Movie Review: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

The Narnia royalty is back with a big bang and how! Admitted - I was not one of the billions of fans that "the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" gathered, but count me in this mutli billion fold with this new outing. Yes, I can't stop raving about this film. This time around the Narnia quartet and Aslan, the lion with the brooding voice (Liam Neeson) are joined with Prince Caspian, a fascinating new addition to the series.

The story starts where the previous installment ends. The Narnian quartet are getting used to their drab lives in the real world, while back in their fantasy world Narnia has been conquered by the Telmarines and is now under the control of the evil King Miraz, who rules the land without mercy. One year after the events of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," the four kids are recalled back to Narnia, only to discover that more than 1300 years have passed in Narnian time. Things have changed, Narnians are not as loving, forgiving and trusting as earlier under the regime of King Miraz. The four children soon meet an intriguing new character: Narnia's rightful heir to the throne, the young Prince Caspian, who has been forced into hiding as his uncle Miraz plots to kill him in order to place his own newborn son on the throne. And therein begins the machinations of this movie, which seems more or less like a war- movie. The story also includes other new fascinating characters, like Reepicheep - the courageous, chivalrous and courteous (but not cute in his own words) talking mouse, a kindly dwarf, a honey badger called Trufflehunter and many others.

With this second installment the series has taken a much darker, grittier, action-packed and adult tone that really ups the ante and blows the first film out of the water. It is obvious from the first frame that this is going to be a different adventure than the previous one, and what makes it better is how this film expands the mythology and widens the scope of the world of Narnia. Now, being written by C.S. Lewis, expectedly the religious themes of Cain and Abel, Moses and others are present in this story. Andrew Adamson needs to be commended for his direction with this film because he has definitely grown from the first. He easily handles the darker change of tone, the more complicated action and effects, and guides all the new characters very nicely. No one seems out of place. Speaking of characters, the four actors from the first film have all grown up since we've last seen them and it bodes good for the story, in the sense that you could spice up the story with some romantic tension between Prince Caspian and the Queen, which of course does happen. Ben Barnes, the new addition playing Prince Caspian, fits in very well and certainly carries charisma. Now, not only is the cinematography gorgeous and the effects improved, but also, as I mentioned before, the action in this film is intense, notably the sword fighting duel at the very climax of the movie. It is to Adamson's credit that I must say that this climatic sword fighting duel is probably one of the very best ever captured on screen. Even the epic final battle is very well shot and it reminds you of Peter Jackson's brilliant battle scenes from LOTR. It is all spectacular! By the end of the movie, I even began to care for the characters, long for Aslan (I must mention here, when he finally appeared on the screen, the kiddies all around me began clapping and hooting loudly, such is his screen presence) I will go as far as to say that this is one of most best fantasy films ever made. It easily comes on my list of favorite fantasy movies, up there with LOTR. An instant classic!