The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Reviewed by:
Eric Alt

The Skinny: This sequel to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe takes place a year after the Pevensie children gave up their Narnian thrones and returned to England. Summoned back by a magical horn, they discover that one human year equals several hundred Narnian years. Now, a race of corrupt humans has driven the fantasy creatures underground, and a noble exiled prince hopes to team up with the Pevensie kids to right all the wrongs.

The Good: While not everyone's taste (despite being Diet Lord of the Rings, Narnia fails to lure the non-obsessive), it's not a bad movie. It's just dull if you aren't a C.S. Lewis–indoctrinated tween. Things happen that might have meaning if you've read the books, but otherwise you'll wonder what the fuss is all about. But the special effects are good.

The Bad: The four Pevensie kids are, as in the first one, stiffer than Charlie Sheen at a cheerleader tryout. And the movie could benefit from a Star Wars–style opening crawl to remind you who the hell all these gnomes and shit are.

Isn't It Ironic? Peter Dinklage, who once famously slammed the clichéd use of little people in Living in Oblivion, stars as a magic dwarf. Still, he's the best thing in Caspian.

Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? Assuming you're not already a fan (which demands that you rush out to see this), you can wait for it to hit cable. You're not missing anything.