Review of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) by Hoss R — 01 Dec 2011

Decent fantasy/adventure fare, but it doesn't live up to the first. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe had many poignant, emotional moments and a good deal of character development. In Caspian, we are given a lot of battle scenes, elaborate set pieces and (thankfully good quality) CGI effects.

Unfortunately I just couldn't connect with it. The screenplay is muddled and unfocused, the plot-oriented developments unclear, and the acting painfully average. Caspian himself was particularly bland, a crippling flaw in a film that needs a charismatic lead to anchor it.

The last 15 minutes, at least up until the complete misfire of an ending, are by far the most satisfying and entertaining. It ends up being too little too late. The Narnia series honestly deserves better - this adaptation comes off as diverting but not engrossing.