THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN
First Iron Man, and now The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian… Aren’t summer blockbusters supposed to suck??
From its opening scene, you know this is not going to be your standard Disney pander-to-the-kiddies, gutless twee fantasy - credit Disney’s deep pockets for the film’s PG rating. Opening with an assassination attempt reminiscent of the corruption-in-the-castle goings on in Elizabeth, and ultimately throwing in one violent (though yes, bloodless) battle after another - one involving sword-wielding, throat-slitting mice! - the film is more Lord of the Rings than - well, The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe, the first installment of the series that focused on the whimsy and fantasy of this newly discovered land.
Which is not a criticism of the first film - that installment, where the Pevensie children explore their new surroundings, befriending fawns and beavers alike and battling the menacing White Witch (I still hold in esteem and deep reverence the casting agent who thought, Tilda Swinton!), was appropriate and necessary in establishing their love and affection for Narnia, as well as our own as an audience. Snowy forests and talking animals - what’s not to love? They came, they saw, they conquered Tilda Swinton, and after ruling for years and years as Kings and Queens of Narnia, they found themselves whisked back to England, and at the same young ages as when they first walked into the titular wardrobe.
Back to Narnia they go in Prince Caspian, only to find that a thousand years have passed, and their beloved Narnia has been left in ruins after, essentially, the attempted genocide of Narnians by the brutal Telmarines. Their current leader, King Miraz, has placed himself on the throne after chasing Prince Caspian, its rightful heir, into the Narnian woods. Driven to reclaim Narnia for the Narnians, the children join forces with Caspian and a band of exiled Narnians (sword-wielding mice!!) to fight Miraz.
Pretty epic stuff! Dark, violent, and not without its share of double-crosses, brutal battles, and more than a few Narnain casualties of war.
But of course, there is the requisite comic relief and whimsy, mostly courtesy of the reliable Peter Dinklage, who lends his trademark fuck-you glare to Trumpkin, a dwarf with an attitude who is initially less than enthused to interact with humans. Having already defended his stature in The Station Agent and most memorably in Elf, Dinklage once again wages battle against larger foes, this time with sword firmly in hand. Even underneath some heavy make-up and wig, Dinklage shines as Trumpkin, and gives the film its most memorable character.
…which is part of one small problem I have with the film. Unlike the young heroes of the Harry Potter movies - heck, even The Goonies - we never really get a chance to meet the Pevensie children. We know enough to know that Peter is brave and a tad cocky, Susan is a good archer and a bit stand-offish (the writers take note of the fact that young actress Anna Popplewell is developing nicely - yeah, go ahead and snicker…), Edmund is dry and determined, and Lucy is the young, pure Believer. This is fine, and the story carries itself, but it would be nice to know these kids. What are they like when they’re not in Narnia? Why is Peter in a brawl at the beginning of the movie? Have they established their own social circles yet, or do they all just generally go everywhere together? No doubt that might be too much to pack into a movie that’s already 147 minutes long, but I’d happily take another 10 minutes or so of character developement. Moreso in this film than in its predessor, the children are offered up as little more than characters for more colorful and interesting characters to play off of.
My other small criticism involves Aslan…. What’s up with Aslan? Why such a bitch? I don’t want to spoil his contribution to the film’s proceedings (he’s all over the trailer and posters, so I haven’t spoiled anything here), but seriously, I’m hoping someone who’s seen the movie, or read the book, will explain to me his motivations. If it’s really a simple an explanation as the film suggests, then no sir, can’t say I’m a fan of Aslan’s.
That aside, this is solid entertainment. They pack a lot of impressive sequences into this film, yet it never feels as overwhelmed in its ambition and grandiosity as, say, Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End, a film so overblown that I could scarcely imagine ever sitting through it a second time in fear of developing a slight case of epilepsy. Like Iron Man and the Lord of the Rings films before it, Prince Caspian is a film that who’s story is enhanced and complemented by its incredible FX sequences - the mice may talk, but they still scurry like mice. It’s refreshing to walk out of a movie impressed by both its technical brilliance and its authentically entertaining story. I hope this is a sign for more quality summer blockbusters to come.
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