The sequel to The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe continues the adventures of the Pevensie children: Edmond, Susan, Peter and Lucy to the magical land of Narnia.

Written by C.S. Lewis, the movie has subtle Christian overtones, but only for those people with a solid understanding of the Bible. There are no direct references to God or Jesus in the movie.

It has been a year since the children returned from Narnia, but more than 1,000 years have passed in the land they once ruled as kings and queens. This time, Narnia lies in ruins and on the brink of war. The Pevensie children are called back to Narnia to rescue what's left of the inhabitants after they are summoned by the exiled Prince Caspian.

Throughout the movie, Narnia awaits and desires the return of Aslan, the lion king who is wise and gentle, but a fierce warrior when necessary. As the threat against the Narnians increases, and thinking that Aslan has abandoned them, the children and Prince Caspian grow tired of waiting and attempt to take matters into their own hands. The result is certain defeat and a major setback for the cause.

The shining spot in the movie is little Lucy, whose faith exceeds that of all other characters as she continues pursuing a relationship with Aslan. She demonstrates an uncommon boldness that provides a stark contrast to her often hasty and impulsive oldest brother.

In the final battle, as hope all but evaporates for the Narnias and the Pevensie children, Lucy locates Aslan and learns he already has the situation well at hand. They ride into battle to secure the land for Naria after Aslan empowers the trees and nature to come to the aid of the Narnias.

Make no mistake, this is a war movie. It is a classic battle between the forces of good and evil. It is considerably more dark and sinister than The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. However, despite the battle scenes, viewers rarely see blood although swords and knives are frequently plunged into people and creatures.

The movie is appropriate for children over 8, with parental supervision. Tweens and teens will likely not have a problem with the content. It would be a good experience for dads and daughters to share the movie together and talk about the spiritual or moral elements of the film over ice cream afterward.

I give the movie four stars.