Movie-Aslan a Tame Lion?

[Lilygloves]

I think they definitely could have made him a bit less tame, such as when they first met Aslan or when the WW tried to claim Aslan. If he was less tame in LWW, it would have shown even more his humility and sacrifice when he lays his life down and refuses to fight back when he dies. I think the death scene would definitely be more powerful if he was less tame. It's important to show that he is loving but he is also powerful. That is why he's the King of Narnia- not because he timid and quiet but because he is strong.

[starkat]

Yes, I too think he was too tame. There were moments when you could see it. Like when Aslan goes after the White Witch in LWW, when he takes down the Telmarines going after Lucy and roaring at the river in PC. In VDT though I don't really remember seeing him be more than a tame lion. At the end it was appropriate for the last scene, but there was never really a wilder moment like in the previous two movies. I too miss the correction and guidance that Aslan offered through rebuke. The only time I thought they came close was when he spoke the line, "I too want my family safe" in LWW in response to Peter's line. But that wasn't a true rebuke.

It was better than previous versions though just because Aslan was able to actually show expression in this set of adaptations. I wish the script had been stronger when it came to Aslan's character as I felt it was watered down from the books.

[wolfloversk]

I think he was too tame, perhaps not so much in LWW, but definitely in the later movies. He didn't even really growl... Not even at the bad guys. At least in LWW he growled.

They could at least have made his eyebrows furrow a little when he asked Lucy why she didn't come to him in PC... And they shouldn't have changed the undragoning... they could have even just did what the book did and have Eustace say what happened... it would have been poor for the visual media, but it would have been better than what was done.

[Ithilwen]

And they shouldn't have changed the undragoning... they could have even just did what the book did and have Eustace say what happened... it would have been poor for the visual media, but it would have been better than what was done.

I ditto that. I think the most harmful thing to the character in VDT was that they didn't let Aslan do enough. He wasn't in the book much as it was, and I think they made his role even less in the movie. All talk, no action on Movie!Aslan's part, I'm afraid.


~Riella

[narnianerd]

In my opinion they watered down Aslan far too much in the films. Like in PC they cut out the romp. I mean, that scene is just epic and they cut it. Sure it doesn't add to the film but it does show Aslan in his natural habitat. It's pretty evident that Aslan really doesn't like being all that serious and in the movies the robbed that from him.

[Narnian_Badger]

Yes. No ifs, ands, or buts, yes.

When examining Aslan's character in adaptations, I use what I call the "HHB" test. Can you see this Aslan gently pushing a baby to shore, and then later snapping at the heels of Bree and Hwin to ensure their meeting? Can you see him Good enough to comfort Shasta as a cat, and yet Mighty enough fight off the jackals in the next shot? Can you see him bringing justice to Aravis as he claws her back, and then wisely guiding Shasta across the mountains?

If you have to answer "no" to any of these thoughts, then yes, Aslan is too tame (or conversely, not merciful enough). While I can see Walden's Aslan with the baby, on the mountain, or as a cat, I really can't see either of the horse chase scenes happening. Which is really a shame, because Neeson's voice was fantastic on all counts.

[lover of narnia]

I have to say yes and no. I am not sure what to vote as of yet. Some of y'all here have brought up great points. There are things, especially in HHB that Badger has related, where Aslan is quite fierce. That fierce edge on Aslan is very important, for it likens to our relationship with God.

Do I think He was tame in the Walden/Disney films? Yes in some pats, and no in others. His killing of Jadis was far from tame, along with His snarling at her when she questioned Him, but in VDT Eustace's undragoning was certainly too tame. I think in the books that scene in particular showed the pain of sin and how we feel when the load is taken from us after repenting and turning away. Eustace said it hurt to have his dragon skin come off, for Aslan was using His claws, and I think if they had done that more to the book in VDT, He would have seemed so much more 'not tame.'

I think the part of Aslan that I missed the most in regards to the quote gP posted, was the just side of Aslan. Many of the children, especially Lucy, were often corrected when they did the wrong thing. But I can't recall Aslan ever once correcting them in the movie.
~Lucy wanting to stay by Edmund's side on the battlefield instead of healing the other Narnians.
~Lucy not following Aslan when she saw him on the cliff, and then blaming the others.
~Susan for listening to her own fears rather than having faith in Aslan.
~Lucy for wanting to read the spell to make her beautiful and eavesdropping on her friends.
~Caspian when he wants to abdicate and sail to the edge of the world.
~I don't even want to talk about Eustace and the dragon...
Etc etc etc.

Such a good point, F_K. Looking back on it now, yes, that is a part of Aslan that I would have so very much liked to see in the movies. He was truly like a father in the books. He reprimanded His children when they were wrong, and that makes Him feel more like the Heavenly Father.

I think they did a good job with Aslan in the movies. Especially technically and also with His voice. Liam Neeson was amazing as Aslan's voice. But I think they did make Aslan a bit too tame in some aspects, though I really liked what they did in LWW and PC.

[Dinode]

I voted yes, because the question was about the series in general. I thought they got him just about right in LWW (I'm okay with the tent reveal), but he got worse after that. A rebuke, even a gentle one, in PC to Lucy couldn't hurt, and in VDT they could have at least have Aslan produce amnesia like he did in the books, in addition to all the other points people have brought up.

I think Eustace's undragoning should have been told in flashback like the books, but then, in order to do that they would have had to make his undragoning less crucial to the plot, which in turn meant that they would have had to remove the whole "green mist" thing (another thing to be mad at the green mist for). Another alternative would have been for Aslan to viciously claw the sand instead of lightly stroking it, with Eustace showing a good deal more pain, like maybe thrashing or something.

[Eustace]

My answer is yes. The Aslan dream scene in the Prince Caspian movie kinda of sums up how tame he is

[7chronicles]

Rather, I think the main problem with the adaptation of the character is that they made him out to be more of a wise sage than a God-like or Christ-like character. He doesn't seem as perfect or all-knowing as he should.

Ithilwen summed up the problem for me!

There were times in the movies that bugged me,
-"We can never know what would have happened Lucy." (book Aslan knew what would have happened)
-"Beaver also mentioned that you planned on turning him into a hat" (I think they missed an opportunity here)
-"May your wisdom grace us" (the Narnian's not Aslan!)
If the diolouge had been changed in times like this, I think he would have come across much more, like book Aslan.
Overall I think Aslan was portrayed well but he could have been done better.
I give them a 6/10 for their portrayal of Aslan.

[AnimalOfNarnia]

I felt the movies did a great job showing his gentle side, but he was not a "Tame lion" in them.

[aragorn2]

I wouldn't say he was a tame lion. After all most tame lions don't bite people's heads off.
He might be a little more tame than he he was in a few scenes in the book.
But overall I think they did a decent job with him.

[AnimalOfNarnia]

I'm gonna respond to a few quotes here:

"A lot of his majesty and greatness isn't in the film version. In the books he is sometimes described as larger than a horse and very golden and radiant, with a perfume about him. I'd actually like to see something like that. This art here is a good example of what it should have been: http://www.narniaweb.com/wp-content/gal ... c/3816.jpg
Those qualities are not depicted well, if at all, in the films. The filmmakers appear to have striven for realism instead of accuracy. The audience should be left with wanting more of Aslan. Sadly, that is not the case."

I love that picture and used it in my signature. I think, if a remake of PC is ever made, this should be used as a start for the scene. I like how they did it in the movie a lot (well, with the exception of how there were too many close-up shots of Aslan's face, as I made a topic about). But this picture has a sort of magic about it I would love to see onscreen. If the narnia series is to be continued, I think the first 3 movies should be remade, and Aslan be done a little more justice in appearence.


"It also makes Aslan seem somewhat aloof having him in a Tent all by himself, like he's too important to be outside mingling with the rest of the common Narnians. Again i've said it before, but they really really should have stuck to this piece of concept art here. Yes Aslan is still above everyone else in a position of superiority (perhaps looking a bit Lion King-esque) but he is surrounded by his people, and importantly he is outside doing what Lions do, which is not chilling out in brightly coloured circus tents."

Oh, but even if it's not in the book, I love how he comes out of the tent in the movie.

And why do you think they should have stuck to that concept art pic, when that's not the way it even happened in the book?

I like how you say he's "perhaps looking a bit Lion King-esque". ''The Lion King'' is my favorite movie of all time. (And Aslan is my favorite fictional Lion outside of it!)


Also, someone said:

"It would have been nice to have more of Aslan's lion qualities present (from HHB, "I am a true beast"). "

I love that line---cause he totally is! And who's to say it won't be in the movie?

I think Aslan is just as wild in the movies as in the books, we just haven't seen him show it. If I wanted to give you an example of Aslan as a tame lion, I'd instantly say, "BBC's version."

One more thing...

"One scene in particular comes to mind, and that's where Aslan kills the White Witch. I mean he actually clearly kills her as opposed to the cartoon where he sits on her and the BBC where he roars her off the cliff."

Not only does that prove what I said, but I suddenly remembered that from BBC when you mentioned it...umm...what was the deal with that?