Product: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Two Disc Edition + BD-Live) [Blu-ray] (2008)
Rating: 4.0
"Things Never Happen the Same Way Twice" [Even in Movies]
There are probably two camps who will be interested in this `Narnia' sequel: Those who have read the C.S. Lewis allegorical fantasy series, and those who have not, but lovedThe Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Full Screen Edition).To be brief, our inquisitive British children return to `Narnia' caught in a time warp that finds it in ruins and its remaining citizens dispirited and scattered. Their enemies, the Telmarines,' have a new heir born to the throne while Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) flees for his life. Treachery is doled out in `Hamlet' proportions, as Prince Caspian must choose sides and the children try to rebuild 'Narnia'.Compared to 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,' 'Prince Caspian' has its ups and downs:1. Action scenes are up, but the charm factor is down. (Charm is diminished for a more harrowing adventure.)2. The Pevensies (same actors) have grown older. In cinematic years about two and a half years; by centuries in `Narnia` years. The audience is older, too, and that's what they were probably aimin' for.3. Both villains deliver a real menace. Tilda Swinton reprises her role (albeit very briefly) while seasoned actor Sergio Castellitto plays the formidable bad guy, King Miraz, head of the Telamarines.4. Talking beavers are traded for talking badgers. Wiley wolves are exchanged for ferocious bears.5. Mr. Tumnus is replaced by Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage) and, besides Sergio, the best new stars are the swashbuckling mice with swords.The combat scenes are formidable. They can't be dismissed as merely `Lord of the Ring' leftovers (although there's some correlation.) Some will find it all too familiar, but it remains true to the book with a tension the first movie sometimes lacked, but none of the enhanced blur when Peter merely raised his sword as his army goes past. (Undoubtedly, some will take the chicken or the hen approach, but, in all fairness, if you've seen it all before digitally, you may complain of excessive repetition despite the copyright dates of both Tolkien's and Lewis's works.)Either way most will agree it's hard to get tired of New Zealand. If that's not a real life `Narnia,' then nothing is.Overall, `Prince Caspian' is an exciting, yet imperfect recreation in the `Narnia' series. While director/ and screenplay co-author, Adam Adamson, has honed the adventure's timing admirably, the letdown happens only with what has been left behind.