The movie opens with Peter (William Moseley) in the middle of a fight. He's frustrated they haven't been called back to Narnia. While it's only been a year in their world, hundreds of years have passed in Narnia. During that time, Aslan has left. The Telmarines have risen to power, led by Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), and a newborn heir to the throne means that Prince Caspian's (Ben Barnes) life is in danger. He blows on the horn belonging to Susan (Anna Poppelwell), calling the kings and queens of old to return to Narnia.
The Pevensies aren't prepared for what they find. The Narnians had been attacked, and they now hide underground. The Telmarines have spread the word that the Narnians are extinct. When the Narnians care for Prince Caspian, who was injured while trying to escape Miraz's soldiers, he decides to help them take back what is theirs, with a promise of peace to follow. This puts him at odds with Peter, who upon learning what has happened to Narnia, plans to lead the charge.
Again, I went to the reviews on Amazon of this movie to see what people who had read the books said about The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Amazingly, I already agreed with them even though I had no idea these things were different between the movie and the books. Out of the three movies, Caspian is my least favorite. They turned Peter into an egotistical jerk. Suddenly, he has a big head and expects to be treated like a king outside of Narnia. He picks a fight with a guy who bumped him because the guy expected him to apologize. We find out this is a regular thing for him lately when Susan asks, "What was it this time?" The practical Susan says they need to realize that it's possible they will never return to Narnia.
Prince Caspian blowing on Susan's horn calls them back to the magical world of Narnia. Though the Narnians had pledged their swords and lives to Caspian, Peter decides to take charge. While this creates necessary conflict for the film, I didn't enjoy seeing him at odds with Caspian. We now realize why they had to make him an egotistical jerk.
Lucy spies Aslan, but no one believes her; especially Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage), a sullen, sarcastic dwarf whose life they save soon after entering Narnia. He feels betrayed by Aslan's disappearance and all he allowed to happen to the Narnians. Lucy, played by the talented Georgie Henley, delivers another winning performance. The youngest Pevensie sibling, her insight and opinions are often disregarded. It is her strong faith in Aslan that allows her to see him; though Aslan does give her what's for when they finally meet. She tells him she wanted to come to him earlier, but the others didn't believe her. He asks, "And why would that stop you from coming to me?"
Edmund, played by Skandar Keynes, has changed since his first visit to Narnia. He seems to have grown up more than his older brother. Though the sibling rivalry is still there between the boys, it's Peter's actions that dictate the moments of tension between them.
The other thing I wasn't keen on is the romantic element between Susan and Caspian. It led to some serious looks and a humorous moment at the end, but overall, it seemed an unnecessary part of the film.
The stunning setting and superb special effects make The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian an amazing film, even if the content left a bit to be desired. My Christian friends have been disappointed in how the books have been brought to life on the big screen, but I can't imagine Hollywood producing this movie without stripping away some of the Christian elements. It's a shame that's the case, but if a viewer hadn't read the books, then they would take the movie at face value. I still wish the rating on this movie (and the first) would have been PG-13. The violent battles warrant it. Though the books are geared toward a younger audience, this movie is even darker than the first, and should be rated as such.
DVD Product Details:
Actors: Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Anna Popplewell, William Moseley, Skandar Keynes
Directors: Andrew Adamson
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Language: Unknown (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
DVD Release Date: December 2, 2008
Run Time: 149 minutes
ASIN: B00005JPH2
SRP: $19.99
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