"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" Review

The last time I read a book by C.S. Lewis was about a quarter to never ago. Which makes some wonder what happened to me as a child to never want to embrace my whimsical side, you know, if I actually had an ounce of whimsy to my name. I also never saw the first Chronicles of Narnia as I had chalked it up to a child's movie. So when I found myself meeting The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian with a bit of glee there was also trepidation. I mean, would I understand the second if I never saw the first? Would I be able to at least slightly empathize with the plight of the Narnians? Would the centaurs scare me with their galloping and talking and horse like features?

I'm pretty ambivalent when it comes to movies recreating something that required such vivid literal imagery in the first place. It seems as if some epic battle scene in a magical land could come off as a huge disappointment when realized on the big screen. It could have been crap and we all could have gone home and cried and possibly referred to it as "Lord of the Rings lite". Despite my reservations and given that I couldn't really be that disappointed when I've only ever pretended to read CS Lewis, I must say that it was fantastic and it didn't disappoint and three cheers for half man-half horse and witty dwarves!

<digression> So if you've never read the books or saw the first movie - which was apparently beyond awful - then the premise won't make a lick of sense so skip down to the very end when I use the phrase 'epic battle scene' for the 456th time and talk about Prince Caspian's smoldering good looks. </digression>

The story finds the Pevensie* children back in 'our world' but obviously struggling to adjust to the tween years after being branded Kings and Queens in the world of Narnia. They await their leader and father figure Aslan to allow them to go back to a world where they feel much more at ease and well, more adult like. They are finally summoned by the troubled Prince Caspian who needs their help to get his rightful place on the throne back after being ousted by the Telmarine King. The Pevensie children return only a year later for them but in Narnia they are back some 1300 years later. Cue scenic shots of ruins dotted along bright blue seas. It is now the task of the 'Kings and Queens of Old' to return Narnia back to the now supposedly extinct but not really, Narnians. Obviously this requires sword fighting and a tiny swashbuckling mouse and a giant wave that resembles Jesus.

What made this movie for me wasn't just the actualization of epic battle scenes against the drop dead gorgeous panoramic cinematography but also the way in which the story arch wasn't so contrived and fanciful that it was boring to adults who wanted a tad more depth to a movie (Harry Potter this is not). While it could have used some more depth it was the perfect length for adults and children alike. It wasn't too scary but it had enough KAPOW! in it so that I wasn't sitting their drooling while counting the number of scenes made using a 'green screen'. Though according to wikipedia that would be 150 special effects. Which explains the number of half man/half whatever else type creatures roaming about in Narnia. It also doesn't have the stellar supporting cast that Potter or Lord of the Rings flaunts but who cares since you'll be too busy engrossed in the fanciful ways of ass kicking Minotaurs and staring at the relative nobody who plays Prince Caspian. So say you're a mother with a child who wants to watch an epic (that would make four times I've used that word) with fighting and magic, you'll at least be happy to know that the fighting and magic comes with a BONUS! good looking young man.

*Wikipedia - God love 'em - has a full list of Narnian phrases and important people. It's a great way to spend a morning and now I'm kind of hooked.

Comments

[marymuses]

I'm so glad you mentioned the attractiveness of Prince Caspian because I also thought he was HOTT, complete with both Ts, which means that he's hotter than the normal hot person. I went to see this because I loved the book series and thought the first movie was good, plus I wanted to make sure that my young charges could handle it before I took them along (nothing like having seven-year-old fingernails dug rather firmly into one's arm when something gets too scary!). I give it two thumbs up, both for adults and kids alike.

Or for just adults if you're into a little princely eye candy.

[Kyla]

Really? I liked it so much less than the first movie. I felt like it was a tad slow moving this go round.

[Sarah]

I liked it, I just wish they hadn't added the extra scene that wasn't in the book (which in my mind pushed the movie into the "too long" category) and hadn't tried to Hollywood it by adding the Caspian/Susan nonsense. OH and btw, yes, he is adorable, for a 27 year old who is supposed to be 16 ish but I wish they had let him keep his original accent and not that Antonio Banderes thing that kept changing throughout the film. But he was pretty, the scenery was pretty, the film was a pretty decent way to spend 8 bucks and 2 1/2 hours.

[patrick]

haven't seen Prince Caspian yet but definitely looking forward to it... i'll have to look over the book one more time just to remind myself how the original story goes