Production company: Walt Disney Pictures and
Walden Media
Director: Andrew Adamson
Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Ben Barnes, Peter Dinklage, Warwick Davis, Vincent Grass, Ken Stott, Pierfrancesco Favino, Sergio Castellitto, Liam Neeson, Eddie Izzard
Rating: PG for fantasy violence
By Gregg Tubbs
(UMC.org)—“Things never happen the same way twice,” Aslan intones, not once, but twice in the new Narnia film
Prince Caspian, almost as if to remind us that this second in the series will be a different kind of film. And indeed,
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian differs from The
Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe noticeably. The question is whether audiences will swarm to a film that’s darker and more dependants on battles. And will Christians warm to a film with less overtly Christian themes and the appearance of the god-like Aslan forestalled and subdued? Well, fear not. Though essentially a Narnian war movie,
Prince Caspian delivers the goods as a sweeping tale of good versus evil, faith versus faithlessness, and the loss of innocence—all with a family-friendly PG rating. Narnia fans will not be disappointed.
The subtitle of the original book was “The Return to Narnia,” and much of the creative team has returned for the second film in the series, particularly director Andrew Adamson and the talented young actors who play the Pevensie children—Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley). Unlike the first, this film begins in Narnia rather than in WWII-era England, home of the Pevensies. In the first film, there is no assurance that Narnia even exists outside the perception of the children, but here it is clear that Narnia’s existence is independent and will continue even beyond the Pevensies. More than a thousand years has passed in Narnia since the children's first visit, and during this time a ruthless dynasty of humans, the Telmarines, has taken over and driven the native Narnians—the talking animals, fauns, centaurs and others—underground to live secretly in the woods. Narnia and High King Peter and his ruling siblings have faded into legend. The Telmarines have literally driven the magic out of Narnia.
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Queen Lucy (Georgie Henley), High King Peter (William Moseley), Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes), Queen Susan (Anna Popplewell), and King Edmund (Skandar Keynes) unite the remaining native Narnians to defeat the cruel Miraz. Copyright © 2008 Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media.
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After the birth of his son, the ruthless Miraz (Sergio Castellitto) attempts to assassinate his nephew Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes), a young and paradoxically kind-hearted Telmarine who is the rightful heir to the throne. Caspian narrowly escapes a surprise attack and flees the castle. Hotly pursued by Miraz's troops, Caspian falls from his horse and sounds a magical horn, which summons the ancient rulers back to Narnia to rescue the kingdom. However, King Peter and siblings are whisked back to Narnia only a year older than when they first visited, and roughly the same age as Caspian himself. But God, or in this case Aslan, works in mysterious ways, and it is up to the young heroes to unite the remaining native Narnians and defeat the cruel Miraz who wants to drive them to extinction.
Complicating matters is Aslan himself—or more precisely his absence. For Caspian, Aslan exists only in the realm of myth and legend, and even the Pevensies feel lost and filled with doubt without his direct guidance. They must venture forth in faith, trusting in his unseen presence, his past promises and teachings. Whereas an allegorical retelling of Christ’s death and resurrection (in the form of Aslan) was the centerpiece of
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe,
Prince Caspian is very much about believers continuing on in faith once the master has gone. C.S. Lewis himself also described “Caspian” as Narnia’s “civil war” story, focusing on "restoration of the true religion after corruption,” possibly alluding to periods in the history of the church when it drifted from the true gospel and needed to fight the current orthodoxy to right itself.
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God often chooses unlikely candidates to serve his mission, like Lucy (George Henley), the youngest of the children, to whom Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson) first chooses to appear. Copyright © 2008 Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media.
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Caspian is also rich in other spiritual themes. God often chooses unlikely candidates to serve his mission such as the grumpy, unbelieving dwarf Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage), and Lucy, the youngest of the children, to whom Aslan first chooses to appear. The film also teaches that God, though unseen, is ever present, and that our service and sacrifice will be rewarded. As in the first film, the unspoiled, natural world reflects the goodness of God. In one particularly beautiful scene of swirling leaves, we see that creation itself delights in the presence of the Creator. Conversely, the leaden stillness of the trees that “used to dance” symbolizes how far Narnia has been separated from Aslan.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian succeeds not by duplicating
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but by building on it, taking what could have just been “Battle for the Planet of Narnia” and instilling it with spiritual lessons about faith, courage and service. With this, the Narnia franchise smoothly avoids the “sophomore curse” and makes us hopeful for many thrilling and inspiring Narnia films in the future.
Caspian comes highly recommended!
Study Questions
- Which character in the film do you identify with the most? Why? Which was hardest for you to understand? Why? Which character would you most like to be?
- Why do you think Aslan chose to appear to Lucy rather than Peter? Why was Peter hurt by this?
- How does God reveal himself to you? In nature? In the people who love you?
- When the bear Lucy encounters turns out to be completely wild, Trumpkin says, “Get treated like a dumb animal long enough, that’s what you become. You may find Narnia a more savage place than you remember.” What did that tell you about the state of Narnia? Do you think that applies to people as well?
- In what way is faith a major theme in the film? How is the faith of the Pevensie children tested? How is it rewarded?
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is seen as an overtly Christian work. How about Prince Caspian? If yes, why?
- The film differs a bit from the book. If you read the book, do you think these changes were necessary? Was anything lost or gained by them?
- When Caspian tells Aslan he doesn’t believe he is ready to rule, Aslan said, “That’s why I know you are.” What did he mean? How can self-doubt be a good thing?
- Peter’s battles all seem to be failures until he finally declares they are fighting for Aslan. What do you think is the significance of this?
- In the end, did Caspian and the Pevensies earn their victory? How? Were they right to show mercy to their enemies? Would you?
Resources
Official Caspian site
Movie Trailer
