I've seen it!!! :D
I went to see Prince Caspian tonight. Major SPOILERS and long review/rant under the cut.
I really liked the movie. I'll have to see it again, but overall I thought it was a very good movie. Perhaps even great. However, I'm not so sure about its status as an adaptation of a book. It's a much better adaptation than The Two Towers, which is a relief, but there are still several things that bothered me.
First off, there's the issue of the rating. It's rated PG in the US, but it really pushes that, and there were a few times that I thought it would have been better for the film to be PG-13 so that something could be closer to the book, or so that the concern for the rating would be a little less obvious. I know the books are generally aimed at children and first read by children, but there are some moments in the books that simply are not PG material. For example, the book description of the duel is pretty detailed, as are some of the moments in the battle. Most of these moments can be adapted to PG rating through editing, and the film was partially successful at this, but there were still a few things that stood out to me.
Secondly, there's the pacing. I thought it was pretty good, mostly, but there were a few moments that felt a little rushed, and I think those scenes could have benefited from taking a second or two to let the characters and audience breathe. Seriously, an audience can sit through a movie that's ten minutes longer. Having characters react and develop takes time.
The biggest issues that annoyed me, however, was characterization of certain characters, especially Peter and Susan. Peter, who in the books gets along wonderfully with Caspian and proves that he really is Peter the Magnificent, is much less mature in the movie. He complains about being in England, he has great difficulty accepting the various changes in his status, he has major pride issues, and he has trouble getting along with Caspian. While all these are understandable coming from a teenager who has suddenly gone from royalty to common schoolboy, it's all very different from how Peter behaves in the book. On top of that, the Peter-the-Magnificent side of the character is closer to being a thirty-year-old than a teenager, since the Pevensies lived to adulthood when they first ruled in Narnia. The fact that a character in the movie tells Peter to "act his age" didn't exactly help me forget this point.
Susan also had some annoying changes. Remember this post, in which I expressed my concern about Susan fighting? As it turns out, my fears were mostly unnecessary, but I'm still not completely satisfied with how it was handled. I definitely would have liked to see more of her reacting to having to fight, since her dislike of killing and warfare is such a huge part of her character in the book (I also would have liked to see more of Lucy's view on fighting, but that's another subject). Instead, I found myself being annoyed at how she was fighting, or in what situation. Susan is an archer, and she does not carry bladed weapons. That does not mean that she should start throwing arrows at people when she gets into close combat. She is not an elf. She should not be fighting like one. Sure, Legolas, might be able to pull off something like that, but that's because he's an elf, and as such is significantly faster and stronger than most humans. Not so much for Susan. Also, Susan probably shouldn't be trying to take on several Telmarine riders all by herself, without backup. Especially when the only purpose it serves in the story is for Caspian to rescue her.
...which brings me to another point: romantic stuff between Susan and Caspian. It really isn't much of a romance, but it is 1) completely and utterly unnecessary and 2) not in the book at all. One of the reasons I like the Narnia books is that there isn't a whole lot of romance present. I don't mind the semi-flirtatious glances that are present throughout the film, but the kiss at the end? Ugh. Especially since she had just reminded him that she is technically 1300 years older than him, and that it never would have worked out. That he responded afterward by hugging her tightly for several seconds did not help. Also, a note to the filmmakers: the use of the very modern song from the soundtrack as she walked away was jarring, and kind of annoying. This is a theatrical fantasy film, not an episode of Smallville. (No offense towards Smallville.)
That said, there were a lot of things about the film that I really liked. I loved how Edmund and Lucy were handled, especially Edmund. Reepicheep was awesome, just as he is in the book, with plenty of wit and honor. The Telmarine side of the story was very interesting, and I really liked watching the scenes with Miraz. I liked what was shown of Prunaprismia and her son, and that the filmmakers resolved her storyline. The centaurs were amazing, just as they were in the first film. The costumes were beautiful, the special effects spectacular. The duel was incredible, and fairly accurate to the book. I really liked the battle. The use of siege engines was impressive, particularly the not-quite-trebuchets. I loved how the moving trees were shown. When I first heard that Prince Caspian would indeed be made, I was concerned that the forest part would be too reminiscent of the march on Isengard from The Two Towers. Fortunately, there is enough difference between how these trees move and fight and the residents of Fangorn Forrest that the two scenarios don't look the same.
Overall, I think it's a good movie, and that a non-book fan might enjoy it much more than I did. I definitely recommend seeing it.
I really liked the movie. I'll have to see it again, but overall I thought it was a very good movie. Perhaps even great. However, I'm not so sure about its status as an adaptation of a book. It's a much better adaptation than The Two Towers, which is a relief, but there are still several things that bothered me.
First off, there's the issue of the rating. It's rated PG in the US, but it really pushes that, and there were a few times that I thought it would have been better for the film to be PG-13 so that something could be closer to the book, or so that the concern for the rating would be a little less obvious. I know the books are generally aimed at children and first read by children, but there are some moments in the books that simply are not PG material. For example, the book description of the duel is pretty detailed, as are some of the moments in the battle. Most of these moments can be adapted to PG rating through editing, and the film was partially successful at this, but there were still a few things that stood out to me.
Secondly, there's the pacing. I thought it was pretty good, mostly, but there were a few moments that felt a little rushed, and I think those scenes could have benefited from taking a second or two to let the characters and audience breathe. Seriously, an audience can sit through a movie that's ten minutes longer. Having characters react and develop takes time.
The biggest issues that annoyed me, however, was characterization of certain characters, especially Peter and Susan. Peter, who in the books gets along wonderfully with Caspian and proves that he really is Peter the Magnificent, is much less mature in the movie. He complains about being in England, he has great difficulty accepting the various changes in his status, he has major pride issues, and he has trouble getting along with Caspian. While all these are understandable coming from a teenager who has suddenly gone from royalty to common schoolboy, it's all very different from how Peter behaves in the book. On top of that, the Peter-the-Magnificent side of the character is closer to being a thirty-year-old than a teenager, since the Pevensies lived to adulthood when they first ruled in Narnia. The fact that a character in the movie tells Peter to "act his age" didn't exactly help me forget this point.
Susan also had some annoying changes. Remember this post, in which I expressed my concern about Susan fighting? As it turns out, my fears were mostly unnecessary, but I'm still not completely satisfied with how it was handled. I definitely would have liked to see more of her reacting to having to fight, since her dislike of killing and warfare is such a huge part of her character in the book (I also would have liked to see more of Lucy's view on fighting, but that's another subject). Instead, I found myself being annoyed at how she was fighting, or in what situation. Susan is an archer, and she does not carry bladed weapons. That does not mean that she should start throwing arrows at people when she gets into close combat. She is not an elf. She should not be fighting like one. Sure, Legolas, might be able to pull off something like that, but that's because he's an elf, and as such is significantly faster and stronger than most humans. Not so much for Susan. Also, Susan probably shouldn't be trying to take on several Telmarine riders all by herself, without backup. Especially when the only purpose it serves in the story is for Caspian to rescue her.
...which brings me to another point: romantic stuff between Susan and Caspian. It really isn't much of a romance, but it is 1) completely and utterly unnecessary and 2) not in the book at all. One of the reasons I like the Narnia books is that there isn't a whole lot of romance present. I don't mind the semi-flirtatious glances that are present throughout the film, but the kiss at the end? Ugh. Especially since she had just reminded him that she is technically 1300 years older than him, and that it never would have worked out. That he responded afterward by hugging her tightly for several seconds did not help. Also, a note to the filmmakers: the use of the very modern song from the soundtrack as she walked away was jarring, and kind of annoying. This is a theatrical fantasy film, not an episode of Smallville. (No offense towards Smallville.)
That said, there were a lot of things about the film that I really liked. I loved how Edmund and Lucy were handled, especially Edmund. Reepicheep was awesome, just as he is in the book, with plenty of wit and honor. The Telmarine side of the story was very interesting, and I really liked watching the scenes with Miraz. I liked what was shown of Prunaprismia and her son, and that the filmmakers resolved her storyline. The centaurs were amazing, just as they were in the first film. The costumes were beautiful, the special effects spectacular. The duel was incredible, and fairly accurate to the book. I really liked the battle. The use of siege engines was impressive, particularly the not-quite-trebuchets. I loved how the moving trees were shown. When I first heard that Prince Caspian would indeed be made, I was concerned that the forest part would be too reminiscent of the march on Isengard from The Two Towers. Fortunately, there is enough difference between how these trees move and fight and the residents of Fangorn Forrest that the two scenarios don't look the same.
Overall, I think it's a good movie, and that a non-book fan might enjoy it much more than I did. I definitely recommend seeing it.