My son and I were both entertained. Great special effects. Pretty fast-paced. Broad brushed storyline limits the ability of getting to know any of the characters. I suspect that, because this story is so long-running, it is a challenge to add to the franchise.
The family went to see this movie on Friday. It was an enjoyable flick, with a good bit of action, breathtaking scenes, and interesting characters. It was a bit slow at points, but the overall pace was good. It has been a long time since I read the books, so I cannot speak to differences between the book and the movie. Overall, we (me, my wife, our 16 year-old son, and 12 year-old daughter) all enjoyed it. Now, if they could only do something about poor Anna Popplewell's lips...