Three out of four Weedlets (those aged 4,7 & 9) give Prince Caspian an enthusiastic thumbs up. Eldest Weed, however, declared it the worst movie he's ever seen. Asked to explain himself, it's apparent that conclusion is somewhat exaggerated. His objections: There is no better way to ruin a movie than to put kissing into it.As to that, it's a chaste little peck in the final scene...and he's 11. His further complaint:
Absolutely the worst adaptation of a book I've ever seen.This is rich coming from him; he hated Narnia. But he's right. An enjoyable enough kids' action-adventure flick, with gorgeous scenery and fun special effects, but except for the barest skeleton of the story (the Pevensies return to Narnia 1300 years later to restore Prince Caspian to his rightful throne) there's not much Lewis in it. I don't mind the taking of liberties with the action --the book talks too much for the screen-- but most of the good characters have taken on a bit too much 21st century American sensibility for my comfort. They're courageous but not really noble. The themes of discipleship, the struggle to believe, the meaning of obedience and the proper role of a Christian during war drop out, to the point that the ending doesn't have the moral weight it should. Peter & Susan learn they'll never return to Narnia; they hardly seem to care, and neither do we. Mr. W. liked it, but he's never read the books. For a more detailed review, I think Steven Greydanus nails it.
