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Capone’s In NARNIA? I Thought He Was In Chicago...
Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.
I’m working on getting my own review of this one finished and posted at some point today. For now, I’m going to post Capone’s review without reading it. Thankfully, even when I totally disagree with him about a film, I know Capone’s going to give you a good read, so you tell me in talkback how you think he does with this look at the new installment in the mega-budget NARNIA series...
Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
There's a simple formula to decide whether of not you'll like this second CHRONICLES OF NARNIA installment. If you liked THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE, you'll love PRINCE CASPIAN. If you didn't like the last film, you'll probably dig CASPIAN a whole lot more; you might even like it. And if you're predisposed to disliking a story for religious undertones (and make no mistake, the God overtones of the first story are far more buried in this one) or because its young stars seem a bit too foppish for your tastes, stop reading now and go find something constructive to do with your time.
Right at the top here, I have to give director Andrew Adamson (who also did the first film) his due: he's found his stride with PRINCE CASPIAN. The action is staged far better; he's directing his actors (especially the four playing the Pevensie siblings) with more sure handedness; and he's not afraid to bring out the darker, more rage-filled qualifies in the characters and the source material from C.S. Lewis. The overall production feels like a work with more confidence in its far more aggressive and expansive story. Adamson and his co-writers have made significant adjustments to the action (including an entire battle that is not in the book), while leaving in some of the seemingly and seemingly less-significant character development and plot turns. But it's these minor inclusions that I think fans of the books will appreciate and cling to.
Also significantly different between first and second films is the body count. I'm genuinely surprised that this movie managed to get a PG rating. While the blood doesn't flow and/or spurt, there is a tremendous amount of human and creature death. And I'm not complaining; it adds a great deal of much-needed weight and menace to the proceedings. I was particularly impressed with emotional heft given to the film by William Moseley's performance as King Peter and Ben Barnes (some of you may remember him from STARDUST) as Caspian. Adamson has created an early-film rivalry between the two that wasn't really there in the book, and it's an improvement and an important motivational tool for much of what happens in the story.
The film is set one year later in the real world (in which Britain is in the final throws of WWII). The children are quickly sucked out of a London train station and back into Narnia, which has progressed 1,300 years. Caspian has used a magic horn once belonging to Queen Susan to call for help shortly after he has escaped his uncle, King Miraz (played by my favorite Italian actor working today, Sergio Castellitto). Miraz wants to take over the thrown of his land, which rightfully belongs to Caspian, son of the previous king. But when Miraz's wife gives birth to a boy child, Miraz sets out to kill Caspian and establish his new son as the rightful heir. After being secretly trained in the "old ways" by his faithful tutor, Doctor Cornelius (Vincent Grass), Caspian flees into the woods leading to Narnia where he is befriended by some dwarves (WILLOW's Warwick Davis and Peter Dinklage of THE STATION AGENT) and a talking badger. The former kings and queens of Narnia arrives from London at their old dilapidated castle, but soon run into Dinklage's Trumpkin and, eventually, Caspian and the early stages of his Narnian army set to defend the land against Miraz's advancing armies.
The battles scenes aren't just choreographed better than the first film; they are genuinely awesome. I found my eyes darting around all parts of the screen to spot dozens of different Narnian beings bearing weapons. But as with the book, my favorite new character is rapier-wielding mouse Reepicheep, voiced to gallant perfection by Eddie Izzard. It should come as no surprise that Reepicheep seems modeled after Puss In Boots, since Adamson directed the first two SHREK movies. But Reepicheep is not meant strictly as comic relief; he's a genuine hero who can kill a full-size man with a single stroke of his tiny sword.
If Aslan the Lion (again voiced by Liam Neeson) was playing Jesus in the first story; he's doing more of the God thing in PRINCE CASPIAN, since he is a largely unseen being that does not seem interested in helping those who don't believe in him with no proof that he exists. The film is big on faith, with young Lucy being the biggest keeper of said faith.
I mentioned earlier that this movie explores the darker aspects of its story, and I meant that literally. It seems like half the film is set during the evening or in dimly lit underground locales. This bugged me at first because keeping things dark made it tough to see some of the great special effects, but eventually things move into the daylight and all is good. Let there be light, and all that. This also is a story that isn't afraid to get a little scary sometimes too. The scene with Caspian being tempted by the Wer-Wolf and the Hag is left almost intact from the book, but where it strays, it does so beautifully, giving us a tease at villainy that may still come before the series runs out.
And what about the rest of the series? Caspian is the most important character in this story since he leads us through the next installment, THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER, and Barnes is a solid performer playing a young man ordained to unify and lead a land, and uncertain he's got what it takes to do so. They've cast Caspian perhaps a little older than the books lead you to believe he is in these stories, but Barnes is more than just a pretty face. He'll be even more fun to watch as Caspian gets more secure in his role as king.
PRINCE CASPIAN is a work that manages to be both lovely and a little bit dangerous. It's so well done, in fact, that there were times when I stopped seeing the talking animals and other creatures as beautifully rendered effects and saw them as simply warriors fighting for their lives. I lost myself in this movie more often than not because Adamson didn't overwhelm me with splashy visuals. This is clearly material he loves and respects, and that comes through in every shot. The film also shows that you can make a family film that doesn't feel the need to pander or dumb itself down, and I admire it for that above all else. This is youthful fantasy done right.
Capone
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I guess I'll give it a look-see when it hits DVD....
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Now I'm confused. I thought it would suck.
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and yet I still don't give a fuck.
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where's the Talking Bears? More respect for the noble bear, please.
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I wanted it to do well so we can get to Dawn Treader and Silver Chair. They are easily the best stories.
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Is that last paragraph about not having to dumb down a family movie for it to still be good, one last jab at Speed Racer?
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...until this review. Now I'm maybe 50/50. Come on Mori, get your review up and push me off that fence.
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Holy crap. Didn't see this coming. I loved the first so this is good news.
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improved actions scenes.One actor can single handily rescue a franchise from impending blah-ness...and it...is....Warwick Davis!Bow down (really, really low) to the might that is Warwick!
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AICN, can I have a job? It's "throes", not 'throws". I have both a film degree AND an English degree.
That aside, thanks for the review; can't wait! -
Throne, thrown.
It's a bad day for 'thro-' words.
I kid, I kid!
I'm terrifically excited you loved the film. I LOVED the first and can't wait for this one! -
May 15, 2008 8:50:59 AM CDT
Wow, a stark contrast to that first review on here...
by www.valiens.com
The first reviewer said it was completely boring. Now I'm hearing amazing battle scenes. Which is it?
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I guess I want to give it a whirl now. It would be nice if it doesn't blow. Of course, Moriarty might hate it. Although, while most of the time I agree with Moriarty, (far more more than I do with the ever-forgiving Harry) there are times that I think he can be too critical. So I guess we'll see.
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I'm almost inclined to disagree with him here as well.. However, I'll be seeing this at some point this weekend as my kids are all agog about it..
Really enjoyed the first one, so I have high hopes for this as well.. I found the book kind of boring when I read it to my daughter, so I'm glad they took some real liberties with the screenplay.. -
*Casting assistant flicks through Dwarf rollo-desk with only two cards in it; 'Davis, Warwick'. 'Dinklidge, Peter'.*
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A) The cast still has zero charisma.
B) The villains are a joke, a cry out for acting school refresher courses.
C) The Rings ripoff becomes laughable in the final battle.
D) The religious stuff is WAY out in front in this one. -
...it dawned on me the other day that one reason these books are difficult to capture on screen is that in the books the voice of the narrator (C.S. Lewis)is so distinct and such a big part of the flavor and tone of the story....
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"Boring" first review?
Right on the money. -
...right on. With maybe Horse and His Boy coming in a close next. Although as a kid I was always disappointed at first that most of the story takes place outside Narnia. But the big payoff is when Narnia finally shows up at the end...."the bolt of Tash falls from above!"...
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I cannot wait for this. The books do get increasing darker as they go - down to EVERYBODY dying in the end, but that is quite literally, another story. What I have seen so far I really like. I am little peeved though at some folks. One of the first reviews I read had someone going off about how they went on for such a long time when Lucy thought she saw Aslan, and then no one else believed her, and then blah blah blah. This movie - or well, book anyway - is about faith. The first is stepping up to the plate, admitting you did something wrong. The second is Aslan taking care of it for you, (they skipped the third, but its about where your new life may lead you) this one is about believing in the midst of turmoil, the fifth, action, adventure and getting your nose to the grindstone when it comes down to it, The Silver Chair is about what happens when you do fail, and the last one is about death. Lewis plays out all of life (he never mentions Jesus, its not an allegory) in these books. I really hope its as good as Capone says.
My wife is yelling behind me, "Bring on the O-GORE!" -
I think FlickaPoo is right. His voice was good flavor for it. It lent well to the imagination.
(Ah, I said its not an allegory because Lewis said it isn't. An allegory is another story told to mean something else, Narnia is simply Lewis' imagination of what it would be like were Christ to create another world and choose to take form of a lion instead. Not an allegory, more of an "installment to Earth.") -
Particularly one with pre-established studio hype? What the hell is the world coming too. Defintely watching this with the GF though, loved the first one, though I love the books more.
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She can act circles around Aslan. The boys are shit. Especially the oldest. The other daughter who needs a good F'ing isnt that bad either.
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I liked the first, and I'll love this one...Monday can't come fast enough (I like it since it's a slow day and I can get good seats)...
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I would like very much to have one, even if it has only Warwick Davis and Peter Dinklidge in it. Does anyone know where I can get a dwarf rolo-desk. Thats the coolest thing ever.
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We saw the first one together, my wife, her sis and husband, their kids, my wife's parents and brother, and so on.These films are great fantasy/adventures for families.With Iron Man and this, Indy and Batman this is one of the best movie summers ever!
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Hey, back off, she's nearly 20.
http://tinyurl.com/5ys3gj
http://tinyurl.com/4aro9u
http://tinyurl.com/42pgxp
I'm just sayin'. -
May 15, 2008 11:23:02 AM CDT
"youthful fantasy done right" I'm glad it's better than the 1st
by stereotypical evil archer
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i loved the books as a kid, but i remember prince caspian boring the hell out of me. i remember there were several chapters of the kids just walking around in the woods. caspian is hands down the worst book of the series. i'm glad they've played with the story, adding battles, and bulking up the interesting parts. i do worry about the faith aspect though. i'm a big lewis fan, don't get me wrong. i just think alot of people assume since he was a christian people get the wrong idea about him. alot of ultra-conservative evangelical bible belt america really would find themselves at odds with him on alot of points. don't want to spoil anything, but in the last book (the last battle) when the kids get to "heaven" there are some calormenes there too who didn't even know who aslan was, and worshiped the darker deity Tash. i don't think that kind of thinking would sit to well with the southern baptists all to well. that all being said, i hope this film does well, because i really want to see "voyage of the dawn treader" and "the horse and his boy" on the big screen.
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since the books came first. chickens and eggs. the happening review/talkback is hilarious...can't wait to see the train wreck.
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Nobody.
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I can't wait to see it. Thanks, Capone!
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Your statement is clearly illogical.
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They are lame like that, with the minute long introduction for their most "successful characters" and milking them of any pity charm they had.
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Just got the first one on Blu Ray, totally kicks ass...
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because it's totally wrong. If anything, Speed Racer talked UP to the kid audience. I'll be seeing this anyway, as a childhood Narnia fan. I'm glad that Adamson decided to update Lewis' ideas about women and let the girls fight. If there's ever a Last Battle movie, maybe he won't deny Susan heaven because she wears makeup and likes boys. Then again, I'll be very surprised if this series goes beyond Dawn Treader.
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English, motherf**ker, do you speak it?
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-Yawn!- Who cares about this shit, seriously.
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Excellent. Yet another movie that is better than LOTR.
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Thank you for opening my eyes!I'd like to see her talking beaver ...Wh... what I meant to say was I'd like to bury my lion into that witch's wardrobe. ...... I mean, I want to Popple one off into her Well. ... SHIT! What I am trying to say is: I'm lonely! Desperately lonely.
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rape-a-cheep. probably coming soon to a talk back near you.
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Less dull? That's all I ask.
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Schwing!
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I will never understand why people feel the need to enter a TB only to say stupid shit like "Who gives a fuck?" Apparentely you do because you just couldn't resist posting about it, even if it was only some inane comment that proves how empty your life is.
And seeing as how the first movie made 3/4 of a billion dollars, I guess the movie going public gives a fuck too, dickwads. -
except this one. It sounds like he's coming across like a fanboy. I've seen the first film and it was turd. I've seen the trailer to this one and it just seems aweful. Expecially the french dude, caspian whatever. I have a feeling that this film is going to be crap, but I'll give it a shot and see.
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May 16, 2008 11:12:10 AM CDT
this is the first time I've been suss on AICN
by nomoredirtyjokespleaseweareyanks
The first film was terrible. I can't see Adamson making anyhing but trash. I hope Capones not full of shit. I love the books.
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Ok..ok...just kidding. Nice to know this one's got more life than the last...the religion pretense does make me tend to roll my eyes but doesn't destroy my suspension of disbelief. As long as the eye-rolling doesn't become distracting of course.
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