The first Narnia movie was filled with adventure and magic. This sequel (much like its novel counterpart) cannot match that level of energy or excitement, instead resulting in just a so-so film effort.

For a basic plot summary, "Prince Caspian" sees the Pevensie siblings Peter (William Moseley), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), Susan (Anna Popplewell), & Lucy (Georgia Henley) once more called back into the kingdom of Narnia. This time, they arrive at a beach surrounded by ancient ruins. After a bit of searching, and some help from dwarf Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage), they discover that they are all actually in the same place they used to live...Cair Paravel. Only many hundreds of years have passed and Narnia is now ruled by the Telmarines, more specifically King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto). The Telmarines want nothing to do with the "old ways" of enchanted Narnia, and instead rule like a traditional kingdom, where trees/animals/beasts are "dumb" again. The only hope? Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes), a Telmarine himself who just happens to have an intimate understanding of (and appreciation for) those "old ways" and wants to see them restored once again.

For a long time, I viewed this movie as a complete and utter disaster. "Prince Caspian" completely turned a friend of mine (who loved "Lion/Witch/Wardrobe") off from the entire series...he didn't even watch "Dawn Treader". After recently reading the novel, however, I came to realize that this movie is only as good/bad as that source material, which is middling at best. Prince Caspian is not nearly as compelling of a tale as LWW, and no amount of movie magic can make up for that.

One thing I truly did like about this movie is that it takes a few chances going off the story material. For example, showing the White Witch again (which did not happen in the novel whatsoever). I was surprised when I saw this film was almost two and a half hours long (I think I might have cut it down severely to quicken the pace), but the "added" material from the book actually composes some of the most interesting stuff of the film.

Overall, then, "Prince Caspian" is just an average film based on a similarly average book. Try as it might, it cannot escape that limitation.

When Queen Prunaprismia (Alicia Borrachero) delivers a baby boy, King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto) orders his soldiers to kill Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes); however his tutor gives Susan's magic horn to him telling that he should blow is his life is in danger and asks him to ride to the forest. However he is chased by the Telmarian soldiers and he summons the Pevensie siblings. They discover that hundred of years have passed in Narnia and they join Prince Caspian to lead the people of Narnia against the evil King Miraz. When the battle begins, the siblings send Lucy to seek out Aslan, otherwise they will not win the powerful Telmarian army.

I expected to like "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" more than I did. The special effects are top-notch, but the story has a poor development of characters and the unoriginal final battle gives a sensation of déjà vu to the viewer with the excessive use of CGI. But the greatest problem is the weak lead cast: the four siblings and Prince Caspian are performed by the wooden and unknown young actors and actresses that are too weak for the lead roles. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "As Crônicas de Nárnia – Príncipe Caspian" ("The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian")

This second film based on C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia finds our wartime Pevensie siblings summoned back to their magic kingdom because all is not as they left it. Some humans called Telmarines have taken over and have slain a lot of the talking creatures that inhabit the place. It's up to Peter, Edmond, Susan, and Lucy to set it right.

As I liked the first one, I enjoyed C.S. Lewis's fantasy world as depicted on the big screen. The special effects are first rate and the acting both human and animated is flawless.

In addition to the usual sources in Scripture, C.S. Lewis threw a couple of plot lines from some very familiar English stories like Hamlet and Ivanhoe. Of course the climatic battle between the Narnians and the Telmarines has an ending straight from The Ten Commandments.

The kids playing the Pevensies are getting older, but retaining somewhat their youthful appearance. It was three years since the The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and another film, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is projected for release in 2010. I hope they all don't age too dramatically in the interim. The one playing Edmond really had a growth spurt in three years.

Prince Caspian is great entertainment, bring the kiddies, bring the wife, or bring yourself, to use that old cliché; it's for children of all ages.