The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Review
by Homer Yen (homeryen88 AT gmail DOT com)August 20th, 2008
"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" - The Sword and the Pen Aren't Mighty by Homer Yen
(c) 2008
In 2005, audiences were first introduced to the world of Narnia and its most famous inhabitant, Aslan the Lion. That was entitled "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." The land was in jeopardy and under a brutal curse, but Narnia was saved by the Pevensie siblings, unlikely young heroes who were brave beyond their years. They were Edmund (Skandar Kaynes), Lucy (Georgie Henley), Peter (William Mosely), and young Susan (Anna Poppawell).
The Pevensie children return to Narnia one year after their first adventure. The brothers, however, do not come across as strong this time around. Edmund has become somewhat of a crybaby. Peter doesn't have any real purpose here. The sisters, though, are a different matter. Lucy has matured into a noble warrior. And, Susan develops a resolute quality as she holds true to her beliefs despite the consternation of others.
Soon after re-entering the kingdom, they learn that 1,000 years has passed, and all is not well as the evil Lord Miraz (Sergio Castellitto) wants to ascend to the throne. The four children make allies and work together to help restore the kingdom to its rightful heir, Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes). But their plan is not without problems. They experience a tough defeat, patience begins to grow thin, and they begin to rely on something that may or may not be there. While most films like this rests upon a leader's personal growth, the success of this story arc as well as the success of their mission seems to depend too much on Aslan's miracle appearance.
Author C.S. Lewis of the Narnia saga has often been criticized for making his stories less of a fable and more of a spiritual re-telling. That spiritual aspect is not as obvious here as it was in the 2005 film. Yet, that inclusion gave the first film a bit of a message and an edge. Without it, the film doesn't feel as committed to its true
underpinnings.
My innate loyalty to the franchise stems from my days as a 5th grader, growing up familiar with the seven books of the Narnia series. But as a big-film production, the second installment seemed somewhat pointless and not nearly as fun as the 2005 kickoff film. There are several reasons. Bad-guy Miraz is nowhere near as enchanting as the villainess, The White Witch, from the first novel. And, with that thrusting beard, he looks like the undesirable understudy of King Leonidas from "300".
Also, I think I'm growing tired of films that culminate into a final scene where a battlefield of good and evil forces are set to collide. You know the kind. CGI special effects create thousands upon thousands of soldiers that stand in threatening formation. Giant war machines, like catapults, are pushed into position. A clever tactic is employed to temporarily stunt the momentum of one of the forces. When it comes to having an awesome-battle-in-scope-and-enormity, "The Lord of the Rings" films set the standard by which all others will be measured. It's like American Idol hopeful Syesha Mercado pluckily singing "I Will Always Love You" on Dolly Parton night. But, it just can't compare to the powerful rendition etched in pop music by Whitney Houston.
C.S. Lewis's work has a similar feel as colleague J.R.R. Tolkien who penned the Lord of the Rings. Yes, the world is lushly filled with magical and mystical creatures like fauns, centaurs, minotaurs and other talking creatures. But this one has more of a circus-like feel. And it feels heavily like a cross between "LOTR" (which was more compelling) and "Shrek 2" (which was more kid-friendly). Missing are the stirring speeches. Missing is the inspiring dramatic arc.
Missing is the element of originality. As a fantasy adventure, it only somewhat captivated my attention and my imagination.
Grade: C+
S: 0 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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