Review: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (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