DVD Reviews

The magical world of Narnia gets even more enchanted with this massive four-disc set, available both alone and as part of a gift package that includes collectible bookends. The film itself is seven minutes longer than the theatrical release and the two previous DVD versions, but there’s nothing to call out the new material.

Suffice it to say, there’s more Narnia here than you can shake a sword at. Disc two contains the same featurettes as the prior two-disc edition. Disc three boasts the 75-minute “C.S. Lewis: Dreamer of Narnia” documentary, which combines interviews and an actor’s voice-over to paint a thorough picture of the legend’s creator. But it’s the fourth platter that makes this set worth a double-dip. As the full-length feature occupies one portion of the screen, the rest is divided among interviews, previsualization, storyboards, and behind-the-scenes footage. It’s like an audio commentary on steroids, providing an in-depth look at the production.

For all the flourishes on this new classic, the 2.35:1 anamorphic picture is just acceptable. Colors and clarity are good, but there are noticeable compression artifacts in some of the darker scenes. The soundtrack is available in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS. The latter does a good job anchoring the dialogue to the center while delivering galloping horses and clashing swords with resonance.

If you don’t own Narnia on DVD, this is the set to get. And, even if you do, Disney will give you a $10 rebate if you buy this package. Now that’s magical.