Movie Review: Prince Caspian

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
rated PG for epic battle action and violence
Film rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Moral rating: Good

Ah..... the fresh aroma of a good summer movie! I absolutely loved Prince Caspian, for many reasons besides the obvious fact that it is one sweet fantasy movie....This movie was based on the second book in C.S.Lewis's beloved series. While The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe is a very straightforward book to make a movie out of, Prince Caspian is a bit different. The book would make a very long, very boring, and very uneventful movie if it had been made as written. Personally, it is my least favorite book in the series, so I was looking forward to what would be done with the story to make it a presentable movie plot.

Director Andrew Adamson and Producer Douglas Gresham have fashioned this adaptation so brilliantly that I went to see PC twice on opening day. This movie added a castle raid, reorganized some events, and created a more epic battle than what the book had to create a movie that reminded me in many ways of the first time I saw the Fellowship of the Ring.

Prince Caspian, played by newcomer Ben Barnes (who sports a Spanish accent), is the rightful heir to the throne of Narnia. Unfortunately for him, his wicked Uncle Miraz wants the throne, so he is determined to kill Caspian. Caspian blows the magic horn of Queen Susan and the four Pevensie children (straight from the first movie) end up in Narnia again to help Caspian and Aslan take back the throne. One catch though....for the Pevensie's it has only been a year since their first visit to Narnia, but it has been over 1000 years for Narnia. I am sure you can imagine what kind of complications this would make.

PC was better made than LWW, and was grittier, more intense and darker. As Trumpking the dwarf says "You may find Narnia a more savage place than you remember." And that is true. This movie definitely pushed the PG rating....the only reason it did not get higher was the relative lack of blood in the violence.

The effects and music in PC were both great, and featured an original score by Harry Gregson-Williams, as well as effects by Weta Workshop- the magic makers behind the Lord of the Rings trilogy and LWW.

Overall, I was very pleased with Prince Caspian. The filmmakers took an already weak story and made and epic and powerful movie out of it. My verdict: Go see it.....many times. It is just that good.

Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler