"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" Dark Wit of Fantastical Fantasy

Genres: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Adaptation
Running Time: 2 hr. 20 min.
Release Date: May 16th, 2008 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG for epic battle action and violence.
Distributors: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Directed by: Andrew Adamson

JJ Rating: B+

The Kings and Queens of Narnia go back for another adventure that has them fight for the freedoms of the Narnia that's been lost by a tyrannical people. They do so with the help of Prince Caspian the nephew of the tyrant. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

I liked The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe just like I like Prince Caspian (which is how I'll refer to the movie, incase you're wondering). The 2 hour and 20 minute movie was good without a moment of slow, for it paced itself perfectly. This need to always compare a movie to another movie when it's not that obvious, other than when a critic points it out, is a waste of written word. It's like people were going to like it but oh no it was too much like Lord of the Rings. Yeah right. These are the people that don't even care for The Chronicles of Narnia as a whole. And they do so because they just don't like it. They needn't lie so boldly.

The actors had good chemistry. I liked the 'children'. Anna Peppewell (Susan), William Moseley (Peter), Skandar Keynes (Edmund) and Georgie Henley (Lucy). They were perfectly picked for each of the characters the first go around and for this go around it is no different. I enjoyed Moseley's determined to do right Peter with major sprinkling of ego in there that was as subtle as a bright light to ones face in the dead of night. His fight scenes were pretty cool...without having to be overly nitpicky and comparing it to something that was already done. I find that unfair in this instance. Pepperwell's Susan was more firm and used the bow arrow far more this time and with deadly accuracy. Keynes's Edmund was less of the dark brooding brother and more of the steadfast moral right that kept Peter inline with brotherly care. His scene with the opposing King was one of my favorite parts. Henley's Lucy was no longer as small as before and not really as mature as the rest, but she had a good heart and a sweetness to her hopeful willing that Aslan would return.

The new comers were Peter Dinklage as Trumpkin, Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian and Eddie Izzard as Reepicheep. Dinklage was awesome with his facial expressions that were helpful to the funnier moments in the film. Barnes was equally headstrong and proved to be a good driving force against Moseley's Peter. His flirting with Susan was simply a cinematic marvel and a throw back to the movies of the past. It was oddly refreshing to watch two characters flirt with actions more so than words and to do so throughout the film to add up to merely...well I won't say, but it was one of my favorite things about Prince Caspian that showed love without exploiting sex. Izzard was a great addition and humor was with his character, his small and full of fight character.

Is it too much fighting? It is how sequels work, I've seen. The second one is a bit darker than the first. The characters that are important were already introduced and now it's time to show more of the 'showdown' aspect. More fighting and more action and less character development that was so heavily done in the first installment. So there is a right amount of fighting. There is no blood, though, if that matters to those parents out there. This character development complaint is dumb. I mean if you don't like the film just say it. Don't find something that is supposedly logical enough to complain about and make that a core reason you don't like it. It's so flimsy and poor moviegoer thinking.

There is one scene that parents may not want their kids to see, but it's nothing a bit of hand over eye wouldn't fix. When you go to fight the enemy and it doesn't necessarily work out the way you'd want and you have to leave, sometimes not everyone is fast enough and that scene is heartbreaking and sad when one sees Peter's face. It happens to be one of my favorite parts of the film, showing what has to be sacrificed and the burden of being a leader.

I believe Prince Caspian is a well balanced film for a second installment of an ongoing book to film franchise. If you liked the first one then you will no doubt like the second one. I sort of like the second one more than the first, in some ways. I think it is a maturing aspect to it like that of the Harry Potter films. It is a film that has everything I enjoy. The reason it's not ranked higher in grade is because it's not something I really like, as in I won't buy it. But I give credit where credit is due and Prince Caspian is a dark and witty fantastical fantasy that entertained just like movies should; just like Prince Caspian did and will do as it most likely will settle into a classic coolness of cinematic historical value.