| "Prince Caspian," the sequel to the 2005 Disney | | | | of medieval knights. |
| hit, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," does | | | | In Chronicles he crafted a world peopled with such |
| not pick up the story where its predecessor left | | | | creatures as fauns, centaurs, and dryads. Then he |
| off, in Narnia's exhilarating Golden Age, but in a | | | | asked himself, "How do you suppose the Christ |
| time of fear and despair. From this deep dip on | | | | would represent Himself in such a world?" How |
| the cinematic roller-coaster, it offers to lift us to | | | | else but as Aslan, the giant lion who is awesome |
| the heavens, with many a rise and fall and a | | | | and powerful, gentle yet frightening, nearby yet |
| twisty turn between. In its masterful blend of fast | | | | hidden, and not at all tame? This scheme of |
| pacing, exciting action, dazzling special effects, and | | | | "supposal," as he called it, explains the Christian |
| thrilling musical score, "Prince Caspian" does not | | | | symbolism in The Chronicles in a more |
| disappoint. | | | | satisfactory way than regarding it as a |
| Back to the Narnian Beach | | | | this-for-that Christian allegory. |
| With the next school term looming ahead, the | | | | Lessons for the Teachable |
| Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, | | | | The main messages of "Prince Caspian" are these: |
| wait gloomily at a railway station in 1941 England. | | | | - You cannot determine who is right and who isn't |
| Suddenly, they feel something like a sharp sting at | | | | by merely taking a head-count. True heroes must |
| their backs and the next instant find themselves | | | | often struggle as a few against a numberless |
| on a seaside beach bordered by a thick forest. | | | | multitude. |
| Could they be... back in Narnia? | | | | - Every individual in such a struggle has latent |
| Soon they discover that they have indeed | | | | resources--his or her own unique talents, skills, and |
| returned to Cair Paravel, the castle where they | | | | abilities--to lend to the cause, and each one of |
| had reigned as kings and queens. Now, however, | | | | them, no matter how short, stupid, or feeble, can |
| it is in ruins and overgrown, as if a thousand | | | | make a valuable contribution. |
| years have passed. Yet the Pevensies have only | | | | - The fight for the right is a team effort, |
| been away from Narnia for a year by our | | | | demanding that we set aside all of our differences |
| calendar. | | | | and pull together. |
| A dwarf named Trumpkin, whom they rescue | | | | - Winning is not everything. How you win is just |
| from two would-be executors, tells them the | | | | as important, or more so, for it reveals the |
| bitter truth: Cruel Miraz the Telmarine now rules | | | | wisdom of your choices, your strength of your |
| Narnia. Having seized the throne by murdering his | | | | loyalties, and the worth of your comrades. |
| own brother, King Caspian IX, Miraz now wants to | | | | Minor Themes Include: |
| slay his nephew, Prince Caspian, the true king. The | | | | - Ecology - the Telmarines are afraid of the |
| Pevensies are dismayed to learn that the | | | | forest, they have hacked and chopped away until |
| Telmarines have driven all of the Talking Beasts | | | | the trees hate them bitterly. |
| into hiding and that even the trees have fallen into | | | | - Racism - The Telmarines hate everyone that |
| a deep sleep. | | | | does not belong to their homogeneous race. The |
| Trumpkin tells them that Caspian seeks to reclaim | | | | dwarfs have suffered at the hands of other |
| the throne with the help of the Talking Beasts, | | | | races so that now they find it hard to trust |
| the dwarves, and a few giants. Though noble and | | | | anyone, including all who are only half-dwarf. |
| courageous, his soldiers are no match for Miraz's | | | | Those of "old Narnia" accept each other despite |
| troops. After a particularly bloody battle, Caspian | | | | their diversity of races and species. |
| has just turned to his last resort. He would blow | | | | - Sexism - the two girls are as vital to the |
| Queen Susan's magic horn, hoping it would | | | | outcome as the boys, perhaps more so. |
| summon help from an unexpected quarter, as its | | | | If you are willing to set aside your cynicism, willing |
| legend promised. Caspian, in fact, had sent | | | | to immerse yourself in an awesome world with |
| Trumpkin ahead to Cair Paravel, not to be | | | | formidable foes and surprising allies, this movie is |
| captured by sentries at a Telmarine outpost, but | | | | yours to enjoy, not just as a viewer, but as a |
| to serve as guide, in case the horn should | | | | participating hero. |
| summon the Pevensies, or even Aslan the Lion, | | | | Movie Facts |
| legendary ruler of all Narnia. | | | | 2 hrs. 24 min., rated PG. Andrew Adamson |
| Now the two "sons of Adam" and the two | | | | directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay |
| "daughters of Eve" understand how and why they | | | | with Chistopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. |
| got back into Narnia. Once they know how | | | | Cast: Ben Barnes stars as Prince Caspian. The |
| desperately Caspian and the "Old Narnians" need | | | | Pevensies all reprise their roles in "The Lion, the |
| them, they willingly begin their difficult journey to | | | | Witch and the Wardrobe": William Moseley as |
| join the prince in his war against Miraz. The story | | | | Peter, Anna Popplewell as Susan, Skandar Keynes |
| reaches its climax as its characters are forced to | | | | as Edmund, and Georgie Henley as Lucy. Peter |
| ask and answer vital questions like, "Whom can | | | | Dinklage plays Trumpkin and Sergio Castellitto, |
| we trust and why?" and "Does achieving a high | | | | Miraz. Liam Neeson supplies the voice of Aslan. |
| and noble goal justify using a desperately wicked | | | | Original music is by Harry Gregson-Williams, with |
| means?" | | | | cinematography by Karl Walter Lindenlaub. The |
| Lewis's Original Series | | | | castles and forests of the Czech Republic near |
| Prince Caspian is actually volume four of The | | | | Prague prove a serviceable Narnia. Disney has |
| Chronicles of Narnia, the seven-book series by C. | | | | already announced the next installment of the |
| S. Lewis (1898 - 1963). Lewis was a professor of | | | | "Chronicles of Narnia" franchise, "The Voyage of |
| Medieval literature at Oxford and later at | | | | the Dawn Treader," now scheduled for release on |
| Cambridge. He was enamored with the classical | | | | May 7, 2010. |
| Graeco-Roman mythology as well as the chivalry | | | | |