Prince Caspian

[cleolinda]

A few things--numbered, because I use lists when I feel scattered:

1. No Half-Blood Prince trailer. I started to realize there wouldn't be as the afternoon wore on and no one had posted a cell-phone video of anything on YouTube yet.

2. The soundtrack was, again, really lovely, and Brett the Vet and I seat-danced to the Reepicheep theme, which I have promised to acquire for him.

3. Really beautifully filmed, particularly Caspian's escape at the beginning, lots of nice swooping, beautiful cinematography, great costumes, wonderful armor.

4. Kind of a mess, storywise. I mean, I liked the movie. I would see it again; I will totally own it. It all flows logically, that's fine, it's just... it feels so overstuffed. There were points when I honestly could not figure out how much movie was left. Maybe it was frontloaded with too many Miraz machinations? I don't really know how to put my finger on it--I'm not saying I insist on a three-act structure or anything, but there's a point when you can go, "Okay, this is the beginning of the movie, where they start establishing things. Okay, this is the middle of the movie. Okay, this is where everything starts winding down." I got to the "winding down" part in Prince Caspian, and we still had another battle and a half to go. I don't know--maybe if I saw it again? Which I wouldn't mind at all.

5. It's not The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Try to keep that in mind when you go--it's not going to have that innocence, that sense of wonder; the book itself doesn't have that. The book itself, like the movie, is about going back and finding everything you loved destroyed, and having to set things right, prove yourself, and prove your faith. It is, by necessity, darker in tone (if not in cinematography), and probably better released as a summer movie than a Christmas movie, honestly.

6. This is, in part, because there's a lot more action. Remember the link I posted earlier today? Yeah. The PG rating is a lie. Keep that in mind if you're taking young kids to see it. It's largely bloodless, but there is a lot of action and violence. And it's not just stuffed animals wailing on each other this time; it's people, too, which may make it seem more real to younger kids. Also, the movie starts with a really screamy childbirth scene; a young child behind me (this is at 8:30 pm, mind you) blurted out, "What happened to her?" This is not even to speak of the part where half Caspian's followers are trapped in a courtyard and pretty much slaughtered by Miraz's archers. Yes, actually killed dead, while he and Peter watch. I mean, the boys angst very prettily, but it's still really disturbing.

7. Y hello thar, Prince Caspian.

8. Okay, to be serious: Ben Barnes does a really good job, and gets several great emotional notes to hit. His final confrontation with Miraz is really, really well done.

9. That said, why was he wearing a blouse and gauchos at the end?

10. There's a reason Peter announces at the end that he and Susan won't be coming back to Narnia: Queen Susan has got it goin' on. I mean, she already had it goin' on in the first movie, so you can imagine how bodacious she is now. There's a scene where Anna Popplewell and Georgie Henley are lying on the ground by a campfire, and Popplewell's breasts are just... well, I'm a straight girl and I noticed them. Clearly Susan knows that her time is up, too, because there she is at the end, in her off-the-shoulder princess gown, snogging King Caspian. If she's going to hell for boys and lipstick, she might as well start now.

11. Speaking of hell, I think I just bought a one-way ticket there, because Skandar Keynes is rapidly growing into a very fine-looking young man who was not born in the '90s, thank you very much holy Moses, just set me out on the ice floe now.

12. All in all, I liked it. We may have been sitting too close, if that makes any sense--we didn't get there in time to grab the rail like we usually do, but ended up in the very second row in the front. I almost wonder if I'd feel less overwhelmed by the movie if I'd been sitting further back. Anyway: would pay to see again, probably will pay to see again, will own the inevitable special-edition DVD.

Comments

[sarahjanet.livejournal.com]

I think sitting further back would help. I was in the fourth or so row of the back section (if that makes sense) and even that felt a bit close.

I freaking LOVED it. Flaily, squealing love. I liked Lion etc. ok, but to me this is like the difference between the first two HP movies and subsequent ones. The first movie was closer to the book, but I feel like this one got it RIGHT. Especially Edmund. And WORD on the hotness of him - holy crap, he is a good looking kid. I think it makes it worse that (a) I know the actor is quite sarcastic and hilarious, and I like that, and (b) the character is sarcastic and hilarious. But I am sooo with you on that ice floe to hell.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Yeah, usually the rail--the front row of the majority of the theater, with the whiplash section further in front--frames the screen just perfectly within your field of vision. This was... a bit closer.

[naeelah.livejournal.com]

7, 8, and 9: OMG YES.

Right down to the comment about the gauchos. LOL. My friend and I looked at each other and burst out laughing at that part. I noted afterward, he's wearing a pleated skirt and gauchos, and yet he is still Teh Hot.

And an excellent actor and a good character, of course. These things are important. (The guy who plays Peter would be cute if Peter weren't such a douche.)

In spite of the fact the movie was all action and little character, I liked it a great deal. Not the best fantasy epic of our time, but very enjoyable.

[rufinia.livejournal.com]

Oh god, I noticed her boobs too. Damn. I wish mine looked that good.

I saw this on Monday at a free screening where I was practically cavity searched before they'd let me in (HOLY SHIT DISNEY IT IS A MOVIE NOT THE PENTAGON), and I was kind of disturbed by the violence. I was also bludgeoned over the head with the ASLAN IS JESUS overt-text.

Mostly I was annoyed at the departures from the book. I liked it, but it wasn't... I was annoyed. The raid on the castle? Why?

[outlander.livejournal.com]

I didn't get the Christianity overtones anywhere near as much with this one. Much more with the first one. This, to me, was much more you have to show faith before you will get rewards. That seems very much like real life at times.

[http://users.livejournal.com/after_the_rain_/]

i liked the movie a lot, but i do agree parts of it felt overstuffed. and ben barnes is yummy.

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

There's a scene where Anna Popplewell and Georgie Henley are lying on the ground by a campfire, and Popplewell's breasts are just...

Yes. Yes! YES! Er, they were very nice. That scene was great, and also her dress at the end. I've always had a thing for off-the-shoulder dresses, and then there was Susan (quite a lot of Susan) improving the dress and vice versa, and I can't seem to stop talking about this, please someone make me shut up I'm babbling—

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

Also— "You might want to call me." Heeee.

[telesilla.livejournal.com]

I'd say sitting further back would have been better; I sat in the second row the first time I saw LotR and it really did mess with my following the story, even though I knew it.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the more I think about it, the more that really may have been what the problem was. (Well, at least it wasn't Speed Racer...)

[tabbyclaw.livejournal.com]

There's a scene where Anna Popplewell and Georgie Henley are lying on the ground by a campfire, and Popplewell's breasts are just...

...popping well?

[danisse.livejournal.com]

Oh no, you did not!

I'll be sitting over here in my self-righteous corner absolutely not thinking anything inappropriate about young Edmund.

[honorh.livejournal.com]

I have mixed emotions about it. It's good for what it is, but there was so much of the story missed and replaced by the castle set-piece. I kind of wish they'd gone more with the book's structure of arrival in Narnia, flashback time, hike to Caspian. But that's neither here nor there.

Yes, Anna Popplewell has certainly developed well, hasn't she? That one shot straight down her cleavage didn't leave much to the imagination. I suppose that with Caspian being a hottie who didn't look that much older, the math was very simple for the filmmakers. On a meta level, it actually dovetails quite nicely with her later disenchantment--she could've really had something with Caspian, but they're stuck in different universes. (Rose Tyler: "Dude, that always sucks.") Only Lucy and Edmund get to see him again.

I'm going to warn my sister about the level of violence. The Miraz-Peter smackdown alone was fairly brutal.

Reep rocks.

[miss-daae.livejournal.com]

See, I kind of like that they didn't do the flashback thing. It was more interesting (to me anyways) to see that stuff as it was happening, instead of Trumpkin telling the Pevensies "so this is what happened before you got here."

I thought it was interesting that Anna/Susan got as much screen time as she did. Out of the 4 kids, she always seemed like the least developed character, and then later she grows up and out of Narnia... and that's kind of it. But yes, the Susan/Caspian angle did add something to her, and does fit in well with her later development. I wonder if they're gonna keep the Lucy/Caspian vibe that floats around during Voyage of the Dawn Treader... probably not, seeing as Caspian is SO much older in the movies than in the books.

Your Rose comment made me LOL. Nothing like an alternate universe to put a stop to your romance!

(Reep was probably my favourite thing about the movie. His character + Eddie Izzard as the voice = AWESOMENESS)

[mmariep2.livejournal.com]

I saw the first showing of the movie this morning in a theater that was empty except for me. So, I got to squee and giggle and clap and enjoy the entire movie all to myself.

I completely agree with # 7 and #11, and I'm with you on #10 'cause I noticed that part too. Actually , I couldn't help but stare because they were right there.

I know there has been some contradictory reviews about the film, but I completely enjoyed it.

[edda.livejournal.com]

If she's going to hell for boys and lipstick, she might as well start now.

*gigglesnort*

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

I sort of loved it even though I recognize the flaws to it. I understand completely what you mean about it being hard to figure out where in the movie you were.

I was surprised how not tacky the Spanish accent on Caspian was. True, I kept expecting someone to declare themselves Inigo Montoya at the beginning, but after about 15 minutes I actually thought it was kind of hot on Caspian. And for the first major role in a movie, Ben Barnes can act, y'all. He did a lot of screaming at people that would normally make me cringe, but instead I just felt his pain.

He's also aggressively hot. If Barnes doesn't make a career out of this it will be a crime.

Meanwhile, Annie Popplewell is GORGEOUS. No wonder she goes to hell in a handbasket over the boys.

My biggest complaint was that Caspian was portrayed kind of wishy washy. He really wasn't that much that way in the book and you could forgive him for it more in the book because he was all of like 15. Making him in his twenties and viciously insecure kind of felt off. It was almost like he didn't earn the whole kingship, just stood around and watched Peter do all the work. Maybe this is just because Sam West in the old Wonderworks production has ALWAYS come off arrogant.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

:scratches head: I thought he was younger than 15 in the book? Must go back and re-read. Also, Peter's only supposed to be about 15 or 16, the point being that he's got all the experience of fighting and suchlike from being High King (well, that and he started fighting battles back in LWW)

[viorica8957.livejournal.com]

Meh. I came away thinking it was a huge mess (which was kind of inevitable, given that the book's plot isn't very linear) and kind of irritated at the subplots that never seemed to go anywhere, like the Peter/Caspian antimosity and all the Miraz intrigues.

That said, there was a lot of eyecandy. I spent most of the movie berating myself for noticing how good-looking Skandar Keynes had gotten, then got home and looked him up on IMDB, and was pleased to discover that he's the same age as me.

Edmund

[sevenmarie.livejournal.com]

OMG Edmund totally rocked the movie! he was so much cooler and snarkyer and just overall my favorite character in this movie! instead of being whiny "my older brother bosses me around" like in the 1st one.
eta:
also when he goes to give the challenge to miraz and miraz is all "prince edmund" and hes like "its KING edmund thankyouverymuch" haha!

also reepacheep ftw! when we left the movie i was like "this movie was good-different than loin witch and the wardrobe. this was much more running, jumping, climbing trees...putting on makeup when you're up there." which got big LOLs

[falco-conlon.livejournal.com]

The whole "Susan never comes back to Narnia" thing is the one part of the book that drives me absolutely fracken insane. There are just so, so many things wrong with Lewis' reasoning, you know? And then there's the simple fact that it's just plain depressing.

[naeelah.livejournal.com]

I know. Stay in Narnia and get it on with Caspian, or go back to WWII London? Gee, that's an even trade.

[stargatejunkie.livejournal.com]

Okay, I am SO glad I'm not the only one who noticed Skandar. Wow.

And, Ben Barnes as Caspian? YUM. I am totally going to go see the movie again. Because, seriously. It is made of win.

[cattikins.livejournal.com]

Thinking back on it, I LOVED it. While I was there, I saw flaws, possibly because I was looking for them. But looking back? FLOVE.

Also, all the pretty. So much pretty.

[schnuggleme.livejournal.com]

Word, especially to points 2, 3, 10, and 11. Also, Skandar's acting really impressed me.

[sdnalgnal.livejournal.com]

man, the FIRST thing i did when we saw the Pevensies was turn to my friend and go "holy COW, look at Skandar!" and i would like Peter so much better if he could get over the whole "i'm high king thanksmuch now listen to me".

to the Susan's Boobs comment: SO GLAD i'm not the only person who noticed that. that dress/postion did NOTHING to make you think she was younger than 20.

and MAN did i just LOVE edmund even more during the "KING Edmund okthanksmuch" part. love the snarky and sarcsam he does so well.

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, that Edmund-reading-scroll scene was GREAT.

[lotuseyes.livejournal.com]

I think I weeped a little bit more then necessary while I saw this movie. I kept asking why they had to make Edmund, Peter AND Caspian all good looking boys. and in the case of Peter and Edmund, years younger then me. Its just not fair I say. first Draco is hot and all and now the Narnia boys...I swear if they make their cousin good looking I will boycott all fantasy movies from here to eternity. my brain and heart just can't take it.

[agentsculder.livejournal.com]

I just got back from seeing it, and oh my goodness ALL THE PRETTY. Not just the boys, by Anna Popplewell was just gorgeous. I loved seeing her kick ass and take names. It's really amazing how much all of the Pevenzie children have changed.

Ben Barnes was just ridiculously yummy. And I am totally with you on the total WTF of that final outfit. Good on Susan for getting her kiss if she knows she can't come back.

I had not realized that all of the Telamarines were going to speak with Spanish accents. Now I have a reason to make my mom go see it. Although I can just see her bugging me, "Who is that playing Caspian? Is he Spanish?" GAH!

[bluebren.livejournal.com]

I cannot stand any more of Peter being in charge of anything. That is all.

No, wait-- why did they stuff the movie full of "Hur hur some of our characters are short D:"? ...That is all.

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

Ben Barnes was so totally fantastic. He's a great actor.

My boyfriend made fun of Caspian's final scene outfit. Hee.

I am also a straight girl who noticed Susan's, hem, "bosom" in the campfire scene. I was like, WHOA.

Speaking of awesome actors, Skandar Keynes OWNS. He's so totally awesome. ALso I loved how Peter acknowledged that Edmund is Teh Awesome Swordsman.

[ninepointfivemm.livejournal.com]

And the geeky boy is all, "Hey, baby," and Susan's all, "I just got back from snogging a very hot prince. PLEASE."

And oh my goodness is Ben Barnes attractive. He's right up there with Orlando Bloom when Orlando Bloom came back as Dread Pirate William. The pretty! It's stifling! But oh, what a good stifling it is.

And wow, Skandar Keynes is almost exactly 7 years younger than me. (He snuck in by a day earlier.) I am not allowed to find him remotely attractive. (Thank the lord for Peter and Caspian!)

Oh, man, and I just realized the composer was the voice of the squirrel! That is kind of adorable.

[blackdiamants.livejournal.com]

Narnia could very well rival LotR for Ye Moste Attractive Cast. I said goddamn. Moseley, Barnes, & Keynes, yes plz.

[jenny0.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it is just because I first read the books when I was fairly young, but I always pictured Caspian as 12-14 - an age when he would still be a child if he weren't being forced to grow up, as it were.

That said, WOW IS HE HOT and SNOGGING SUSAN WHAT. I guess I can understand why it was put in the film - to make it obvious that the sexual aspect of growing up is why she can't come back to Narnia (just like the Aslan=Jesus aspect was bludgeoned into viewers heads).