be honest, after my first viewing in the theatre I only watched half of it once on DVD. I couldn't even sit through that whole viewing because I got bored...Funny because I watched LWW and PC a million times over. But with VDT...well there you have it.

[Pattertwigs Pal]

How has time and repeated viewings of VDT changed your opinion of the film? Has it gone up or down? How often do you watch the film? How do you feel about VDT, now that it is one year later?

By coincidence, I just happened to watch VDT not too long ago. Someone wanted to know what my favorite scene was and my opinion of the movie in general. I think I'm up to 5 viewings now. I voted I liked it then and I like it now. I'm not sure if the degree has changed or not. The degree has probably wavered a bit. I've discovered that there is a bit of "almost but not quite" in the movie. It is much better when I'm doing something else while watching it. I pretty much tuned out Narrowhaven and a lot of the Sea Serpent battle during my last viewing. I knew where I stood on those scenes. I have reach the opinion that other than the small scene where Eustace is avoiding work on Dragon Island, there is no scene that like everything about. There are scenes that I mostly like and lines that I love.

Have you had a chance to look back into the forum archives to your VDT predictions? Were you right? Were you wrong? Were you laughably wrong?

I just spent a long time trying to find my predictions / conclusions.
The voyage did not start off as a quest to save Narnia. Correct
The Dark Island is in the movie but seems to have a bigger role, especially the blackness Sort of, it was more the mist than the blackness that had a bigger role.
Aslan rips Eustace’s skin off and Eustace doesn’t have to “earn” it. Not exactly. Aslan removes Eustace's skin but doesn't physically rip it off.
The “there I have another name line” is in the movie! Yes
Battles / Action will not be the main focus of the movie I think that was pretty close but there was more than I would have liked.
It is possible that Reep goes off in his coracle at the end of the world because we have seen what looks like it. Now we have seen pictures in the trailer with Reep at the end of the world with Aslan, Lucy, Edmund, Eustace and Caspian, that means if he goes off in his coracle it happens after meeting Aslan at the end of the world. He did go off in the coracle after meeting Aslan.
Eustace is very like his character in the book. (various statements from people esp. Will P.) Of course there is a little doubt because of a couple of videos and a statement about Will with a sword. Correct (like the character mostly but not when weapons are involved (pre-dragoning)
Rhince is not the first mate but is on the ship to look for his wife Gael seems to be connected to him in some way. Correct
Ramandu’s Island is in the movie and seems to have a more important role than in the book and be connected to following a star. Correct.

[Anhun]

My views have changed, but they're complicated. I had different reactions to different scenes and different characters, so I'll have to go scene by scene to explain it. I have VDT on DVD and I've scene it several times, but almost always while doing something else.

Opening in Cambridge: I loved this, because it set the context and introduced the characters well, and also because I love realistic period stuff. I still like this part.
Transition into Narnia: I thought this was exciting when I first saw it. I have nothing against the way Lewis sucked them into the painting in the book, but I thought the flooding worked a million times better for a film. Now, I still like it, although I'm more annoyed with Georgie's weak acting in her conversations with Edmund.
Scenes on the boat, before they get to Narrowhaven: I liked it well enough at first, now I love this part, it's one of the few bits of breathing space that they have in Narnia.
Narrowhaven: I was a bit disappointed at first. I was raised on Greek myths, so the Odyssean trickery they used in the book was delightfully familiar to me. All the same, when I first saw the movie, I was able to rationalize it, by saying it took lest screen time to settle things with a simple fight. Now, the sheer dumbness of this sequence is oppressive. I can't watch it.
Reep and Eustace fight: I liked it at first, now I find Pegg's Reep annoying, too sappy. I absolutely loved Eddie Izzard in that role, and still do. I also have a fundamental problem with Gael, as well, and always have. The book VDT is already full to bursting with more events and character development than you can fit in a feature film, so why are they wasting precious screen time on an invented character?
Dufflepudds: Shorter than the corresponding sequence in the book, yes, but I still loved it. This part has actually grown on me with repeated viewing. I still feel like I'm watching the characters and scenery out of the book, even if they aren't doing the exact same things they do in the books.
Dragon Island: I liked it in the theatres, but I don't like it on DVD, because the colors are too washed out, makes me feel like I'm watching a documentary. Not a good fit for Narnia. Will Poulter is still perfect as a greedy, self-absorbed nerd.
Ramandu's Island: another sequence that's grown on me. I thought it was okay at first, now I think the scenery is absolutely beautiful.
Dark Island: Before, I thought it was alright, now I think it's too long.
The End of the World: This part had me in tears in the theatre, I still love it. So moving, and a fitting end to Lucy and Edmund's time in Narnia.

[narnian1]

I liked it then, and I still like it now. Sure it's not perfect, many things should have been left as in the book but I enjoy it just the same.

[Sheroo of Stormness Head]

I liked it then and I still like it now. let me rephrase that: I loved it then and still love it now

it's still (I will always be) very high on my list of favorite movies of all time it's just so amazing and epic and I love how it's put together it's beautiful

I agree with Liberty Hoffman!! I LOVED it then, (I cried like a baby at the end because it was SO amazing) and still LOVE it now. Beautiful, Amazing, and Epic are the exact adjectives I would use to describe it!

~Sheroo

[narnia fan 7]

I like it then but now the I'm neutral I've re-watched it sever time's and it didn't really caper the spirit of the book.

[aragorn2]

After recently re-watching VDT for the first times since it's release my opinion has changed slightly. What really struck me even more so then when I first watched it was how shallow and often cheesy most of the messages they were trying to get across were. Not that there was anything wrong with them but just not anything we hadn't seen before in every other family adventure movie.
The cinematography is just as bad as they were when I first saw it, mixing that with the poor script and terrible special effects used for the Mist, it felt as if I was watching some cheap BBC show rather then the big-budget hollywood production it was.
I still like the Sea serpent fight and the last 10 minutes, but I can only give it a 4 out of 10 now.

[Benjamin]

Green mist ruined for me then and still does.... As long as a "narnia" films adds something like that and and completely changes it from the book I can't like it.....

There were good parts but a movie as a whole? Not so good.

--Benjamin