The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

A definitive downgrade on the first film, but this sequel still entertains to a good level. <em>'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian'</em> is a suitably entertaining production, if not an exceptional one; though it's not far off. I like the fresh new story and the fact that all four of the youngsters remain, but the change from dark, snowy settings to plain, summer-like conditions means the film does lose some spark. There's also much less intrigue with the villains. Georgie Henley (Lucy), William Moseley (Peter), Anna Popplewell (Susan) and Skandar Keynes (Edmund) are again enjoyable in their roles. Liam Neeson, just barely, reprises his role of Aslan - his inclusion does feel forced, as great a character as he is. Away from those four, you have a number of new faces. Ben Barnes (Caspian), Peter Dinklage (Trumpkin), Warwick Davis (Nikabrik) and Eddie Izzard (Reepicheep) are my standouts. Barnes is solid, I liked watching Caspian. Dinklage is great, while Davis and Izzard are welcomed newbies. Like the first film, the casting here is done astutely. They definitely should've shortened this though, the ending does drag a fair bit. There's also a couple of different moments that feel like the end, yet evidently aren't - there's certainly more than a few pacing issues. With all that said, I still had a more than decent time watching.

One year after their return from "Narnia" the four Pevensie children are summoned back. They arrive to discover everything has been destroyed and the land divided - humankind and animals no longer co-exist - under the autocratic rule of the nasty king "Miraz" (Sergio Castelitto) who murdered the previous king and usurped the throne from the rightful successor Prince "Caspian" (Ben Barnes). A great supporting cast including Peter Dinklage, Warwick Davis and Pierfranceso Favino help the kids and the Prince do battle - alongside a rather deferential but feisty vocal contribution from Eddie Izzard as "Reepicheep", the chivalric mouse - to restore the proper order. It's not got as much going for it as the first film in the series; the story isn't quite so engaging - but again the dialogue, scenery and score all contribute to a thoroughly enjoyable family fantasy adventure that relies much more on the quality of the story than on extensive use of CGI.