"The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian" Movie Review
by Oliver B. Johnson III

3 out of 4 Thumbs

The Chronicles of Narnia have returned to the big screen with the next installment in the series, Prince Caspian. Of course, we all know that The Chronicles were Harry Potter before Harry Potter was "The Boy who lived". There is a story that goes something like this; once upon a time, in a bar somewhere in England, sat a few writers (and there was no priest, rabbi or prostitute, well there might have been a prostitute). In this bar modern fantasy was born; two of the writers were J. R. R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis; the works they created have inspired so many others. I bring this up because there will be those out there that say The Chronicles are just a copy of The Lord of the Rings films, but I would say, if they weren't than something was done wrong. The Chronicles and The Lord of the Rings are two childhood friends that grew up on the same block. Just like there are those who say the Treebeard character in Lord of the Rings was based on C.S. Lewis, there are those who will say the old professor in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe was based on Tolkien.

A few things happened since the first movie, the world as aged 1300 years. The children have aged too, not 1300 years but they are older, but more than that the world has grown up; the magic as been lost, the world has become brutal. Humans, or Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve, rule the lands now; and much like their true life counter parts (that would be us) they seek to destroy the lands and retain power. But also like their real world counterparts, not all are evil; some are metro sexual models like the future King, Prince Caspian (played by Ben Barnes). Unfortunately for the young prince, his evil uncle King Miraz (played by Sergio Castellitto) has just had a son. This means should something happened to Prince Caspian, King Miraz's son would be the next in line for the throne (this is something that King Miraz is not going to leave to the Fates). The very night Miraz's son is born a group of soldiers are dispatched to Caspian's room to help his death along. Caspian's tutor manages to get to him in time, and to give him a magic horn. The tutor gives Caspian clear instructions, do not use the horn until the darkest hour. Caspian, being very liberal with his tutor's instructions, uses the horn after running into a tree branch and falling down.

Back in modern day England, modern day being around 1920, we are reunited with The Pevensie Children (The Kings and Queens of Narnia); Lucy (Georgie Henley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Peter (William Moseley), and Edmund (Skandar Keynes). Life for the children is awkward to say the least; if you remember the first movie, the children lived well into adulthood before returning to England and becoming children again. This creates conflict for the children; Edmund is most affected by this, he is always the first to point out that he was not always a child. A concept like that would be in itself a movie. Lucky for the four brothers and sisters their wish to return to Narnia come true. It seems when Caspian blew the horn, it called them back. The rest of the movie evolves the Children helping Caspian return the lands of Narnia to the Narnians. The movie turns into a story that I can only call Braveheart meets Harry Potter. The kids are given the complex task of learning to grow up and not losing faith. A lesson that is paid in the blood of many of the people they have sworn to protect. It is a sad and brutal lesson, but one that everyone must face.

The new film is more violent than the old film, more violent than even the first few Potter films (actually this might be one of the most violent children movies I have seen in some time); but there is a reason for this. The film is about the lost of innocence and the need to rekindle it, the balance between growing up and keeping the wonder you have as a child. In a world that has grown cold, there is more need than ever before to have faith in the magic of hope. Now there are complains about the Christian overtone, but in truth, though there may be problems with the church and the intuition, the spirit is genuinely and, in most cases, universally good; C.S. Lewis believed this, and he wrote seven wonderful stories to illustrate it. Just like one should not judge The Golden Compass on its anti Christian message, one should not judge the Chronicles on its pro-Christian ideals. Movies like The Chronicles and The Golden Compass are Hollywood at its best; when entertainment, characters, and story work together as one to inspire our imagination. Based on my last two reviews one might think I'm soft (I was one of the few critics to give "Speed Racer" good marks), but its not the case. I found both of those movies to be the perfect start of what is beginning to feel like one hell of a blockbuster season.