THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN (2008) ** Definitely suffers in comparison to the first one, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Even though it shares the principal characters, it feels less like that than one of the Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, movies. It lacks the gravitas of the original: when they play that soaring theme that worked so well in The Lion, you wonder what they possibly think is going on. The sweeping metaphors are there-Jesus, temptation, the Old Testament God-but they lack the clarity and grandiosity of the first time around-the Power depicted is omnipotence, but the portrayal is lacking in grace. Besides an overtly imitative approach in general, this one also lacks any compelling performance. Ben Barnes has some nice moments are the prince, I'd cast him again in a similar role, but he could have really only saved things by busting out a blow dryer in the midst of battle, a la Daphne Zuniga in Spaceballs . Tilda Swinton's very brief appearance only reminds you how great she was in the other one, and the only consistently impressive performance I detected was the voice talents of Eddie Izzard as a computerized mouse. Ah, I dunno, Sergio Castelitto is pretty good as a bad guy, but never enough so that you just give up and vote for him.
back to Brilliant Observations on 2120 Films page, or Index
go back home, or send me email
Reviews won't do it any more! I need sustained brilliance! I want to buy your exciting new terrorist novel!
I've already read both of your novels. Thank you, they're amazing. Now I want to check out your weekly blog on everything