Epic Movie

In the world of parody films, few movies have taken humorous swipes at popular franchises as thoroughly as Epic Movie. This 2007 comedy film masterfully mocks The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, 300, among several other notable franchises. Epic Movie navigates the realms of satire, taking creative liberties with beloved characters and weaving a wild, visually-driven ride for its viewers. When we meet our main characters, they're actually the Pevensie siblings, only these aren't just any Pevensies, they are those from the 1988 British Christmas fantasy film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Here, they've left the magical world of Narnia behind, but soon find themselves on familiar ground as they each end up at Willy's Chocolate Factory, courtesy of a series of strange fate-determining incidents. Willy's Chocolate Factory is a conglomeration of every inventor-from-under-a-rock, childhood fantasy you might be thinking of, without even prompting, but more concerning, they randomly stumble into Gnarnia, a fantastical world with environments mirroring those in The Chronicles of Narnia but amidst the mayhem of different fantasy settings including Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean. In a chaotic and bustling world of hybrids, our recently reunited Pevensie family must deal with a sinister nemesis, the White Bitch, inspired predominantly by The Chronicles of Narnia's evil queen Jadis. The White Bitch is determined to perpetually hold a grip on Gnarnia with her iron fist. She's a true leader, whose policies would classify her as despotic in any philosophical discussion. In this battle-plagued world ruled by tyranny, it's no surprise when Al Swearengen meets the wise heroic lion, Aslo. Al is one of those 'wise-but-horny' characters. However, Gnarnia's Aslo is not an orphaned monarch in need of benevolent guidance as such in reality, even though the lion-like figure that joins the family feels a mix of both romantic attraction and immense protection, coupled with heroism - traits that save a nation one time, or might even rescue a princess every now and then. They go about guiding the family. This Al-Swearengen-Aslo, though, is more of an addition to the story, a figurehead in their imaginative collective past that stirs our imagination. Joining the Pevensie family is Robin Hood (also inspired from that Robin Hood as portrayed in Pirates of the Carribean), the White Bitch's right-hand-man and sassy sidekick. But as one of the opposing forces' characters, he struggles with not betraying his inner conscience. This character serves to expose the struggle that exists between principles and loyalty we often face in life. There's another Harry Potter in Gnarnia but somehow their wizard abilities just aren't that relevant here. In addition to joining forces with the lions and Aslo in their fight against an unjust government, the Pevensies find themselves linked to Robin Hood. There is another person in their ranks, Luke Skywalker from Star Wars. Here, he's brought to life in the spirit of selfless acts. He joins them too in their quest to challenge the present tyrant. At some point, we also meet Beowulf who comes to join the other heroes' cause, unearthing a lot of courage and unexpected friendships with Gnarnia's rebels. Pirates, goblins, and heroic adventures, each episode shows them tackling an other hero, each character partakes in some wild gnarly fantasy battle scenes which parodies typical fairy tale scenarios in order to prevent White Bitch from becoming dictators. With a climax laced with comically dark situations, Epic Movie brings a lighthearted, visually impactful, laughable version of Gnarnia's epic story.