THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN
2008
Starring: William Mosely, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henly and Ben Barnes
Directed by: Andrew Adamson
Distributed by: Walt Disney Pictures

Amidst a torrent of wannabe fantasy “epics” based on children’s books, the real McCoy rears its head for a majestic roar. Based on the legendary books of C.S. Lewis, Prince Caspian serves as a follow-up to 2005’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I was privileged to catch the film at a special preview screening. Like its predecessor and perhaps even more so, Prince Caspian is laced with deep meaning, spiritual undertones, awesome spectacle and a few laughs here and there. However, this adventure is not devoid of low points as well.

For the Pevensie siblings, consisting of Peter (Mosely), Susan (Popplewell), Edmund (Keynes) and Lucy (Henly), one year has passed since their first visit to the magical land of Narnia. For Narnia, however, 1300 years have transpired. The Narnians have been overthrown and the rule of the four kings and queens, the siblings themselves, has long passed into history. In their place are the Telmarines, a race of ruthless, Conquistador-esque former pirates. Caspian (Barnes), a Telmarine prince, escapes from the palace after the birth of his nephew, the son of the treacherous King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), fearing that the king would surely kill him to ensure only his son is heir to the throne. While on the lam, Caspian uses a magical horn that summons the rulers of Old Narnia, transporting the Pevensies from a subway station back into Narnia.

Surprised at how much Narnia has changed since their last visit, the siblings, now older and more capable, join a motley crew of surviving Narnians, including the cynical red dwarf Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage) and a swashbuckling mouse Reepicheep (Eddie Izzard). Forming an uneasy alliance with the fugitive prince, they plan an attack on the Telmarine castle. Eventually, Miraz and his army arrives at the Narnians’ hideout, where Peter challenges him to a one-on-one sword duel, in order to buy his sisters time to seek out Aslan the lion (Liam Neeson), the creator and true ruler of Narnia. Things build up to a massive battle between the Narnian and Telmarine armies, as brutal and epic as that of the best war films.

Noticeably darker than the first film, Prince Caspian effectively leads audiences further into Lewis’ breathtaking universe. Adamson and his team of writers deftly adapt the book for the screen, smoothing out several clunky plot points and refining the sometimes archaic dialogue.

The magic of Narnia is also conveyed via the visual spectacle of filming locations such as New Zealand, Prague, Slovenia and Ireland. The enchanted forests, raging rivers and deep valleys all embody a certain beauty and that other-worldly spirit.

The acting talent is considerably formidable as well: all four child actors seem remarkably mature for their age and handle their roles with ease and aplomb. Ben Barnes, who (in)famously left the stage production of History Boys for his role as Caspian, plays the dashing prince with charisma and a decent Spanish accent. Especially outstanding however is the ever-delightful Peter Dinklage, inflecting Trumpkin with a certain charming coarseness, and whose cynical quips make the film an enjoyable ride for parents and adult viewers. Eddie Izzard lends his voice to what must be one of the most loveable characters in the film, the adorable yet fierce little mouse Reepicheep. Reminiscent of Antonio Banderas’ Puss in Boots from the Shrek films (also directed by Adamson), Reepicheep lends the cuteness factor even with rapier in hand and felling Telmarines, thus not being overly cloying as well.

The extensive special effects, both visual and physical, are impressive and blend seamlessly into the world of Narnia. Compelling and realistic computer graphics, especially the rendering of hair fur, and clothing, as well as complex animatronic elements and meticulously detailed miniatures add invaluably to the movie-going experience. Especially amazing is the finale involving the powerful river god, which has to be seen to be believed. The costumes, especially the Conquistador and Samurai inspired armour of the Telmarine soldiers, are also something to behold.

The many battle sequences in the movie are almost devoid of a sense of been-there-done-that which burdens most fantasy films as it is a given that an epic fight or two be included. The stealthy assault on the Telmarine castle under the cover of night and the clash of swords between Miraz and Peter are unique enough to keep audiences gripping their popcorn.

However, the film is not as structurally strong as its predecessor, with very uneven pacing and dragging along in parts. As good as the original story is, there are not much surprises to be had and particularly jaded audiences might be turned off that the film generally sticks to the fantasy formula, the fact that Lewis practically invented the genre notwithstanding. Also, the copious amounts of violence and brutality, especially that performed by the Pevensie children, might be unappealing to parents and more conservative audiences. For example, Susan is handy with her powerful bow and arrow and Peter is no pushover using his sword either. The action is intense but stays well within the limits of a PG film nonetheless.

When all is said and done, however, the charm of Prince Caspian is clearly undeniable. Besides hitting a few bumps in the road, the movie comes off as a masterful adaptation and a lavish, relatively family-friendly extravaganza.

RATING: 3.5/5 STARS