Not for the money, nor the fame, but do it for the glory of realising one little dream after another.
[Spoiler Warning: May contain plot and/or ending.]
It is undoubtedly exciting to be finally able to see the classic work of fantasy by C.S. Lewis put onto the big screen. It is an enchantment itself to see all his mystical creatures come to life, developing into their own unique characters and assist their Narnian sovereign restore peace in Narnia. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe drew me into Lewis's world of talking beavers, giants, fawns, and a majestic lion. I'm sure it did the same to many others. At the news of the production of its sequel, Prince Caspian, I'm pretty sure it spurred more excitement in Narnia fans than anything else. To see Aslan come to life, die as a sacrifice, then rise again from the dead conjured up enough tears to fill up a whole theater. Even if the first production did not draw you into reading the whole seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia, at least many became fans of the actors and actresses who brilliantly portrayed the Pevensies. Nonetheless, we all had high expectations for Prince Caspian. And for that same reason, sometimes the higher the expectation, the greater the disappointment.
[From left to right: King Edmund, High King Peter, Prince Caspian (later King Caspian X), Queen Susan]
At first glance of the promotion poster, I knew this was going to offer more disappointment than satisfaction. The key reason was Prince Caspian's problematic age. It is a problem rather than an issue, because in the original books, Caspian is depicted as a young, naive, humble, and helpless child. A teenager would have been perfectly fitting, but no older. No matter how wonderful an actor this Ben Barnes is, there was no way his age could have gone unnoticed. A seventeen-year-old boy, and a twenty-seven-year-old young man makes a significant difference in appearance and let out a completely different kind of charisma. It would probably seem absurd for many first-time viewers of the Narnia series that a young, well-built, educated you prince would require the help of four children who are all younger than he was, to avenge his father and restore peace in Narnia. It has all to do with his age.
The good side of it, is that the Pevensies remain extremely well suited for their respective roles. Peter has become more mature, though his confidence and pride from having been the High King of Narnia has become a weakness in real-life London. Susan has become a young lady in full blossom, attracting young men's attention, and will be sooner considered an adult, than her older brother Peter. This time round, a dramatic change can be observed in the one-time-traitor Edmond. He has fully repented and has grown immensely mature compare to his first visit to Narnia. This time, he is the only one who chooses to believe Lucy while others remained doubtful and skeptical. Finally, though little change can be observed in our little Lucy, it is probably because not much is needed for she had already been a gentle, courageous believer who, never once, lost her faith.
[From left to right: Queen Lucy, High King Peter, Prince Caspian, Queen Susan, King Edmund]
Interestingly, the Spanish resemblance the Telmarines depicted seems to parallel the English-Spanish conflict during the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. I'm not sure if C.S. Lewis meant of it to be this way. Nonetheless, the parallel seems plausible and reasonable. The Telmarines were originally pirates in the real world, which reminds me of the Spanish Armada, both having to do with the sea and ships. It could also be related to the many adventures and sea voyages that took place during her reign. Miraz's strong determination to kill Caspian could be interpreted as King Philip II's desire to destroy Elizabeth. Prince Caspian is young and helpless, and although they are of the opposite gender, these characteristics seem to fit the description of the incipient Protestant reign of Queen Elizabeth I. One other remarkable resemblance can be observed through Prince Caspian's teacher, Doctor Cornelius. The first character that comes to mind would probably be Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth's chief adviser and spy-master, since Cornelius is later granted that same position. However, one other person comes into mind, considering Cornelius' role as a magician - John Dee, a famous astrologer who had also been one of Queen Elizabeth's consultants.
It would not be too far-fetched to assume that these parallels were intentional. Surely an Oxford scholar like Lewis himself would have steeped himself in Elizabethan history and literature. To compound, Lewis' religious stand point would certainly make this assumption more of a theory than a mere hypothesis.
It would have been enough disappointment to see an over-aged Caspian. If they had stopped there, I would have enjoyed the movie quite a lot. However, as we know, most film adaptations feel compelled into making alterations to fit into a two-hour time frame and the taste of contemporary viewers. I had little problem with the additional battle scene they added in Miraz' castle. It seemed reasonable, though unnecessary. However, it was the romance that sparked between Caspian and Susan that completely destroyed the film, even as an entertainment. The kiss near the final scene, was the last straw.
The next production, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, due to be released in May 2010, will surely be another interesting expectation. Since no battle scenes exist, it makes me wonder just how loyal will the production team remain to the original work, and how Will Poulter will portray the ill-tempered Eustace Scrubb. What would be even more interesting is the films after the Dawn Treader, especially The Last Battle. This is where all the major character return to Narnia. However, little time would have elapsed in the Pevensie's world, and much more time would have been consumed to transform all of the Narnia books into film. Looks like it would either be a race against time, a complete alteration of plot, or a complete reliance on computer technology for the complete adaptation of the Chronicles of Narnia.
[From left to right: King Edmund, High King Peter, Prince Caspian (later King Caspian X), Queen Susan]
At first glance of the promotion poster, I knew this was going to offer more disappointment than satisfaction. The key reason was Prince Caspian's problematic age. It is a problem rather than an issue, because in the original books, Caspian is depicted as a young, naive, humble, and helpless child. A teenager would have been perfectly fitting, but no older. No matter how wonderful an actor this Ben Barnes is, there was no way his age could have gone unnoticed. A seventeen-year-old boy, and a twenty-seven-year-old young man makes a significant difference in appearance and let out a completely different kind of charisma. It would probably seem absurd for many first-time viewers of the Narnia series that a young, well-built, educated you prince would require the help of four children who are all younger than he was, to avenge his father and restore peace in Narnia. It has all to do with his age.
The good side of it, is that the Pevensies remain extremely well suited for their respective roles. Peter has become more mature, though his confidence and pride from having been the High King of Narnia has become a weakness in real-life London. Susan has become a young lady in full blossom, attracting young men's attention, and will be sooner considered an adult, than her older brother Peter. This time round, a dramatic change can be observed in the one-time-traitor Edmond. He has fully repented and has grown immensely mature compare to his first visit to Narnia. This time, he is the only one who chooses to believe Lucy while others remained doubtful and skeptical. Finally, though little change can be observed in our little Lucy, it is probably because not much is needed for she had already been a gentle, courageous believer who, never once, lost her faith.
[From left to right: Queen Lucy, High King Peter, Prince Caspian, Queen Susan, King Edmund]
Interestingly, the Spanish resemblance the Telmarines depicted seems to parallel the English-Spanish conflict during the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. I'm not sure if C.S. Lewis meant of it to be this way. Nonetheless, the parallel seems plausible and reasonable. The Telmarines were originally pirates in the real world, which reminds me of the Spanish Armada, both having to do with the sea and ships. It could also be related to the many adventures and sea voyages that took place during her reign. Miraz's strong determination to kill Caspian could be interpreted as King Philip II's desire to destroy Elizabeth. Prince Caspian is young and helpless, and although they are of the opposite gender, these characteristics seem to fit the description of the incipient Protestant reign of Queen Elizabeth I. One other remarkable resemblance can be observed through Prince Caspian's teacher, Doctor Cornelius. The first character that comes to mind would probably be Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth's chief adviser and spy-master, since Cornelius is later granted that same position. However, one other person comes into mind, considering Cornelius' role as a magician - John Dee, a famous astrologer who had also been one of Queen Elizabeth's consultants.
It would not be too far-fetched to assume that these parallels were intentional. Surely an Oxford scholar like Lewis himself would have steeped himself in Elizabethan history and literature. To compound, Lewis' religious stand point would certainly make this assumption more of a theory than a mere hypothesis.
It would have been enough disappointment to see an over-aged Caspian. If they had stopped there, I would have enjoyed the movie quite a lot. However, as we know, most film adaptations feel compelled into making alterations to fit into a two-hour time frame and the taste of contemporary viewers. I had little problem with the additional battle scene they added in Miraz' castle. It seemed reasonable, though unnecessary. However, it was the romance that sparked between Caspian and Susan that completely destroyed the film, even as an entertainment. The kiss near the final scene, was the last straw.
The next production, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, due to be released in May 2010, will surely be another interesting expectation. Since no battle scenes exist, it makes me wonder just how loyal will the production team remain to the original work, and how Will Poulter will portray the ill-tempered Eustace Scrubb. What would be even more interesting is the films after the Dawn Treader, especially The Last Battle. This is where all the major character return to Narnia. However, little time would have elapsed in the Pevensie's world, and much more time would have been consumed to transform all of the Narnia books into film. Looks like it would either be a race against time, a complete alteration of plot, or a complete reliance on computer technology for the complete adaptation of the Chronicles of Narnia.
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