Prince Caspian

by Johnny

Can a movie improve upon a book which C.S. Lewis wrote that “[s]ales show that is longo intervallo [latin for "by a long interval"] the least popular of the Narnian books”? That certainly seems to be the aim of the director and producers of the film adaptation of Prince Caspian. From the lengthy battle scenes to an entirely new scene of the Narnians raiding Miraz’s castle, which is not in the book itself, it is clear they were trying to do so. But does it work? It works in making a Hollywood blockbuster, but not as a movie that is completely faithful to the book.

There are many omissions from the book in the film. I would have loved to see Bacchus, his Maenads, and Silenus on his donkey accompany Aslan and the two Penvensie girls in the merry celebratory romp in the chapter “The Lion Roars” and continued in “How All Were Very Busy.” I would have loved to see the Old Narnians dancing in the woods with the footprints still there in the morning. This would have given some perspective into the Old Narnians defying Miraz and his Telmarines by still holding to their way of life. It would have also lightened up the film in the midst of the urgency and the imminent war ahead. I would have loved to see Dr. Cornelius tell Prince Caspian, “All you have heard about Old Narnia is true…” at least in a flashback scene or whatever. The point of Prince Caspian is the not only the “restoration of the true religion after corruption” as C.S. Lewis summarized it, but also the overthrow of materialistic worldview and the skepticism that came with it ever since the Enlightenment. Aslan plays a big role in this, but he is glaringly absent for most of the film. He finally makes his appearance towards the end, in a climactic finish by rescuing Lucy and releasing the river god upon those Telmarines who refuse to fight. Makes for great cinema, but Aslan is around more in the book and the lessons learned by the four Pevensie children that are present in the book are absent from the movie.

One of the more powerful scenes in the movie takes place within the depths of what used to be Aslan’s How where Nikabrik along with a hag and a werewolf try to call upon the White Witch to help defeat Miraz. All is needed is the blood of a Son of Adam or a Daughter of Eve. The four Penvensie children arrive in time to stop Prince Caspian’s temptation, but not before Peter is tempted as well. Eventually a spear goes through the White Witch and we see Edmund wielding it in a scene reminiscient of when he destroys the White Witch’s magic spear in the first film. This scene, I feel, ties the two films together and shows how far Edmund has come from Turkish Delight.

Prince Caspian is a good and enjoyable summer blockbuster movie, but as a movie that is based on the book, leaves much out including the spiritual lessons that C.S. Lewis hid hoping to “steal past those watchful dragons”.

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