The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
05-18-08 | 02:25 AM
#101
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by chris_sc77
I hate to be a conspiracy nut but something tells me the powers of the church or other religious forces were at work here....
Violent PG? Yes. Should've been PG-13? I don't know, especially when PG-13 films are bordering the line of R.
[If anyone gives the decapitation scene as an example, I'll show you Attack of the Clones where the decapitation is actually shown in close-up.]
If we want to start going into conspiracy theories, I would say Disney had more pull with the MPAA than the church.
I just think the MPAA is becoming less strict.
05-18-08 | 03:44 AM
#102
Originally Posted by Brian T
How is the message overt, heavy-handed and ambiguous at the same time? I'd agree it was overt, definitely heavy-handed in the river climax (was that water "person" a direct lift from the book??), but I didn't feel for a second it was ambiguous. Any chance of elaboration?
Is this film being marketed exclusively as a children's film? As an adult, I don't watch a lot of children's fare on TV, nor see a lot of children's advertising in my travels, and thus the ads I've seen for this seem to suggest it's a fantasy film with family-friendly elements and a PG rating (and everything that stands for). Aren't films made directly for children generally rated G? Or at least marketed exclusively to that mentality? Perhaps I should just be glad we went to the second showing, which was virtually kid-free!
The "brutal" killings in this film are virtually bloodless. But I can see where certain imaginations might fill in the blanks.
Is this film being marketed exclusively as a children's film? As an adult, I don't watch a lot of children's fare on TV, nor see a lot of children's advertising in my travels, and thus the ads I've seen for this seem to suggest it's a fantasy film with family-friendly elements and a PG rating (and everything that stands for). Aren't films made directly for children generally rated G? Or at least marketed exclusively to that mentality? Perhaps I should just be glad we went to the second showing, which was virtually kid-free!
The "brutal" killings in this film are virtually bloodless. But I can see where certain imaginations might fill in the blanks.
05-18-08 | 07:05 AM
#103
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by johnnysd
I find a little bit of a twisted and ambiguous Christian message.
05-18-08 | 09:06 AM
#104
Wow, I'm surprised at all the hate in this thread. I loved the movie. I thought it was way better than the first and even better than the book (which I found boring).
I agree the movie could have been tightened up a bit, but I thought it was paced rather well with a sold build-up. My daughters watched the BD of LWatW that morning and I thought the kids looked exactly the same as the first movie. It wasn't jarring that it had only been a year for the Pevensie kids but 3 for the actors.
I did keep expecting King Miraz to say "Narnia? This! IS! TEL-MAR!!!"
I agree the movie could have been tightened up a bit, but I thought it was paced rather well with a sold build-up. My daughters watched the BD of LWatW that morning and I thought the kids looked exactly the same as the first movie. It wasn't jarring that it had only been a year for the Pevensie kids but 3 for the actors.
I did keep expecting King Miraz to say "Narnia? This! IS! TEL-MAR!!!"
05-18-08 | 09:15 AM
#105
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The movie was fair, not as good as the first. Too long and boring beginning.
Good things in the film:
1. Lucy and Edmond seem to be evolving as characters and are both better actors. Peter and Susan are both awful actors and are just plain boring. I don't really know the books except for the first one, but it's a pleasant surprise to me that it's Lucy and Edmond that are the main characters in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader book. I would be happy if they just totally dropped Susan and Peter from the series all together, or find different actors. I liked how Peter became an ass-kicker...
2. Warwick Davis VS. Peter Dinklage - the two best dwarf actors of our time!
Good things in the film:
1. Lucy and Edmond seem to be evolving as characters and are both better actors. Peter and Susan are both awful actors and are just plain boring. I don't really know the books except for the first one, but it's a pleasant surprise to me that it's Lucy and Edmond that are the main characters in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader book. I would be happy if they just totally dropped Susan and Peter from the series all together, or find different actors. I liked how Peter became an ass-kicker...
2. Warwick Davis VS. Peter Dinklage - the two best dwarf actors of our time!
05-18-08 | 10:35 AM
#107
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Originally Posted by gabeon
I couldn't agree more with the reviewer. The movie seems to take an eternity to get going with little payoff.
One of my biggest gripes is one of the strongest elements from the first movie that falls flat in this movie: Aslan.
With his pious air and preachy persona, he manages to bring what little levity there was in the movie to a grinding halt with his "if you had believed earlier" speech.
Another part I will spoilerize about Aslan...
Spoiler:
The reviewer is dead on with the lack of emotion put into the movie.
Don't think that I hate the series since I did enjoy the first film greatly, but this one is just a slow, preachy mess.
One of my biggest gripes is one of the strongest elements from the first movie that falls flat in this movie: Aslan.
With his pious air and preachy persona, he manages to bring what little levity there was in the movie to a grinding halt with his "if you had believed earlier" speech.
Another part I will spoilerize about Aslan...
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
The reviewer is dead on with the lack of emotion put into the movie.
Don't think that I hate the series since I did enjoy the first film greatly, but this one is just a slow, preachy mess.
Also the humans are the bad guys in this story, so what's wrong with them being attacked, killed and defeated?
Also, in response to your spoiler...
Spoiler:
Looks like Ferris already explained what I did in my spoiler.
Last edited by whoopdido; 05-18-08 at 10:45 AM.
05-18-08 | 04:21 PM
#108
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Originally Posted by pinata242
Wow, I'm surprised at all the hate in this thread. I loved the movie. I thought it was way better than the first and even better than the book (which I found boring).
05-18-08 | 04:46 PM
#109
DVD Talk Godfather
I loved it too as mentioned above, and never once thought the river god was anyone other than Poseidon. I think people are LOOKING for religion just to have something to bitch about.
05-18-08 | 06:12 PM
#110
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Originally Posted by Michael Corvin
I loved it too as mentioned above, and never once thought the river god was anyone other than Poseidon. I think people are LOOKING for religion just to have something to bitch about.
05-18-08 | 07:54 PM
#112
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From: Where the sky is always Carolina Blue! (Currently VA - again...)
I enjoyed this movie overall (seemed like a good adaptation too) - although it's been quite a while since I read the original book. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of the "return of Aslan" scenes that were in the book although I can see how they would have messed up the pacing here.
I am a little disappointed that this series, like the BBC versions seems to be dropping "The Horse's Boy" from the sequence entirely - and are they going to address "The Magician's Nephew" further down the road or will that be dropped as well. Seeing how HP is doing all 7 volumes (and they're going back and working on the Hobbit now), it'd be nice to see some prequel action here too.
I am a little disappointed that this series, like the BBC versions seems to be dropping "The Horse's Boy" from the sequence entirely - and are they going to address "The Magician's Nephew" further down the road or will that be dropped as well. Seeing how HP is doing all 7 volumes (and they're going back and working on the Hobbit now), it'd be nice to see some prequel action here too.
05-18-08 | 09:29 PM
#114
DVD Talk Godfather
According to IMBD, Dawn Treader is locked down May 7, 2010 for a release and has Michael Apted as the director.
05-19-08 | 12:04 AM
#115
DVD Talk Limited Edition
From what I've heard the original intention is to do all 7. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe was a huge success financially and because of that success, Caspian and Dawn Treader were locked up right away. If those 2 movies turn out to be box office successes too then the other 4 will be made. At least that's the rumor I've heard.
05-19-08 | 02:08 AM
#116
Member
I thought it was pretty decent. I agree that most of the characters lacked development, which was a problem I had with the first movie. That said, I was never really bored, but I could never fully root for the Narnians simply because I had to take for granted that they were wonderful beings.
05-19-08 | 09:09 AM
#117
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From: Austin, TX
Originally Posted by Michael Corvin
I loved it too as mentioned above, and never once thought the river god was anyone other than Poseidon. I think people are LOOKING for religion just to have something to bitch about.
05-19-08 | 11:27 AM
#118
DVD Talk Legend
Haven't seen Prince Caspian, but on Ebert & Roeper they discussed the problems they had with this film (and the series so far) and their problems echoed how I felt about the first film... the 'magic' just wasn't there for them, as it wasn't for me in part one. I love all the Lord of the Rings films, as well as Harry Potter (even the Chris Columbus ones), but Lion/Witch/Wardrobe just left me feeling empty, with the exception of the Tilda Swinton's superb White Witch.
05-19-08 | 02:45 PM
#119
DVD Talk Legend
Me and some friends from work will be catching this tomorrow 
Not big on fantasy but we go once in a while to see the "biggie" films, and we've all seen Speed Racer and Iron Man already.
Not big on fantasy but we go once in a while to see the "biggie" films, and we've all seen Speed Racer and Iron Man already.
05-19-08 | 04:45 PM
#120
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From: 21.3114° N, 157.7964° W
I saw the movie Saturday morning, it was playing early, 9:15 am, guess it was so early that only 10 people were in the theater. Which was fine with me!
I actually liked Prince Caspian better than the first one. Watching Prince Caspian made me appreciate the first one more, and I thought all of the children were great in their roles. The ending was bittersweet, and it was sad that some of the children we won't be seeing again. I hope they make movies for all 7 but I have a feeling that the next one is going to be the last one made.
I never read the Narnia books as a child, so I am planning to get the box set and read it thoroughly.
I actually liked Prince Caspian better than the first one. Watching Prince Caspian made me appreciate the first one more, and I thought all of the children were great in their roles. The ending was bittersweet, and it was sad that some of the children we won't be seeing again. I hope they make movies for all 7 but I have a feeling that the next one is going to be the last one made.
I never read the Narnia books as a child, so I am planning to get the box set and read it thoroughly.
05-19-08 | 06:03 PM
#121
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
My problem with having a "God" character in a story like this -- if he steps in and helps using all his magical powers, it's boring. But if he hangs back and lets the characters help themselves, he looks like a prick for letting all those people die.
05-19-08 | 09:48 PM
#122
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Originally Posted by ben12
My problem with having a "God" character in a story like this -- if he steps in and helps using all his magical powers, it's boring. But if he hangs back and lets the characters help themselves, he looks like a prick for letting all those people die.
In theory, if God loves all living things there shouldn't be floods and hurricanes and murder and disease. God should be able to stop all those things from happening, but He allows them to happen. Why? Who knows.
To a religious person the answer might be because He wants us to figure things out on our own or that God has a plan for everything. To an atheist the fact that terrible things happen in the world is proof that God doesn't exist.
In the Narnia universe, Aslan, who is actually portrayed as Jesus, could easily step in at any time and fix everything, but he never does that, just as God doesn't step in and fix everything in our universe. So, I wouldn't say that he looks like a prick...he just looks more like what we consider God to be, which is a being that doesn't fix everything for us.
05-19-08 | 10:27 PM
#123
Originally Posted by whoopdido
Well, that's what God is all about.
In theory, if God loves all living things there shouldn't be floods and hurricanes and murder and disease. God should be able to stop all those things from happening, but He allows them to happen. Why? Who knows.
In theory, if God loves all living things there shouldn't be floods and hurricanes and murder and disease. God should be able to stop all those things from happening, but He allows them to happen. Why? Who knows.
05-20-08 | 12:42 AM
#124
Senior Member
this movie is amazing. it could've almost been rated R. with the intense battle scenes. a little blood here and there and this could've easily been R-rated. this movie blew the first movie out of the water. better story and the main 4 children really upped the ante. peter was awesome. ed grew up alot, mentally. the older girl is going to be hot. I went in with mindset that it couldn't be better than iron man. I was wrong. it was better. that's coming from a person that has said every good thing there was to say about iron man. as long as these films break $200m or more at the domestic box office I don't see why disney would quit after the 3rd installment.
05-20-08 | 05:18 AM
#125
DVD Talk Legend
I'm not really a fan of fantasy but this movie blew me away. Speed Racer, Forbidden Kingdom, Iron Man, Prince Caspian... this summer just keeps getting better and better. I loved this movie (I haven't watched the first, might have to and also read the books).
Question:
Highly recommended.
Question:
Spoiler:
Highly recommended.