Lets not kid around here, we’re never going to see another trilogy like Lord of the Rings. Yes, people will argue the fact that there are better trilogies out there, many think that Star Wars is better, but it’s all just a matter of opinion.

 

Thus, despite what Disney’s trying to do, Narnia will never be Lord of the Rings, even though it does share many of the fantasy elements.

 

There, now that I got that out of the way…

 

Prince Caspian is the second movie adaptation of the Chronicles of Narnia. The first is, of course, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which came out a couple of years ago, and was quite the success.

 

Of course it was done years earlier by the BBC but it didn’t have quite the impact that the recent film does, and lets face it, due to the lack of computer special effects. The mythical creatures didn’t quite have the same impact as they do thanks to modern technology.

 

Anyhow, the movie takes place one year after Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund returned to war torn England. They’ve re-adjusted to life where they were born, and Narnia is but a memory for them.

 

However, thirteen hundred years has passed in Narnia and things are almost as bleak as they were when the White Witch controlled the land, having kept it locked in winter for nearly a century.

 

Humans, the Telmarines, have come to Narnia and have driven the talking animals and the other denizens into the woods, where they have faded into myth themselves.

 

It’s not the same place that the former rulers of Narnia remember.

 

The story begins when Prince Caspian’s aunt gives birth to a son, an heir, which means that he’s no longer needed, and his uncle Miraz decides he is to be ‘disposed of’.

 

Caspian escapes and uses the magical horn that Susan once carried in order to summon aid.

 

Of course, it turns out that the aid he summons is the Pevensie children, the former Kings and Queens of Narnia.

 

I won’t go into any more of the plot as it would ruin it for those who have yet to see the movie. What I have said however doesn’t spoil it. Let’s face it, all the information I’ve mentioned can be garnered from the trailers for the movie.

 

So, here we have a little problem. Only a single year has passed for the Pevensie children. Of course in the real world, it’s been over three years since The lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was in the theatre, and the actors have all grown, and it is very noticeable.

 

If Disney plans on making the rest of the novels into movies, all the actors will have grown up before they’re complete. That could end up being problematic for the studio. I guess only time will tell.

 

I guess the upside is that their acting skills have grown as well.

 

Anyhow, I personally think that this movie was better than the previous release. I guess for me there was simply a lot more action. I could be wrong of course, and remember – this is a matter of personal taste here. There will be others who disagree with me.

 

One thing I will point out – the movie had a great deal of humou in it. There were many well delivered one liners that had everyone, myself included, laughing as we watched.

 

I will also warn parents that are thinking of taking their younger children to see the movie that it can be pretty intense. There isn’t any blood or gore, but some of the scenes will frighten younger children.

 

There is ample action, and a great deal of violence, but it isn’t over depicted. Plenty of people are slashed and stabbed, but no blood is to be seen either from the wounds, or on weapons.

 

Once again I will bring up the special effects. I was particularly blown away by the griffons that were portrayed on screen. It is a true shame that such creatures don’t exist for real, as they were breathtaking!

 

The computer animation for the battles and the Narian’s themselves was flawless and very smooth. Honest to god, you couldn’t really tell what were generated and what wasn’t. The mythological creatures, those not portrayed by actors (such as the satyrs and dwarves) looked like they were living, breathing, thinking beings.

 

It was quite a long movie, over two hours, and it did paint a beautiful picture of Narnia and what had happened since the departure of the Pevensie children.

 

Oh, and be warned, like the first movie, there was a great deal of religious allegory in the movie. Some people may or may not be offended by this.

 

It was a beautifully shot movie, with stunning visuals and incredible locations. The was something that I really enjoyed, and would gladly go to see again.

 

4 out of 5