Starring: William Moseley, Skandar Keynes, Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley, Ben Barnes, Peter Dinklage, Liam Neeson
Year of Release: 2005
Running Time: 150 minutes
In Narnia, almost 1300 years have passed since Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy returned to their own world. Prince Caspian (played by the ridiculously handsome Ben Barnes) is awoken by Doctor Cornelius, who looks like Gandalf's brother, and told to leave the castle immediately. And just in time too because a bunch of soldiers burst into his room and shoot his now empty bed full of arrows. Caspian, still in his flimsy nightgown, heads to the woods with an ominous message from the Doctor: "everything is about to change". Caspian eventually falls off his horse. Thinking he is about to die, he blows a magical horn (not a euphemism) which summons "the kings and queens of old", i.e. the Pevensie siblings.
Back in London, we see the what the children have been up to. They are a little older and only slightly less annoying. Peter clearly needs some anger management since he's getting into fights on a tube platform like some commoner. Suddenly a train comes rushing into the station, but it's clear that this is no ordinary Picadilly line. They are transported to a picturesque beach - definitely not in England. After frolicking in the surf, the children spot some ruins and realise this is where they once lived as Narnian royalty.
Meanwhile back at Caspian's former home, council is in session. We learn that Caspian's uncle Miraz tried to get rid of him as the righful heir to the throne (after his wife gave birth to a son). He tells the council that Caspian has been abducted by Narnians, causing everyone to clutch their pearls. He then presents a dwarf with nasty long gingery hair named Trumpkin (played by Peter Dinklage) and proceeds to make some xenophobic comments along with vows of revenge.
The children find their old weapons and soon put them to use to rescue the bound and gagged Trumpkin, who is about to be drowned. Lucy condescendingly/hilariously refers to him as DLF: Dear Little Friend (not to be confused with DILF). He tells them about what's happened since their left Narnia which is a more savage place than they remember. In the meantime, Caspian has convinced the Narnians to help him get his throne back and once he encounters the Pevensies and Trumpkin, they all travel to Aslan'd How, which is something like a pyramid with a large underground hall. It is up to the children to lead the Narnians to victory against the evil Miraz. We see the return of some familiar faces: Reepicheep, the mouse with the tiny sword (voiced by Eddie Izzard), the scary looking minotaurs, the buff centaurs, regal gryphons, the great Aslan (who takes his sweet time before helping them with one simple roar) and the evil White Witch (who makes a brief appearance courtesy of some sorcery from a hag).
Overall, it was an entertaining follow-up to the first film although I found the battle scenes a little tedious and drawn out at times. The beauty and magic of the scenery is contrasted with the violence and death on the battlefield (including some beheadings), making it darker than the first film. However, as Roger Ebert points out, the larger question remains: "Why, really, do the Narnians need some anti-democratic, monarchy-loving European Son of Adam to lead them, to protect them, to fulfill their prophecies? Why can't the Narnians just lead themselves?". They are the ones who do all the heavy lifting anyway, quite literally. Alas, this was not part of C.S. Lewis's vision for this installment.
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