'Prince Caspian' brings magic back to Narnia with epic sequel
By Claudia Puig, USA TODAY
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (* * * out of four) is an exhilarating fantasy adventure marred only by its length and protracted climactic battle scenes.
Fans of the first Narnia surely will enjoy this sequel, which is better made and more of an epic than 2005's first installment of Chronicles of Narnia, based on the popular series by C.S. Lewis.
The production design is lavish, the cinematography lovely and the world of woodland creatures beautifully crafted. It's just too bad that the computer-generated bands of warriors grow tedious and conjure memories of The Lord of the Rings, which managed those hugely choreographed clashes more adeptly than any movie in history.
Setting that aside, the quartet of children at the heart of the Narnia tales are engaging, and Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) is not only a heartthrob, he's perfect for the role of a noble prince being pushed out of the kingdom of the Telmarines by the power-mad King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto).
The film opens with the four Pevensie children back in England in drab school uniforms. Quickly, they are transported to a gorgeous and wondrous locale. They segue from trudging through a train station to frolicking in a turquoise sea, reminding us that though they are growing up, they still play like children. These enjoyable early scenes quickly lead them back to their royal roles in Narnia and embroil them in an adventure that tests their courage and, given Lewis' religious subtext, their faith.
Shortly after arriving, they save a dwarf who is about to be drowned (Peter Dinklage). His quips provide much of the film's humor. Soon, they are introduced to a cadre of cute talking mice and a loquacious badger. Following on their heels is a host of centaurs and other magical figures. Narnians have been in hiding since being conquered by the Telmarines, and Narnia is much changed. The magic has faded and the trees no longer dance. There is no sign of Aslan, the stately ruling lion and a character meant to symbolize Christ. The children's realization that their last visit was 1,300 years earlier is moving, even poetic.
Soon they join forces with Prince Caspian, and legions of valiant Narnians come out of hiding to find Aslan and reinstate the glory and magic of Narnia, wresting it from the tyranny of King Miraz. For some reason, the Telmarines, descended from pirates, all have Spanish-sounding accents. When Prince Caspian accosts King Miraz, who he learns is responsible for his father's death, you almost expect him to launch into the famous Princess Bride speech: "You killed my father. Prepare to die."
When it comes to family films, the imaginative world of Narnia is a far more thrilling destination than the frenetic landscape of Speed Racer.
Though the movie could have ended a few scenes earlier, it is still a journey well worth taking. (Rated PG for epic battle action and violence. Running time: 2 hours, 24 minutes.
photo & story courtesy usatoday.com, 5/15/08
God's Story
2 Peter 3:10-14 (NLT)
10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.
11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.
14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.
What "big opening" is today's God's Story scripture talking about? What should we do to be ready?
If you have not noticed the hype about the second Narnia movie opening this weekend, it means you have ignored all media or you've been napping under a rock! Sneak previews, articles, photos, gadgets and toys, interviews, and the list goes on and on and on....
I really hope the movie lives up to the hype, because I liked the book and I think the movie could be a great opportunity for the "real story" to be noticed by the world, but that's another topic for another day.
All of the advance promo got me wondering how well we as believers are doing at giving the world around us a preview of the coming of the Prince of Peace? And without a doubt, this event will far exceed any hype.
Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE notes provide some insight to help us know how God wants us to be involved in promoting the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ:
3:13, 14 God will purify the heavens and earth with fire; then He will create them anew. We can joyously look forward to the restoration of God's good world. We should not become lazy and complacent because Christ has not yet returned. Instead, we should live in eager expectation of His coming. What would you like to be doing when Christ returns? That is how you should be living each day.
My Story
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our story?
Praise God that His Son Jesus is coming! Ask His Spirit to make you aware of the truth that this promised event will happen and it could be any day. Ask Jesus to help you live every day in a way that honors Him. Thank Him that this will give the best "preview" to the world around you.
Read today's passage every day this next week. Let God's Spirit use it to prepare you for the coming of Christ.
Write down a list of changes needed in your life in order to be living the kind of holy life that God wants His children living in anticipation of Christ's coming. Pray for the Spirit's power to make these changes.
Whenever you see the promo this weekend and in the weeks ahead about the Prince Caspian Narnia movie, let it remind you to let your life be a promo for the coming of the Prince of Peace.
Their Story
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Pray that God will use the truth of His Story, that is communicated through this latest Narnia movie, as a way to connect with your friends and family who need Jesus.
- Go see the movie with others who need Christ as their Savior and then just talk about it and listen to their perspectives and you will learn more of their story. If God leads your conversation into some depth about spiritual battle and the future, be ready to talk about today's God's Story scripture - that Jesus is coming!
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