I also was bothered by the music.

I did like the addition of that fox character, though (can’t remember his name).

I was very glad to see them stick to the book so well. Even some of the added parts fit in fairly well (like the opening scene during the blitz). But most importantly, I thought they did a great job with the Stone Table scene, which is obviously crucial to the whole story. That one scene was probably my biggest point of concern going into the film, and I was not disappointed by it.

There were a few nagging little “filmmaking” (for lack of a better word) details. I just didn’t like the music. It could have been better. I also felt like the director was trying too hard to make the movie “family-friendly.” That is, there were a lot of scenes with the kids hugging and crying. Obviously, there were plenty of places where this fit the story. But there were also some places (IMO) where they seemed artificial, like the director was trying to elicit an “awwww” from the audience, even when the scene didn’t necessarily call for it. But maybe I’m just a grinch.

I think my main issue, like yours, was with how they portrayed Aslan. I know Lewis was opposed to any kind of cartoon version of the book, because he was afraid that it would come across as something comic or silly (“like Disney,” ironically enough). I think Neeson’s voice helped Aslan come across as regal and dignified, but I just didn’t think he sounded as impressive and “un-tame” as I’ve always imagined. Even more troubling was the omission of a lot of the book’s dialogue describing Aslan as “son of the Emperor Beyond the Sea,” etc. I agree that the film just doesn’t communicate that sense of awe and wonder that Aslan is supposed to evoke, even at the mere mention of his name. And that’s a pretty significant strike against the film.

But it’s definitely not enough to ruin it. I still liked it a lot!