Originally posted by: C3PX
the fact that the kids just walked into another world didn't seem to be that impressive to the kids and thus not to the audience either.

You're definitely right there. Something in the movie was really lacking in terms of focusing on the kids. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there seemed to be a lack of wonder from their perspective in the film. It was almost as if the movie was so eager to move into the fantasy world that it never took the time to dwell on the transition. (Maybe.) Also, the transformation of each of the kids as they took on their different roles seemed equally overshadowed.