352- The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian review

“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” might come as a shock to parents expecting to be bored to tears when taking their kids to a 140 minute Disney movie or cynical moviegoers anticipating a load of claptrap (like me). It turns out that the sequel to “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” is quite the summer treat, a thrilling blockbuster replete with gorgeous visuals, sympathetic characters, and talking polecats.

We’re quickly reintroduced to the four Pevensie siblings (three teens and one elementary age girl), the child heroes from the first installment. They’re stuck in World War II-era Britain, which is quite the drag for them after ruling Narnia for sixty years or so. Fortunately for their sense of adventure, the kids are whisked back into that magical land filled with dwarves, hyper-intelligent rodents, minotaurs, and worst of all, Italian-accented dictators.

The plot concerns one of those evil Italians attempt to murder his nephew, the titular Prince Caspian, and ascend to the throne. But the return of the Pevensies means that there are now four perfectly good (albeit short) monarchs to lead the war effort, meaning that we are treated to an array of battle sequences and swordfights.

And what fights they are. The film’s PG rating belies the intensity of the action sequences, which include a rousing commando-style assault on a fortress and a jarring duel between the leaders of two armies. Whereas it was distractingly silly in the previous entry to see the kids wielding their weapons like pros, the actors are now a bit older, and actually have lived a lifetime in Narnia before, so we can accept their status as expert dispatchers of enemy soldiers, something that happens with surprising frequency.

While long, “Prince Caspian” doesn’t waste much of its running time. The several debates between the villains about Narnian policy tend to stall the narrative, but the film shines when it features the young leads, all benefiting greatly from the character development already laid out several years prior. There’s a surprisingly mature dynamic at work here, the Pevensie children inhabiting their own roles with confidence and without pettiness or asinine squabbles. “Prince Caspian” is that rare family film which bothers to treat all of the audience members, young and old, with respect instead of like cash-dispensing idiots.

For those not in the know, the Narnia films are based on a series of novels by C.S. Lewis, and are likely the only fantasy franchise other than “Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter” that anyone outside of the Allied Atheist Alliance cares about. I’m the wrong critic to consult when it comes to discussing theology in cinema, but although “Prince Caspian” could doubtlessly be interpreted as pious, it’s crafted in a manner to be enjoyed by the secular viewer, or at least those who like their movies that way. Really, it seems to be suggesting that the conflicts fielded to us in life need to be met with a clear-head and sterling morals, a theme that few will find misguided. Or at least I hope.

3.5 out of 5