It’s the Chronic(What?!)cles of Narnia
Prince Caspian is indeed a better film than its predecessor in the Narnia Chronicles, which does not quite qualify it as a good film, but perhaps at least a decent one. It is certainly much more down-to-business in its tone and construction, with a good deal less of the frilly, family-friendly enchantment-mongering that drags on the series like unwelcome yet obligatory luggage. And the twin spectres of temptation and failure hang over our heroes with a weight that was lacking on their previous outing.
I wish I could say the leads are up to shouldering what gravity the film involves, but sadly that is not the case. Ben Barnes, who plays the title’s namesake, does show flashes here and there of some possible future mettle, despite the near impenetrability of his faux-Mediterranean accent. And Skandar Keynes, as Edmund Pevensie, brings a certain haggard panache to his small role as the now much wiser younger brother. But that’s the extent of the positives, as far as the characters go. The sooner little Lucy Pevensie – she of the convenient all-purpose healing potion and unquenchable child-like faith – is drowned in the nearest river, the better, as far as I’m concerned.
Walt Disney and Walden Media are two outfits almost constitutionally incapable of rocking the boat on theological or philosophic matters, which is to say that audiences may rest easy that their films will never ask any scary questions or visit any genuinely dark places in the human soul. Still, I suspect primary blame for the mild vapidity of the Narnia films must fall to their source material, and thus to the pen of C.S. Lewis. As far as I can tell, what the characters were supposed to do was wait in their cave until Aslan, the lion who substitutes for the Christ-God in Lewis’ alternate world, came to rescue them by whatever means lie at his seemingly infinite disposal. Not to mention that, in response to queries as to why he did not show up sooner, Aslan is reduced to paraphrasing The Byrds that for everything there is a time. When your savior’s philosophic substance does not rise above that of a 60s pop song, you’re in trouble.
I have not read the book Prince Caspian since I was in the vicinity of eight, but if Steven Greydanus is to be believed, things could have been far worse. Greydanus describes the theme of the book as “the triumph of mythic imagination over Enlightenment rationalism and skepticism,” and claims that Aslan’s omniscience and Lucy’s purity of faith are even more strongly asserted in the text. He laments that only “a quarter” or so of this comes through in the movie, and clearly considers such omissions a great disservice to high church geek-dom everywhere. I can only respond by thanking the good Lord that it was only a quarter. Had the filmmakers gone full tilt, I don’t think I could have kept my dinner down.
This conception of God, which paints Him as a divine parent figure who will make All Things Right in the end, while we puny humans grovel in complete non-action, is a repellent one, but regrettably also the one conception that has most clearly survived Christianity’s watering down for modern pop-culture, thus making it safe to be preached by the likes of Rick Warren and Joel Osteen. It is also the one conception that comes thundering through loud and clear in what remains of Prince Caspian’s religious implications, and it is not at all clear that this situation would have been improved had the filmmakers stuck to Lewis’ text with a bit more theological rigor. Little Lucy’s faith, of course, never wavers, but I cannot say I blame either Peter or Caspian for refusing to accede to such a juvenile theology without a fight. A little spiritedness in the face of divine condescension is not a bad thing.
All that being said, the film has some well staged battle scenes, and a last minute rescue by the sea-god Poseidon (at least, I assume it was the old man himself) features some remarkable effects work. But I must once again thank the Alamo Drafthouse for serving up the added treat that made my $6.50 worthwhile. For the uninitiated, before a movie starts at the Alamo, rather than show those insufferable advertisements and trivia cards, the theater shows whatever odd bits of forgotten movies, previews, TV, pop culture, and so forth they can dig up and somehow relate to the film about to be shown. Thus did I finally get to see SNL’s Lazy Sunday rap.
Genius. Utter genius:
I’ve heard similar things from others. This is a much better structured story than the previous film. but I’m not seeing it, the last one left such a bitter taste in my mouth. Why bother?
Hopscotch said this on May 29, 2008 at 5:28 pm |