The heavy bombing of London during WW II forced families to evacuate their children to less dangerous areas in the countryside. The Pevensie family undergoes major change. The father of the four children is away at war and their mother places them on a train to a safe haven at the country estate of their uncle, Professor Kirke (Jim Broadbent).

This beautifully photographed film is a brilliantly adapted screenplay by Ann Peacock of the C. S. Lewis novel of the same name; one of seven of his "The Chronicles of Narnia" series. It is directed by Andrew Adamson ("Shrek" and "Shrek 2"), who deftly weaves the magical tapestry.

While playing a game of hide and seek, in the cavernous yet oddly unthreatening mansion, precocious Lucy discovers a large room that is empty save for an gigantic wardrobe chest. When she burrows her way through the fur coats stored there to hide, she suddenly finds herself in a snow-covered forest, with a gas-burning lamppost in the middle of nowhere. There she meets Mr. Tumnus (James McAvoy), a faun; a mythical creature that appears part human and part goat. Over a cup of tea Mr. Tumnus tells Lucy that she is in the land of Narnia, and he also urges her to return home because he knows that all humans discovered in Narnia are to be reported. After she returns to the mansion, her siblings Peter, Edmund and Susan don’t believe her since she is the youngest of the four.

Edmund, who is curious and contentious, is captured by The White Witch (portrayed magnificently by Tilda Swinton), the self-proclaimed ruler of Narnia, when he follows Lucy to the wardrobe closet and enters the forest. When they break a window playing ball, Peter and Susan take the same route as they escape to hide from the housekeeper, who clearly will be less than pleased to learn of their destructive playing habits. With all four Pevensie children in Narnia, the film literally and figuratively enters a new fantasy dimension.

The destiny of the Pevensie children is to free the land of Narnia from the icy enchantment of The White Witch. Narnia has been frozen for 100 years under The White Witch’s rule. Aslan (Liam Neeson), the revered lion, returns from his long self-imposed exile. He is the creator of Narnia and the leader of its people. The "people" who inhabit this land are as diverse as anything you’ve seen in "Star Wars" and "Lord of the Rings." In fact, C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien (author of "The Lord of the Rings" books) were good friends. All the creatures, great and small (and CGI), have the power of speech. Whether lovable beavers, a clever fox, a warrior centaur, or a self-sacrificing lion, all have great hearts. As good battles evil, lessons of kindness, courage and love evolve with an admirable sense of subtly that transcends mere religion, and goes straight to the Spirit.

To us the film is definitely in PG-13 territory because of it’s intensity, battle scenes and some frightening moments.

C. S. Lewis wrestled with his strict religious upbringing in many of his books and other writings. The film is being marketing to churches somewhat like "The Passion of the Christ." While it does not have the R-rated bloody intensity of "Passion," the story’s spiritual and metaphysical messages are there but not in your face.

The four young actors that play the Pevensie children are quite effective in their roles alongside the seasoned actors listed in the cast box. Disney may just have the beginning of a spiritually motivating series of movies that have a chance to become as classic as Mickey Mouse.