Matthew ShallueThe Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is possibly my new favorite installment in the Narnia franchise. While I was a big fan of the first film, I always felt that the children were so out of place in the world of Narnia. The subject matter and the other characters just seemed so much older. Yes, I realize that it’s a Disney movie and it’s based off of a children's book. For me, the situations they were in just did not fit. I don't think that the original or the sequel is a in any way a children's movie. The story is way too adult, even more so in Prince Caspian then its predecessor.
Prince Caspian takes place 1300 years after the last film. Through to the kids, only a few years have passed in their lives. The world of Narnia is a vastly different place from what they remember. Man has all but taken over and the Narnians have been forced into hiding. While running for his life from his evil uncle, Caspian is thrown from his horse. Dazed and scared, the young prince glances around, seeing his uncles solders closing in from one side and two small dwarf looking men emerging from a doorway build into a hillside under a tree. In a panic he blows the horn, who legend has it will summon the kings and queens of old.
The story is as much about adolescence as anything else. Learning to make decisions, and living with the bad ones. The harshest lessons fall on High King Peter, the oldest of the kids. While leading a raid on King Miraz’s castle, a decision made out anger and arrogance, Peter is forced to watch many of the solders under his command die, or get captured. This poor choice adds to the tensions between Caspian and Peter.
Like Narnia, this film is visually stunning, combining live action and CG characters as seamlessly as any film. The details in the buildings and backgrounds are on par with The Load of the Rings trilogy. It looks as if no detail was left out, from the moss on rocks to the aged look of the timbers, and stone structures. I would dare to say that the only reason the centaurs, minotaurs, and talking animals don't look out of place next to humans is because, of how complete the world of Narnia is.
Honestly, the only thing that I find distracting is the children playing these extremely adult roles. Watching them make life and death decisions, battling grown men, and leading the charge into battle just seems out of place to me. You could easily replace them with grown actors and call the movie something else. Which I guess can be seen as a credit to the writing, directing and production.
Director: Andrew Adamson
Starring: Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Sergio Castellitto, Peter Dinklage, Warwick Davis, Vincent Grass
MPAA Rating: PG
Runtime: 150 minutes
Prince Caspian takes place 1300 years after the last film. Through to the kids, only a few years have passed in their lives. The world of Narnia is a vastly different place from what they remember. Man has all but taken over and the Narnians have been forced into hiding. While running for his life from his evil uncle, Caspian is thrown from his horse. Dazed and scared, the young prince glances around, seeing his uncles solders closing in from one side and two small dwarf looking men emerging from a doorway build into a hillside under a tree. In a panic he blows the horn, who legend has it will summon the kings and queens of old.
The story is as much about adolescence as anything else. Learning to make decisions, and living with the bad ones. The harshest lessons fall on High King Peter, the oldest of the kids. While leading a raid on King Miraz’s castle, a decision made out anger and arrogance, Peter is forced to watch many of the solders under his command die, or get captured. This poor choice adds to the tensions between Caspian and Peter.
Like Narnia, this film is visually stunning, combining live action and CG characters as seamlessly as any film. The details in the buildings and backgrounds are on par with The Load of the Rings trilogy. It looks as if no detail was left out, from the moss on rocks to the aged look of the timbers, and stone structures. I would dare to say that the only reason the centaurs, minotaurs, and talking animals don't look out of place next to humans is because, of how complete the world of Narnia is.
Honestly, the only thing that I find distracting is the children playing these extremely adult roles. Watching them make life and death decisions, battling grown men, and leading the charge into battle just seems out of place to me. You could easily replace them with grown actors and call the movie something else. Which I guess can be seen as a credit to the writing, directing and production.
Director: Andrew Adamson
Starring: Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Sergio Castellitto, Peter Dinklage, Warwick Davis, Vincent Grass
MPAA Rating: PG
Runtime: 150 minutes
