The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
MPAA Rating:
 for epic battle action and violenceReviewed by: David Criswell, Ph.D. Good
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:
Kids, Family
Genre:
Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Kids, Family, Adaptation, Sequel
Length:
2 hr. 24 min.
Year of Release:
2008
USA Release:
May 16, 2008 (wide - 3,800 theaters)
 
Relevant Issues
 Review: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) INTERVIEW - Behind the scenes of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” Forgiveness
How can I be (and feel) forgiven for what I’ve done wrong? Answer If God forgives me every time I ask, why do I still feel so guilty? Answer 
Evil
If God created Satan, and Satan is evil, is evil God’s fault? Answer War
What is the Christian perspective on war? Answer Kids
Teens
“Everything you know is about to change forever.” The Chronicles of Narnia has been called the Christian version of The Lord of the Rings, although J.R.R. Tolkien's classics were actually a Catholic-Christian allegory. The primary difference is that Narnia was directed largely at children. The first film portrayed the death and crucifixion of Christ, His resurrection, and even the Second Coming allegorically with the Lion of Judah as a literal lion in a fantasy world. However, Lewis' second and third entries toned down the religious allegory. “Prince Caspian” has a few allegorical elements, but its message is a more simple one about faith. Although still aimed at children, the movie may appeal more to older kids, as the majority of the film revolves around a war and many battle sequences which occupy probably close to an hour or more of the picture. On a technical level, “Prince Caspian” is perhaps a little more refined than its predecessor. As good as “The Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe” was, I felt that the humans were perhaps the least believable, and Adamson's direction was good but unpolished at times. The best scenes were those that involved extensive CGI. In “Prince Caspian,” Adamson has refined his craft and adjusted more to the human element. The story itself revolves around Narnia a thousand years after the kings had left. The “mythical” Narnians had apparently been exterminated and become extinct. In its place are humans who look like they are out of the Middle Ages. Caspian uncovers a plot to seize his throne and flees where he encounters the true Narnians he thought were long extinct. With the aid of the four human children (the true kings and queens of Narnia), he wages war against an army of humans, to restore the unity and diversity of Narnia. As aforementioned, the religious element is reduced significantly from the first film. This, no doubt, delights the secular critics. Nevertheless, there are some good spiritual lessons which are retained. When King Peter sees what has happened to Narnia and sees that Aslan is not present, he tells everyone “it is up to us to do it alone.” However, Peter fails. The Narnians suffer defeat with Peter as leader. Meanwhile the youngest of them, Lucy, insist that Aslan is waiting for them, but no one listens. Only toward the end of the film does Lucy ride out to find Aslan and seek his assistance. The lesson is that we are never to “do it alone.” Only with God by our side can we hope to achieve victory. Also, note that it was Lucy, the youngest and most innocent, who saw Aslan when no one else could. These morals contain the lessons that parents should teach their children. In terms of the moral content of the film, it is very clear, except for violence which is, at times, relatively strong. I say relatively because most children are so used to violence. Blood is virtually absent (save a few scenes where blood trickles, and a man's hand is cut in an occultic ritual), but blood or no, death is a plenty. In one scene, Peter even pulls his sword out of a victim, but the sword appears clean! Still, there is a scene, in particular, when the helpless are being slaughtered, and the camera appears to linger. Once again, there is no blood, but we hear their cries and see them all desperately trying to escape. Moments later, we see their bodies laying strewn across the castle floor. Such scenes should be too intense for young children, but alas children seem so desensitized to violence that I heard several children clapping when one of the villains was slain. In the scene, the villain was betrayed by his own men and slain just moments after Caspian had shown him mercy and let him live. The children seemed to take their cue from the villains, rather than from Caspian! “Prince Caspian” will be likened to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Two Towers, inasmuch as it is predominantly battle scenes and war. It will doubtless appeal more to older children, and parents of the very young will definitely want to be a little cautious. Since the religious element have been toned down, both by C.S. Lewis and the filmmakers, the movie will have a broader appeal to moviegoers, and perhaps encourage some to see the first film, which they may have skipped because of its Christian message. Certainly, “Prince Caspian” is more refined the the first, but it is a little hard to compare the two, since they differ in so many ways. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was a spiritual Christian allegory from start to finish, with magical creatures and children who learn much about life and love. “Prince Caspian” is a fantasy film about war, with a message of faith, and a warning against going it alone. I suspect some will prefer “Prince Caspian,” while others will cling to the innocent of “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” In either case, “Prince Caspian” is sure to insure that “The Chronicles of Narnia” continues on, although it will continue without Adamson, who has already called it quits. Certainly, he is trying to go out with a bang. Violence: Mild / Profanity: None / Sex/Nudity: None See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.   Comments below:
Positive
Positive - I saw this with a friend at the first showing opening weekend. It was captivating from the get-go. Although there weren't as many spiritual references as the first Narnia movie, the ones that were there, hit home. I will say that the movie was very intense and I am choosing to not have my 11 year old daughter see it on the big screen. I'll wait for it in DVD for her to see it. The sound and cinematography were amazing! This is a movie to see more than once so you can get the full significance of our reliance on God and not on ourselves. It's a must see! Positive - Great movie!! There were a few things that done differently than the book. The first being the raid on Mirazs' castle, even though this was not in the book, I thought it was cleverly done!! Being that the only battle scene in the whole book is only a mere two pages long, having an extra attack never hurts anything! There are some other things, which I won't expound on except for one (that is written below). Other than those, EXCELLANT MOVIE!!!!! I am very pleased with the outcome! Positive - This second installment in the Narnia series was suspenseful, captivating and overall an excellent, enjoyable movie. If you're a Chronicles of Narnia fan in any way, you will be impressed. Positive - If you love the books and know them well, this movie may drive you nuts. They added SO much and changed the order around that its very frustrating. everyone seems grumpy, Peter frustrated me the most, I think its because the scene in the book where he apologizes and becomes the old peter never happens in the movie, though he does come to himself by the end. Positive - This movie was as good as The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, if not better. I thought it was an awesome movie! My children, ages 11 and 15, both enjoyed it. I thought the violence might bother my 11-year-old but it didn't scare him. I saw much younger children there than him. I believe I would exercise caution in taking younger children to see this movie. It was very stimulating and might disturb younger kids. Positive - This is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time! The reviews say it has no biblical parallel, but believe me it does!!!!! Throughout the whole movie, there are biblical parallels - scriptures came to mind continually. This story parallels the story of Israel. She is a nation under captivity. Lucy hears her master's voice - she knows his voice and goes to him (Aslan). Her brother Peter does not listen and is 'tired of waiting for Aslan' and takes matters into his own hands. Lucy confesses to Aslan that she was afraid to follow him because of what the others would do/say (sound familiar? - this is the plight of our teens!). Aslan comes to help and frees the Narnians from oppression.... and he does it by having the rocks cry out in the place of Peter, who chose his own way.... and the waters cry out, just as they did when Moses and the Israelites fled Egypt.... the water consumed the enemy. Positive - I loved this movie! The filmmaking was excellent and it's such an encouragement to go to a theater and see a movie with spiritual parallels. I actually found the spiritual parallels to be just as prevalent in 'Prince Caspian', as I did in 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe'. The world seems to be falling apart around us and it is often tempting to question why God stays silent and doesn't intervene; it sometimes seems He has abandoned us and will never return. All we can do is cling to His promise that He is with us, even when we can't see Him, and in the end, He wins! This is the entire story of Prince Caspian! I think almost everyone knows that Aslan is an allegorical figure, representing Jesus. When he popped up in the movie, I wanted to jump up and shout, 'Don't lose heart! Jesus is coming back!' This is our hope! 'Prince Caspian' is what filmmaking is supposed to be - entertaining, yet challenging and encouraging. I am so grateful when Hollywood chooses to put out this kind of movie. It's a must-see and I would highly recommend seeing it on the big screen. Positive - I thought it was an excellent movie. Although, it was a little hard to understand (without having read the books), why it opened in a Spanish castle setting... not too much of an explanation. Nevertheless, the message of the movie was very encouraging and the warning of not trusting in yourself came out loud and clear. The cinematography was captivating. I would definitely recommend this to anyone! Positive - I was fortunate to see Prince Caspian with my wife and three children, ages 14, 12, and 6 and we all really loved the movie. Coming from a Christian perspective, we were able to discuss multiple biblical lessons from the movie. Faith, the power of prayer, the destructive nature of pride are just a few. There were a few parts, one in particular with the white witch, where we covered the eyes and ears of our 6 year old due to the scary (demonic looking) characters. However, there were great lessons to be learned even from that scene. Without spoiling the movie, I believe that if you go see the movie and you have a good understanding of the bible, you will find ample opportunities to see God's power and sovereignty. If you have a tendency to be a Christian fence rider or a non believer, many of the great lessons may be missed, but you will still love the movie. Positive - Kudos to Walden for a well-done sequel. I was in the minority of my party of four (including two boys 13 and 8) who thought the first Chronicles was the better of the lot. True as advertised, Caspian wears a darker shade with a little more snappy dialogue than its predecessor. In this way, this sophomoric release pushed the violence theme a little more than should have been necessary, and may be off-putting to younger ones or to squeamish parents. Positive - I just got back from seeing this movie with my brother and mom and a friend. The first thing I have to say, is from a technical standpoint, it was amazing. The photography, special effects, sword fighting, and music were all really, really good. Positive - This was a very good adaptation of the book, and although it did change some minor events in the book, it was nothing that detracted from the plot or purpose. I was disappointed that so much of the fighting and war were depicted in close-up. The focus on the battles did take away from the themes of redemption, betrayal, trust, and friendship. I took my young children 7, 6, and 3, who love The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I had them close their eyes when it got more intense than I liked, as I am cautious about what I expose them to in terms of violent viewing. Positive - So, ever since I saw The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe on opening weekend back in 2005, I have been waiting for another Narnia movie. I fell in love with it. The only Narnia book I had read previously was The Magician's Nephew, and as soon as I saw it, I received all of them as gifts for Christmas, and have read them all numerous times.When I found out in early 2006 that Prince Caspian was next, I was very excited. And I have waited very patiently for May 16, 2008, if I may say so myself. Positive - I love it! It was the perfect second film to the first Narnia film. It was a little different but that is why I loved it. The sequels usually leave us wanting, but this just made me want the third one to be done already. And my nine yr old son loved it too. A friend & I took both our nine yr old sons together and we could hear them commenting throughout about how they were loving it. Just enough battle without all the blood was perfect for boys of this age. They love to 'play battle fight' at home and it was nice to have a film that the younger boys could watch without having to cover their eyes like most battle films. And boy is Prince Caspian wonderful. It was nice to see how this film shows that working together with our differences is what makes us stronger. And also, how that we can do nothing without our true leader in charge. We may try to win, but it is impossible without God! And I could tell that even my son got this message from the film. Go see it! Positive - I was very impressed with this film. I felt that it did justice to the story, and more importantly, that it showed the importance of having honor and faith, even when faith seems not to yield any results. I could not pick out the Christian allegory as easily in this film as in the first, but it was definitely there. The Pevensie siblings had a positive relationship (at least after returning to Narnia) and were there for each other even when they had hurt each other. It was obvious that they had a strong bond, and they were able to admit to each other when they were wrong. Many times they worked together to make decisions. And the cinematography was beautiful. Positive - After viewing the second installment of the Narnia Chronicles I prefer the first. Prince Caspian is done well, from acting to CGI, and the subtle humor (great one liners throughout) is wonderful. Yet, the first movie is more appealing for its innocence and the path of discovery the children travel on. In the second movie, we see the struggle of trying to achieve success without heavenly wisdom , and watch the miserable consequences of such action. There are lessons for our children in both movies. The first is the joy of accepting the Lord, and the second is keeping the Lord as our counsel, actively keeping Him in our lives. Positive - Overall it was a good movie. The plot was quite different from the book which was a little disappointing. For example, in the book Aslan turned water into wine and was a lot more present throughout the storyline than in the movie. While I rated the moral rating 'good' at the end I was disappointed by Susan and Prince Caspian kissing just as Susan was about to leave Narnia. How are we supposed to teach our kids/teenagers about the sanctity or value of a kiss when it is used so loosely throughout even 'Christian' films. Positive - For those who like a good-ole, good-versus-evil movie, this movie does not disappoint. However, being an African-American female who knows the history of Hollywood when it comes to race, I was pretty disgusted to see how Hollywood once again took a darker-skin group of people and made it 'the bad guys' in the movie, while the saviors of the movie, aside from Aslan, of course, were rather fair-skinned children, most of whom were also light-eyed. (Even Ben Barnes 'Prince Caspian' looked significantly lighter to me than the rest of the Telmarines in the movie.) This only further proves in my mind Hollywood, even though it preaches tolerance and acceptance and the likes, still at its core has the proverbial 'Great White Hope' mentality. The only thing that kept me from leaving the theater at once was the fact the Pevensie children did have SOME ethnic features, including the dark hair and fuller lips; that is, had they been proverbially blonde-haired and blue-eyed heroes, I definitely would've called it a day for fear of throwing up on the shoes of the nice lady sitting next to me. Positive - I loved this movie. The child-like faith in Jesus (lion) that the young girl had was so very inspirational. This movie seemed to flow better than the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The story itself was so refreshingly un-Hollywood (which can be so predictable at times). I see the Lord all over it as an encouragement to have faith in Him, even when the obstacles seem insurmountable...and even when others wish to resort to their own strength, or even worse to the lure of the enemy (played by the witch). I highly recommend this movie. Positive - This movie was good. It has more violent scenes in it that the first Narnia film. I believe you can find several Christian allegories in it if you will look. I believe that small children could be afraid of some of the scenes. Alot of children these days are allowed to see more violent films than years past, so the violence may not bother them. Positive - I rented out the entire theatre with a friend so that we could invite our clients, families, and their friends. There were many children in the audience, primarily ages 10-16; however, my 10 year old son did not want to attend because he was scared by Aslan's death in the first film. We are reading the book together. Positive - I thought the movie was good. A couple of other Christian observations could be made...When Aslan tells Lucy why she would not follow him even when she saw him and the others did not. This speaks to the biblical message of not being conformed to the world. It also reminds us of when Christ said that we must become as these children, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Positive - I thought this movie shared the message of Christian faith every bit as well as the first Chronicles. This is a well-made fantasy, communicating the helpless condition of man and the need for faith in the Lord, who in this story is Aslan, representing Christ. It showed human weakness and foolishness and the cleverness of evil people. The battle scenes are a little too intense for the very young, but otherwise, a very good movie. Positive - Having followed the movie's production for two years, I was well aware of the changes made from the book to the movie (the night raid, Peter's character). And I was also aware that Aslan would not appear much in the movie. So I went into this movie expecting to be pleased with it, but wishing for more. Positive - First, let me say that I am a big fan of the books and of the first movie. I haven't read the Prince Caspian book in years, so I can't remember how close the movie is-but I'm sure they changed quite a bit-esp. the dialogue. This movie contains some of the funniest, yet clean lines in recent movie history. I've heard this movie already compared to 'The lord of the rings'-esp. The Two Towers-mainly because of the epic battle sequences, and there is some validity in those comparisons. but in other ways this movie is as different from the TLOTR trilogy as it is its predecessor'-The Lion,The Witch, and the Wardrobe'. There is still strong character development in this one, esp. in the three children-who you see mature right in front of your eyes. The balance between storyline, character development, action, beautiful cinematography, and convincing performances is nothing short of amazing. Not to mention the fantastic CGI effects, which are not overused like in so many movies now a days. Positive - Many of the analogies to our spiritual walk are probably too attenuated for children and teenagers to catch, but that is something the parent can make up for after the movie. This is one of the better movies to hit the big screen since the first Narnia movie. The movie also touched me in a very deep way. God used it to minister to me during a difficult time in my life. Positive - This is a great movie with great values. Parents of young children (about 6 or under) should be warned that there is a lot of violence and intense scenes, as the main reviewer said. But if your children have seen the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, they should be fine watching this film. Positive - I felt script writers took a few liberties with the book that I didn't feel needed to be done, but overall, this was just a fantastic movie. And the liberties taken did not soil the overall wholesomeness of Lewis's works. Positive - SPOILERS!!!! While the film wanders away from the original text in places--such as an attack on the king's palace and a kiss between Susan and Caspian--most of the film is accurate and as well filmed as the first. I took four children today--13yo, two 11yos, and a 6yo. They all loved the film. The Biblical symbolism remains: the leader who is going to save the nation but who does not think he is ready to lead, the Narnian's need for Aslan (the Christ figure), the danger and enticement of evil, and the deliverance of an entire nation. Positive - We took two 12 yr old boys, two 10 yr old girls and our 8 yr old daughter. We all loved it! It was as epic and grand as Lion, Witch and Wardrobe, and a great story of the continuing battle of good vs. evil. The audience cheered at several stirring moments. There were many suspenseful times during which my 8 yr old grabbed me for comfort. She is very sensitive so she cried and had to look away during one battle scene where some of the Narnians were being killed (I cried too!). She also looked away during a scene with two scary-looking and scary-sounding evil creatures. Overall, this wasn't enough to keep her from enjoying the movie, just something to be aware of if you've got small children. As with the Narnia books, the movie provides many discussion points about our personal relationship with God, how He acts in the world, His ways and timing (not ours), good vs. evil, standing for what's right, being careful who you align yourself with, using your gifts, etc. Can't wait for the next one! Positive - Faithful fans of the beloved tales will not be disappointed! The movie stays relatively true to the book, but there are a few modifications. If you loved the battle sequences in the first movie, you will be in for a real treat, as there is much more screen time given to such sequences in this film. The moviemaking quality is absolutely breathtaking! The special effects make the animal characters even more believable than before! Positive - Overall, the Prince Caspian movie was very well adapted. This movie departs much more from the original book than the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe did. All the same, however, it was faithful on most accounts to the themes and ideas of Lewis's masterpiece. I was slightly disappointed at some of the parts that were removed or diminished in the movie but I will definitely watch it again if I have the opportunity to do so. This movie is much better alternative to any of the other movies out this year and is well worth seeing. Positive - 'Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian' ain't your mama's Narnia. Many aspects of it C.S. Lewis himself would not recognize. Overall it ranks a positive, but with some caveats. Positive - I had enjoyed the first Narnia movie so much that there really was no question about whether or I would see Prince Caspian, but I was a little doubtful that it would be able to live up to the success of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. After seeing the opening midnight showing of Prince Caspian, I am pleased to say that not only did it surpass my expectations, but provided some much needed confidence that this series may indeed carry its high level of quality throughout the remainder of the films. Positive - 'You may find Narnia a more savage place than you remember...' That quote earned a bit of an eye-roll from me when I first saw the trailer when I went to see Nim's Island. Although 19, I prefer to view children's movies because they are cleaner than most modern 'teen' films. My sister read The Chronicles of Narnia set to me when I was a child, and I loved the old movie versions the BBC made of four of the books. I LOVED the first new movie, from start to finish, with my only complaint being one of historical accuracy concerning untaped window panes during the London air raids. That was all that bothered me. Then I went to see Prince Caspian, and my initial comment (that went unspoken) was: 'For this I spent a couple of hours of my life?' Positive - I was excited to hear that Prince Caspian was being made for a movie adaption. While not better than the first, it comes in at a close tie. I enjoyed watching it and would go see it again. There was nothing offensive, with the exception of the mild and tastefully done violence. I agree that this one did not have as many metaphors as the first. Prince Caspian mostly focused on heroic virtues than building type and shadows. I went to see it with my family and left with nothing but positive things to say. Positive - I am very glad that this movie did not follow the book too closely, they would have spent the first part of the movie complaining about eating raw apples. The book was not movie friendly, so they had to make some changes. The changes they made made the movie better than it would have been if it followed the book. Positive - I have both seen the movie and read the book and although some material was taken out or put in, I found this movie very enjoyable. True, this movie does not have the obvious spritiual connections like 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe', but (to my recollection) neither did the book. This movie showed the child like faith of Lucy (one many people do not always possess), the true change in Edmund's character, and Caspian's willingness to fight for the freedom from darkness, even against his own people. Although the raid on the palace was not in the book, it gave me deeper understanding of Caspian and Peter. Caspian could have murdered his uncle out of revenge, but he didn't. Peter was selfish and arrogant in his mannerisms, but it shows that we are all fallen and will fall into sinful pride, even High Kings. The movie gave the impression that Peter learned and grew from his mistake. True, the romance was rather silly, younger children could be negatively affected by some of the images, and some families don't approve of 'Shut Up' or the bickering siblings. But tension in families do happen, and everyone makes mistakes. Its a heart of repentence and forgiveness that is vital, especially Christians to those who do not know Christ. Continual complaining and nitpicking about Hollywood does not help the Word of God spread. Instead of wanting change to happen, we should begin a change. Young strong Christian actors or directers should overwhelm Hollywood with movies that show the Light of Christ. A heart of feeling self-righteous about knowing the Truth does not endear unbelievers to Christ. These reviews are helpful, but instead of writing reviews about unGodly movies, we need to start making Godly movies that can change the world for His Name and His Name alone. And as a final note: this movie, though probably not best for children under 8 or so, is much better than other movies like 'Sex in the City' or 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry'. The Chronicles of Narnia:Prince Caspian shows, although we may fall, through Christ we can be forgiven and have a complete change of heart, we should always fight for Christ and to do so, we must have the faith of child. Positive - I really enjoyed this movie! i've seen it twice already & I plan to see it again before it leaves cinema's. I'd heard people say you need to see it twice to really get into it, they were right. I enjoyed it much more the second time I saw it - probably because for the first half of the movie I was pretty lost. Positive - I purposely did not re-read the book prior to seeing the movie, and I think that was a good move. The movie is basically a fantasy war movie, with Narnian flavour. I enjoyed some of the characters, particularly Reepicheep and Trumpkin, and Caspian was very Princely. I did not find much particularly Christian in the movie, but I enjoyed it as a swords and not too much sorcery battle movie. I went with the whole family, and we all enjoyed it, with a tang of disappointment due to the missing elements of faith. There are some quite intense battle scenes and a single scary occult scene. Miraz was the strongest character in the movie in my opinion, shame he is the bad guy. Neutral - Okay, I have to admit right off, I have never read C.S. Lewis' works. Even so, I really enjoyed the first Narnia film, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It was an enchanting film with a wonderful score and great characters, not to mention a beautiful message. Neutral - The promotional line: âEverything you know is about to change forever.â is absolutely appropriate for this film, because that is what they have done to the story. If you view it as a stand alone film it is OK but if you look at it as an adaptation of the book it is somewhat feeble. For the first two thirds of the movie I sat there thinking they obviously didn't think the book was exciting enough. Battle scenes in the book take up quite a small space, unlike the movie. Central themes of faith from the book are hard to spot in the movie. The character of Trumpkin in particular was disappointing, as in the book he is highly developed and undergoes a major transformation. In the movie he is underdone. They changed Peter from a noble high King into a petulant teenager who can't decide if he is Caspian's ally or rival. Some of the changes they made to the story made it not make sense; Miraz was building a bridge urgently so he could get his troops to the Narnians but in the meantime the Narnians could wander off and attack Miraz's castle and wander back again without any bother at all. Neutral
Neutral - Based on what I had seen from the first Chronicles of Narnia movie, I must say I was greatly anticipating seeing the new Prince Caspian movie. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe was definitely a defining movie in modern day film-making. I had the hopes of the series growing in quality and accuracy with every new movie. Neutral - I was very disappointed by this film. So was my 13 year old daughter who viewed it with me. We had been looking forward to it ever since we viewed the original Narnia. We had been following the development of it, etc. We had read the book, watched the Prince Caspian version of it by the BBC and were so excited to go yesterday. While there were some good parts, the scenery was beautiful, it was fun seeing how the kids had matured, the CGI animals were cute, overall my thought was it seemed like one long fight ...battle after battle. And unlike the first Narnia where the 'good guys' were revived either by Lucy's potion or Aslan breathing on them, here many of the 'good guys' were killed and as far as I could say, stayed dead. I think for young children who have not been exposed to violence, there is way to much in it for them. And as much as I love a romance as much as the next, personally I liked the BBC version where Prince Caspian was a younger boy, not an older one as in this one, where there was some romantic attraction with Susan. Neutral - I was somewhat disappointed in this film for its' lack of emphasis on Aslan, as well, I did not care for Aslan's 'narrowed' mane. It made him less GRAND than I remember in the first film, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe... despite the fact that the computer generated aspects and the wonderful cinematic scenes overall are above that of the TLWW. However, this film seemed to lose its direction and go the way of HOLLYWOOD without staying as true to the story and its characters as it should have. Knowing that most of the viewers may have been C.S. Lewis fans it felt somewhat 'toyed' with and in a way that perceptibly reduces a younger viewers understanding of its allegories. An adult would not miss the overt attempt to diminish these qualities. I also don't care for Liam Neeson's voice as Aslan and feel the role requires a stronger projection. I was not put off by the 'violence' in the movie as it seemed to be appropriately attributed and in line with the warrior aspects of Good triumphing over Evil and from characters who are much more matured. At the end of the movie it suggests that Susan and Peter will never return to Narnia again but the others will. Negative
Negative - My husband and I were surprised to find any positive reviews of this film by people who have actually read C.S. Lewis's book. 'Prince Caspian' the movie basically borrows character names and a few scenes from the book and changes everything else, including the strong Christian themes of nobility, chivalry, sacrifice, and courage. Instead we are left with an empty shell of a story that is basically all CGI and no character development. Negative - I am sure that this is an excellent movie in every sense of the word just like it's predecessor was - in my opinion - one of the best films ever made. Why do I feel compelled to give it a negative rating then? Simply because in Australia it is rated M (which means you have to be preferably but not exclusively 15 years or older to view it). This has meant that we have decided that our three children all under the age of 10 will have to miss out seeing it on the 'big screen' where the visuals and sounds are so much greater than on our TV at home. This might seem harsh to some parents and maybe even 'legalistic' to others, but what I appreciate about this particular website is it's emphasis upon being discerning - a much neglected spiritual discipline! Comments from young people
Positive - I think the Prince Caspian was just as excellent as The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. I love how these movies capture Christianity, although most nonbelievers may not pick up on it, I did. One thing I love about “The Chronicles of Narnia” series is that the whole family can enjoy an action packed movie without blood, inappropriate language, and fighting and killing for the sake of fighting and killing. I also think that the ride home from the movie is a great time to talk about god and the bible connects with this movie. Neutral - As a big fan of the books, I was somewhat reluctant to see this movie. I really liked the first one, but judging from the previews, this one seemed so much darker! Well, it is darker. It's a more serious Narnia, a more 'grown-up' one. From the very first scene (a woman shouting in pain as she gives birth) I knew that I wouldn't like this movie as much as the first one. Fans of the book will be disappointed to hear that they take out a lot of things. There is no archery contest between Susan and Trumpkin, for example. My overall opinion is this: Positive - It was the best movie I have ever seen!!!! Positive - I went to see this movie with the youth group at my church, the day after it came out. I must say that the graphics, acting, and camera work was amazing!! It had a great storyline. As soon as it comes out I will buy it immediately! It was 10 times better than the first one. I must say that Reepicheep (the little mouse,) was bad to the bone, and my favorite character! Positive - This was the best movie I think I have ever seen! My two friends, Ashley and Abby, and I went to the first opening dressed as Characters from the films/books! This movie was so good I was filled with anxiety that I wasn't a part of it. It gets awfully sad in some parts and there are some added scenes that were not in the book. Everything leads to Aslan, the figure portraying God, and the Pevensie children/High kings and queens show brilliant examples of how God can work through many. I loved this film!! The director and producer did a brilliant job! Not to mention the acting. It was outstanding! And no one is displeasing on the eyes. ;) Peter and Caspian...very great and valiant. I recommend this to everyone! FOR NARNIA! Positive - I went to see this movie with my parents, my younger brother, and my boyfriend. Overall, I enjoyed the movie. I was not expecting to enjoy the movie because it involved many battle scenes, but I was pleasantly surprised. The plot line was excellent, the actors were very good, and the film-making was amazing! I believe that the movie had several very good lessons in it: Positive - I liked this movie. I am Narnia fan I have read the books. Now I do care if they stick to the book which in the first movie they did a great job of doing. this one not so much.... but it was still a good movie. I was sad though that Aslan was not so much in the movie. He is involved way more in the book. It does have alot more battle scenes then the first and some others that might not be to great for younger kids. There is humor in it I heard kids laughing more then a few times in the theater. But my main thought was this movie is most likely for more older children. But, all in all, I enjoyed it. Positive - I really liked this movie. It was very Christ-like and was “Good verses Evil.” Although, it was not as Christian as the first one. It is more focused on faith to man. There is definitely more action and violence (fight scenes; battles.) But it is very clean. There is no blood besides a few scratches on people but none coming out when fighting. I do recommend that you not take your younger kids to this movie because of the action. A little girl next to me was in her mother's arms the whole time and her mother had her hand over her child's eyes for a long period of time. My whole family came out with smiles on our face. You should absolutely see this movie, and I'm pretty positive that you won't be disappointed! Positive - I am a little disappointed that a lot of stuff in the book was left out, but I guess they needed to make some changes when turning it into a movie.
I was also desperately searching for the part when Aslan tells Lucy that she should have gone on without the others when they didn't believe her. It was in there, but a little down-played, -I mean, it could be overlooked. As Christians, we need to follow Christ—even when no one else is doing it. Negative - I am a very big Narnia fan, I LOVE the books, and was VERY disappointed with this movie. It wasn't close to the book at all. At ALL. Positive - I LOVED it! It was one of the best movies I have ever seen!! Positive - I think this movie portrays the book very well. All the symbolism from C.S. Lewis's masterpiece is accounted for. Narnia is an excellent allegory of the Christian life if you are willing to look into it. The entertainment portion was also fantastic. It went straight into the action and the visual effects were phenomenal. I waited three years for it to come out and it did not disappoint! The acting was great. The characters were original and unforgetable. And that soundtrack! It fits in so well with the emotions of each scene and affects the way the audience feels. Now that makes a good movie! The only bad thing about it, in my opinion, is the violence. It may not be fit for younger viewers. It is definitely 'darker' than the last Narnia because it faces a more human evil rather than a magical, mythical one. I would advise you read the book, too, because it will give you more insight into the characters and their situations. I could see how that could be a problem if you were not familiar with the plot of the series. But that will not stop me from seeing it as many times as my mother's money will allow me!!! Positive - I watched this movie this afternoon, and I was on the edge of my seat!!!! It was Incredible!!!!!!! Much better than I expected, it did have some added parts and some parts I really wanted to see in the movie weren't in there, but it was Incredible all the same. This movie sheds light on many Christian subjects, waiting for Jesus to come back, having faith in what we do not see. This film is not just an enjoyment, it's a Christian message in disguise. Everyone should see this movie!!! Again, it was INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Positive - I absolutely loved this movie, it was the best I have seen in a very long time. Though I love Lewis' books, I have to say that the changes made by the filmmakers added to the human element, which, wonderful as they are, I thought the books lacked. Peter's pride and 'go-it-alone' attitude were shown to be destructive and harmful. I also didn't think Susan and Caspian's romance was over-the-top, but remained sweet and simple, even enjoyable. The acting was excellent, the writing fluid, the action superb. This movie took all the elements I love in movies and blended them all together. Positive - Overall, I think both the acting and directing was good... to some degree. I think that those who have never read the book will be a little confused about what takes place, because the beginning is so rushed. In the book, there is much more detail explaining why the telmarines came to narnia, how they came to be there, and more telling of the old days to Prince Caspian by his professor. They also completely skip the nurse's presence which I think C.S. Lewis would have been disappointed about. I think the first scene should have been lengthened and had more of an explanation as the book does. In the movie, you feel as though you are being rushed into Prince Caspian's life whether you want to be or not. Also, the first couple scenes where the four children first enter Narnia and find Cair Paravel feels like they are only there for a couple hours and then quickly hasten on to rescuing Trumpkin the dwarf. The book feels nothing like that. In the book, they are there for several days before they actually figure out what the ruins are and rescue Trumpkin. Positive - The Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian is a very well made film. The acting is much better than in the Lion the Witch, and the Wardrobe. There is not as much rudeness between the children, although there are a few uses of 'shut-up' by the children, and Reepicheep, the chief mouse. The special effects were amazing. The Gryphons were flawless. Susan is slightly immodest in one or two parts as are some Centaurs (both Male and Female). *Mild Spoilers* One part that was very Hollywood was the end when Susan runs into Caspian's arms and they kiss and hug briefly *End Spoilers*. Also, when Susan fights she fights just like Legolas, just not nearly as cool. The violence is very intense, and, in my opinion, the film should be rated PG-13. The part when they are trying to bring back the White Witch was the most disappointing part of Caspian. They made it way to intense and dark. Take caution bringing children below the age of 9-10 because of the violence and the White Witch scene. It's not as accurate to the book as the first film was, but most of the changes they made were necessary. I was not disappointed in Prince Caspian although it didn't seem as much like Narnia as the first one. Positive - Prince Caspian is a great movie! Very enjoyable! It's a little violent for it's rating and I would not recommend it for smaller children. The movie is very exciting and well made. There are some really cool stunts and strategies they use in the battles. I can't remember any language at all. The sequence with the hag and were-wolf is especially frightening for smaller children. Some families in the theater brought smaller children and they were crying throughout that sequence and some of the battle sequences. I wouldn't underestimate it's PG rating.
Overall I loved this movie! It is one I will be seeing over and over again! Positive - Hats of for Andrew Adamson again! He has made another truly spectacular film! My FAVOURITE movie ever!!! CGI animation believable again! I loved it. It keeps pretty true to the book, and a couple jokes are added. If you have not read the books, you could be a little confused but I still highly recommend it for any over the age of about 7 or 8. There is a few scenes that could be suspenseful for very sensitive children and I would not recommend it for those type. The quality is excellent, the music is excellent, the acting is excellent, the sets and costumes are excellent, in fact there is not much that is not excellent. I don't want to give any spoilers away, but I can tell you it's a 5 star movie. SPOILER: the 'romance' between Caspian and Susan is a bit cheesy. In the end, the kiss, in case that is offensive. It's not the 'long endurance' type, and its rather appropriate, however. SPOILER HAS ENDED Over all, this is my favorite film of the year, and maybe of my whole life. Go see it today! Positive - I saw this movie this afternoon and was overall pleased with it: morally and filmmaking quality. One of the things that disturbed me a little bit was the amount of times that many of the main characters said 'shutup' to one another. Even though at times it was said lightly or even jokingly, is this something that we need to be saying to one another? That you want their mouths to be closed because you don't like what they're saying? Wouldn't it be better just to ask them to be quiet? The rest of the movie was clean though, and I will definitely get it when it comes out on DVD. I didn't exactly like how they changed it from the book so much, but the way they combined the past and the present as C.S. Lewis wrote it was well done. I would definitely recommend seeing it to everyone. Positive - Once again, the Chronicles of Narnia series was wonderful. Stunning visual affects and animated animals. Good messages, and no swearing that i remember. A refreshing movie for todays releases. Positive - This movie was much darker than it's original film, 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe', as most sequels are. Unlike it's first film, this movie did not talk much about spiratual situations. Only one part directly states about Jesus and His Second coming. Aslan, the Lion, and supposedly Jesus, as in the first film, says 'I will not be coming the same way My second time', or something close to that. Meaning, when Jesus came as a Baby to this world, He will not return to here again as one. There was one kissing scene that was innappropriate for this PG Christian film, Christians should save their kiss for their spouce, not someone else before marrige; even if this is acting. Brutal scenes compared to the first one. One scene has a main character about to be-head his rival. I would not want to see this film in the theaters again. Please, rent the first one. :) Even though I put a positive remark on this film, does not mean that I agree with some of the battles, which one is very sad for animal lovers.='( Positive - WONDERFUL. Simply breath taking. It was such a glorious film that my friend and I saw it 3 times in theatres already! Though they left out the very Biblical parts in the film, it was so good and powerful. The scene where thr Narnians know they don't have a chance once the gate closes and the give High King Peter a nod stating 'Go on. Aslan's in control' is so powerful. My friend and I were sobbing when we saw them lying dead in the Telemarin court. BUT, it is a very action packed film, I have met many parents who aren't sure if it's appropriate for younger kids, and let me assure you, it is. There is hardly any gore, no swearing....no inappropriate references...its great. Totally family oriented. My little brothers (ages 10, 8 and 6) loved it! I recommend you go see it on the 'Big Screen' before it comes out on DVD. It's worth every penny. Positive - 'Prince Caspian' was a fulfilling 'sequel' to 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.' Although there was much less allegory in the former to Christianity than the latter, it was refreshing to see the characters' developing and gradually realizing they could do nothing without Aslan. Christian struggles were well represented: 'I can do this' v. 'I can't do anything without Christ.' The clash between Peter and Prince Caspian were well represented, and the respect and honor Prince Caspian showed to his professor was great. There was more violence, and some of it was unnecessary, but nothing over the top. Positive - OK, first let me say I enjoyed this movie very very much. I went to see it with my youth group the first weekend it came out. I was really impressed with the filmmaking quality. I think that some of the scenes didn't need to be there, though. When they introduce Peter, he is fighting with another kid just 'cause he 'pushed him.' Did he learn anything in Narnia or not?! And there is another scene where there is a really creepy werewolf and an evil hag who does a magic spell and brings the White Witch back to life(all they need is Caspian's blood to get her out of her ice prison). She promises Caspian she will help him win the war against the Telmarines, but Edmund and Peter break it up (literally) before things get (even more) ugly. Also the raid on Miraz's castle doesn't even happen in the book! But it's dramatic all the same. However, I didn't think Susan would be in such a bloody battle! Whatever happened to the LTWTW book's line that goes something like this:'Battles are uglier when women fight'?All the same, the scene was well done, and it had me on the edge of my seat (and gripping the armrests!) WOW. Now for the good things. I like how Lucy, who is the youngest and most attentive, hears Aslan as a still, small voice(sound familiar? Hopefully!) that is calling her. In the book, she succeeds in getting the others to follow her following Aslan, as she is the only one who can see him. But, in the movie, the others go their own way 'We've waited for Aslan long enough,' says Peter, which just goes to show you that when they thought He'd really forgotten them this time and they were meant to do things on their own now, He was always working 'behind the scenes'. I want to say the kiss between Susan and Caspian was a short, closed-mouth kiss , not your average 'Ella Enchanted' kiss Hollywood loves so much. I also want to say this movie was waaay funnier than the LTWTW. The whole audience laughed at Reepicheep the 'MOUSE' =) I highly recommend this movie, but only for for children and teens over 10 or 12, depending on the sensitivity of your kid. And, may I say, Prince Caspian RULES!! Positive - Although not as much of a Christian allegory as the first, Prince Caspian is very good, and from a Christian point of view a pretty moral film. The scene in which they tried to bring back the White Witch was not in the book, in which they only were ABOUT TO, but it stilled showed what terrible things can happen when people mess with the Occult. The violence was pretty toned down for the children, but not so much that it makes the movie feel overly fictional. My parents didn't like it, and they said that it didn't really interest them much, and my uncle, who normally LOVES these kinds of movies, said that |
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