The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

The first Chronicles of Narnia movie could be called decent, but the sequel, Prince Caspian, lacks those features that made the first film so enticing. Less magic, less of the fantastic, and more doom and gloom make this film a bit of a downer.

How to Deviate From a Winning Formula

I rather enjoyed the first Chronicles of Narnia film, and that was because it was full of those fictional elements that little kids dream about: evil witches, centaurs, magic, and a nation of fairy creatures divided along clear lines. The second Chronicles movie has all of those elements, but downplays them in favor of an emphasis on mankind and its problems.

Narnia has fallen to the Telmarine empire, humans who have appeared in Narnia and claimed the land for their own. They seem to have overpowered the Narnians through sheer numbers, and have established themselves in a position of power in the land. There is little explanation of what has happened, and we are left to wonder how the humans could have bested the magic of Narnia with only swords and arrows.

The Cast

Nikabrik (Warwick Davis, Professor Flitwick in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) and Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage) are far and away my favorite characters in this movie. They fit the dark overtones perfectly, and are a bright point in an otherwise dreary movie. Lucy (Georgie Henley) is just as good as in the first movie, but Peter (William Moseley), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and Susan (Anna Popplewell) are portrayed differently than in the first film, and this is a turn for the worse.

King Miraz is absolutely despicable thanks to a perfectly evil performance by Sergio Castellitto, although I was confused as to whether or not I was supposed to like Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes). The cast all put in a valiant effort, but the film as a whole seemed to suffer from a lack of consistency with the first film.

What to Do?

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian does not live up to its predecessor: it is inconsistent, deviates significantly from the novel, lacks the wonder of the first film, and is at times confusing. The film does feature some beautiful New Zealand scenery and some likable characters, but this movie should be put on a back burner if you still haven't done your yard work. Watch it if you're really determined to see it, or if you need something to put you to sleep.

Rating: 6.0/10.0