The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Review [2]

Posted by James McGee on 05.19.2008

The franchise keeps on rollin' with another great entry.

Ben Barnes—Prince Caspian
Georgie Henley—Lucy Pevensie
Skandar Keynes—Edmund Pevensie
William Moseley—Peter Pevensie
Anna Popplewell—Susan Pevensie
Sergio Castellitto—King Miraz
Peter Dinklage—Trumpkin
Warwick Davis—Nikabrik
Vincent Grass—Doctor Cornelius
Pierfrancesco Favino—General Glozelle
Liam Neeson—the voice of Aslan
Eddie Izzard—the voice of Reepicheep

Directed by Andrew Adamson
Written by Andrew Adamson & Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely; based on the novel by C.S. Lewis
Runtime: 147 minutes
Rated PG for epic battle action and violence


One of the great things about movies is that they combine so many varying elements to make a total package. Even if one aspect of a film is a bit lackluster, things can be saved if the other components pick up the slack. That’s the case with the latest entry in the Chronicles of Narnia franchise. Prince Caspian’s story isn’t as original or engaging as its predecessor, but the film as a whole is still a rousing success. With themes and morals that audiences can easily relate to, outstanding performances, and perfectly executed visual effects, this is easily one of the year’s stand-out movies.

Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy return to Narnia after a year of living in the mundane world of war-time London. However, the magical land has progressed 1300 years in their absence. In that time, Narnia has been conquered by invading humans, with the land’s original inhabitants slaughtered or in hiding. The returning kings and queens join forces with rightful ruler Prince Caspian, mounting a rebellion to overthrow the evil King Miraz. Along with waves of opposing soldiers, the heroes must face down their own self-doubt, arrogance, and faltering faith if they hope to be victorious.

While it’s a wonderful film in its own right, Prince Caspian fails to capture the magic (no pun intended) of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. However, the staggering quality of the first film may be more to blame than the short-comings of its sequel. Wardrobe created a living, fully-realized Narnia with such grace and efficiency that audiences left the theater feeling as though they themselves had lived in that magical land. Andrew Adamson did such a good job the first time around, that Narnia really has no new surprises in Prince Caspian. Without the wonder of discovery that the first film evoked, the sequel’s fate lies solely on the story—a story that is, honestly, quite generic. How many times have we seen exiled rulers, traitorous uncles, corrupt monarchies, rebellious natives, returning heroes, and tests of faith? The whole thing is fairly predictable, and even suffers from a few sloppy sub-plots that really don’t go anywhere.

That being said, there’s an old adage that there are no new stories, only new ways of telling. While Prince Caspian’s plot may not be the most original, it is solid, engaging, and well told. It is a textbook example of “family entertainment” done right. The overall quality and presentation are more than enough to appeal to adults, while the action and cute, talking animals will draw in the kiddies. To top it off, the whole thing is infused with classic morals and themes that any parent can feel comfortable with. As with the first film, the religious influence is not so overt that you feel like you’re being preached to for an hour and a half, but the message gets through just the same. Those who view it with an eye toward the Christian undertones may get more out of it, but the core values embodied by the series are universal.

Where the story may fail to wow viewers, the performances pick up the slack. Ben Barnes is more than capable in the titular role, but he really is overshadowed by the returning cast. In the first film, the four principle actors were talented child performers. Here, they play children wise beyond their years, and the results are honestly astounding. Fans of the original movie will remember that the Pevensie siblings grew to adulthood in Narnia before returning to their world as children. They retained the knowledge and experience of their alternate lives, and the strain of being forced to live as kids again takes its toll. The young actors sustain this illusion throughout the entire film. They don’t just speak or act as adults—they actually carry themselves as though they have lived a lifetime beyond their youth. This level of subtlety is rarely recognized with awards, but it should be, because these performances carry Prince Caspian to greatness.

I would be remiss in not directing this same praise towards the film’s digital performances, because they are every bit as powerful as their human counterparts. All of Prince Caspian’s visual effects are stunning, but the intimate moments of character interaction between real actors and computer-generated animals really stand out. My attitude toward computer generated effects is usually pretty critical. Overall, I think they are overused, often poorly-executed crutches employed by lazy filmmakers. However, the animals in Narnia are true performers, and probably the most believable computer creations in a film to date. Yes, even greater than everyone’s digital-darling from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Gollum was an amazing character, no question, but the inhabitants of Narnia have the added pressure of resembling real, everyday animals. They manage to be equally realistic as animals and compelling as characters. For proof, look no farther than the digital star of Prince Caspian, Reepicheep. When the audience is able to seriously accept a mouse as a gallant warrior capable of besting human foes, you realize just how well the special effects artists have done their job. This astounding craftsmanship is carried throughout the entire film, so that even little hiccups (like a predictable plot) are masked by the overall quality. Prince Caspian may not be perfect, but it is more than the sum of its parts.

The 411: A slightly unoriginal story is easy to forgive when you look at Prince Caspian’s total package. The characters are memorable, the action exciting, the performances brilliant, and the effects amazing. After disappointing family-friendly adaptations like The Seeker and Nim’s Island (*cringe*), Narnia returns to show us how it’s done. Even in an overcrowded summer-movie season, the franchise is still alive and well thanks to this worthy sequel.

Final Score:  8.5   [ Very Good ]