The Chronicles of Narnia : The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader

Like most people, I read movie reviews, especially about movies I want to see. Sometimes this can be good or bad. Often, reviews give away too much of the plot. And if the reviews are negative, are you still ready to plop down $10 of your hard-earned money? After reading several reviews of the latest Narnia installment, The Dawn Treader, I had mixed feelings. Most film critics said that it was mediocre at best, lacking character development as well as offering nothing more than a weak, tired story. They did give a positive nod to better overall visual elements and cinematography.

This raises an interesting question. Are the critics being fair or is there some form of bias at work? It’s no secret that the Narnia series is based on Christian concepts. Walden Media directed a significant part of their promotional campaign toward a Christian audience. Are the critics reacting to their own bias toward Christian-themed films? In the case of Narnia, I would say yes. Also a case can be made for the fact that anyone who has not received Christ as his/her personal Savior would have a difficult time understanding or evaluating Christian or spiritual concepts. Therefore, nonChristian critics would undoubtedly have a difficult time of evaluating the merits of any of the Narnia films.

The bottom line is The Dawn Treader is a solid film that offers good entertainment value with a strong but not overpowering message. It is a major step up from Prince Caspian but not on the same level as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

The story goes something like this: Lucy, played by Georgie Henley, and Edward, played by Skandar Keynes, travel back to Narnia once again to assist King Caspian, who is searching for the seven lost Lords of Narnia. Joining them along the journey is newcomer, Eustace, who is their younger cousin. The older siblings, Peter and Susan, who are now grown up can no longer venture to Narnia because only children can enter this magical kingdom.

The Dawn Treader is the ship on which they embark upon the journey to the ends of the world in search of the Dark Isle where the seven Lords may be found. To make matters worse, an evil spell seems to be emulating from the island and spreading throughout the world.

The Dawn Treader is unique in one sense in that it does not offer a physical antagonist. There really isn’t a bad guy or creature to contend with. This movie is really an allegory about man versus himself or the inner conflicts that we all deal with. It’s ultimately a showdown between being tempted by our inner desires and fears versus following the will of Aslan, who serves as an analogy representing the will of God.

As any film student will tell you, movies dealing with inner conflict are not the easiest to tackle. Most people want a visible bad guy to direct their anger toward. However, the producers of the Dawn Treader have done a remarkable job finding the right balance between meaningful content and action while, at the same time, dealing with conflict at a personal level.

This isn’t your typical fantasy film. Perhaps that’s why Disney Pictures is no longer on board. Walden Media has made a conscious decision to remain faithful to the original writings of C. S. Lewis. Disney was hoping for the next Harry Potter series based more in action and adventure and less in substance. Most media reports pointed to differences over the overall budget as the reasoning for the breakup. But I’m convinced it was artistically based on the overall vision of the remaining five books.

Thankfully, in the last hour, 20th Century Fox stepped in to save the Narnia series. I think they have made a sound investment and have put the series back on solid ground. My advice is to forget what the critics are telling you about this film. It is well worth your investment of time and money. The Chronicles of Narnia, The Dawn Treader, is a delight. It is visually interesting and a joy to be part of an island-hopping quest for truth and freedom and is a solid adventure for the entire family.

The Dawn Treader is the first of the series to be offered in 3-D. It certainly is not at the level of the 2009 Avatar 3-D, but you will still enjoy this 3-D experience.

The Journey – the Downside of Christmas

First, on a personal note, what a year this has been. For those of you who read my blog on a regular basis, you know I’ve been on a personal journey to rediscover God and how he is at work in my life as well as in the world. All of that has led me to write a book called A Media Culture, which I recently re-titled, The Red Pill, A Cure for Today’s Mass Media Culture. I never set out to write a book, but as I have discovered, God has his own plan and purposes. I thank God for giving me the words and inspiration.

I had hoped to have the book published back in September, but the process is much more difficult than I ever could have imagined. However, the delays have been helpful and perhaps even a blessing in disguise. With my wife’s help, the book is now better organized and, frankly, a lot more readable. As this year comes to a close, it appears that the book will soon go to press. With God’s help The Red Pill may be available in early Spring.

What has all of this taught me in light of the Christmas season? It has been a year of ups and downs, valleys and mountains. After losing the ministry that I founded 11 years ago, I have had to learn to make many adjustments in my life. Rediscovering God is one of those adjustments and probably the greatest blessing.

Second, what does the journey have to do with downside of Christmas? After watching several Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel this week, I noticed that in most of the movies, the final shot would be a slow pushback crane shot revealing a happy and content family sharing a bounty of food and gifts, the perfect picture of an old-fashioned Christmas with all of the trimmings. As the shot continued to pull away, it would reveal an exterior wonderland of fresh falling snow. It’s the perfect Christmas with every piece in place. All the problems have been solved and there now is harmony and peace.

Of course, this is the Christmas we want. And somehow we think everybody is living this perfect Christmas except us. It makes us feel depressed and missing out when we look at our situation and realize that’s not the picture of our families. I think the first thing that we need to realize is that there is no perfect situation or family. No matter how perfect you think your neighbors are, trust me, they all have issues that are not noticeable on the surface but nevertheless are present.

Realistically, perhaps you’ve lost a job or a loved one, or you are experiencing financial difficulties or maybe you have no family to celebrate Christmas with. This time of year has a way of emphasizing our loses. Let me put it this way. God never guaranteed us a life that will be comfortable, safe or convenient. However, he did promise to always be with us and be our comfort in grief, our protector and defender in trouble. He is always just a prayer away. Jesus came to earth as a babe, he lived his life here on earth experiencing what we all go through, and He promises there is nothing we experience that he is not able to be a help to us. Dealing with the problems of life help us to grow into the likeness of Christ and move closer to the Savior.

With all of the hustle and activities of Christmas, we often lose sight of the things that are truly important. What’s helped me this year, especially this Christmas season, is to take one day at a time. Remember we’re not promised tomorrow. My goal is just to get through today. Tomorrow will have it’s own issues and problems. What God has also helped me to realize this year is to find joy in the small things. These are the things we often overlook. And it will be different for every person. Perhaps it’s watching the sun rising on a new day and knowing God is with me today. Or, for me, it’s just the joy of having a cup of coffee and reading the paper before the day gets started. The point is to slow down and enjoy what God has put before you. We’re often so consumed with the big issues that we forget to live our lives in the moment.

And, finally, I realize that you know this and have been reminded countless times that Christmas is about the birth of a Savior. He is our only hope for redemption. This life will soon pass, but what we do in it and the decisions we make will have eternal consequences. To truly celebrate Christmas is to embrace what Jesus has taught us and to accept his sacrifice for us so that we may have a future and a hope.

Merry Christmas to you and may you rediscover God on your journey in the coming year.

Dr. Larry Poland talks about the Bible and content

Dr. Larry Poland talks about the Bible and content from Media Missionary School on Vimeo.

The Language of Media - Part 5

Today’s media culture is here to stay. It will continue to influence our society for some time to come. If you believe that there is a media culture crisis, then I am sure you would agree that it would be important to learn the language of media and to become media literate. In fact, our media culture influences every level of our society, and that includes our institutions, such as the Church, schools, government and entertainment. No aspect of our culture can escape its grasp.

We cannot simply turn off the television or unplug from society. God is calling us to be good stewards of the media we consume. Our responsibility is to distinguish the truth from the untruth because both are present in our media. God can use both truth and untruth to point us to his love and glory.


Learning media literacy is equivalent to wearing a radiation suit. It allows us to live in our society without being exposed to the negative effects that can harm us. We are influenced by people around us as well as our institutions. Our exposure to the media culture not only comes from our firsthand exposure, such as movies and the television programs we consume but also from secondhand exposure such as family, friends, work associates and society in general.

If we want the world to change, it starts with us. We all have a responsibility to become media literate. By just spending 15 minutes a day, you can start to become media literate. We are currently working on our website, mediamissionaryschool.com, to be able to offer all of the resources necessary to start your journey. We have developed an extensive media literacy program, which can be taught online or in a classroom setting.

The Language of Media - Part 4

So why are we not teaching media literacy? First, for most people, it is simply not on the radar screen. We just don’t understand what media literacy is. Second, there is a lack of instructors. Media literacy is a difficult subject to teach if you don’t have a background in media. Third, we don’t believe there is a media crisis. Media is no big deal. Fourth, we are not sure what our views are on media. So why get into it.

But what does a good media course consist of? First, the program must encourage people to think for themselves. When I teach media literacy, I tell my students that I am not here to tell you what to think but to challenge you to start to think about what you see and hear in the media. You must come to your own conclusions. Second, the program should be designed to not paint Hollywood as the villain. We must be objective. Third, media literacy needs to be interactive through a multimedia presentation.

A media literacy program contains the following: (1) It starts with awareness and education. (2) In order to apply media literacy, you must develop a skill set that utilizes various techniques and strategies. In other words, it offers you a toolbox that you can use to unlock and read the multiple layers of image-based communications. (3) In order for media literacy to be successful, it must be applied daily.

The most important elements of media literacy are common sense tools, such as teaching students how filmmakers use editing to create a reality that doesn’t exist, how colors can create different emotional responses, or how camera movement and angles can affect an audience’s perspective.

And the most critical part is challenging students to take control of how the message is impacting them. Should I accept or reject the message? Does it reinforce my beliefs? Does it ignite my passion to live a life consistent with my Christian principles? Does it challenge me to bring positive change to my life as well as to others? Does it cause me to act on my beliefs? Does it cause me to be more socially conscious? Or do I reject the message because it is not consistent with my Christian beliefs? The more we ask ourselves challenging questions, the closer we are to discovering the truth

The Language of Media - Part 3

In Matthew 10:16, “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” NIV I think a case could be made that today’s wolves represent our media culture. If we are to be shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves, we need to understand media literacy. If we are going to be successful expanding the Kingdom of God, we must know what we believe and why we believe it. I don’t want the media to define my truth and my beliefs.

All filmmakers, including writers, directors and producers, have a point of view (POV). In fact, we all have a POV. Some people refer to this as a worldview. Our POV defines our attitudes and core beliefs. Without a POV, we would not be able to interpret the world around us. Point of view offers a perspective and insight into how we view politics, religion, social issues and personal lifestyle choices.

The POV of Paul Verhoeven, director of Starship Troupers, has been shaped by his life experiences. As a child, he grew up in The Netherlands, his home country, during the German occupation. He was exposed to a totalitarian and fascist regime that routinely used propaganda to proclaim Nazi superiority. It unquestionably has influenced his political and social views, which are evident in his film Starship Troupers. Understanding the POV helps us to unlock the message within a film, television program or media in general. By using the tools of media literacy, we become more effective in identifying the POV.

Ecclesiastes 8:1 says, “How wonderful it is to be wise, to be able to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person’s face softening its hardness.” NLV Understanding the language of media is to be wise. Embracing the concepts of media literacy gives us the ability to analyze and interpret everything we see and hear. I think movies especially have the ability to challenge us to examine our life choices and lifestyles. They can be a doorway to the truth. There have been countless examples of where God has used mainstream films to touch people’s lives. Media is neither evil nor good. It is a conduit that carries whatever message we choose to communicate and by whatever manner we choose to use.

The Language of Media - Part 2

Most people, including Christians, consume media without processing its purpose, goals, and message. We don’t ask challenging questions about its authenticity. Therefore we become sponges absorbing everything we see and hear.

How do movies or television shows or any media affect my decisions, values, and behaviors? Have you ever thought about it? Have you assumed that they don’t? Do you think it is something we should consider? These questions could be answered in a media literacy program.

What is media literacy? In the past three years, I have taught media literacy to over 100 students. Only five students had ever heard of the subject. Media literacy teaches and unlocks the language of media. It contains five elements. (1) It helps to define the message media communicates. (2) it reveals the purpose behind the message, (3) It identifies how the message impacts the individual. (4) It identifies how the message influences behaviors and shapes perceptions in society. (5) It offers resources on how we can take control of our response to the message.

We should be teaching media literacy in children’s church, junior and senior high school classes, as well as to small groups in every church in America. It is essential curriculum. Most of us have no idea what the real message is in today’s media. For example, I often use Starship Troupers in my media literacy classes because it seems like an innocent sci-fi, action thriller. The film is set in the future with earth battling an alien species of bugs on a faraway planet. Seems harmless. Or is it?

Could the film be communicating a political message that casts doubt on our very way of life. It can even be an anti-American film. Director Paul Verhoeven weaves an interesting tale in which he believes government is misleading and lying to its citizens. They are convinced that war is good and just. But the people are being misled and are unaware of the government’s true intentions. The government is only interested in their agenda. They want the natural resources of the alien planet. Some believe Verhoeven’s real purpose was to criticize America’s political and military objectives not only in the Middle East but globally as well. Is America becoming a new totalitarian and fascist state?

So is this innocent science fiction or political commentary? How do we know? Could this movie have an impact on your beliefs? I’m sure your first answer would be an absolute No! But what about on a deeper, subconscious level?