So how does Prince Caspian measure up to 2005's first installment of C.S. Lewis' famed books? For my money, this is a stronger, more confident picture but then it should be noted that while the first chapter was decent, I don't hold it in as high regard as many of my peers. And in fact, even the Boneman was far more kind to it than I would have been had I actually got off my butt and wrote a review myself (it was a busy month back in December of 2005). My primary issues with The Chronicles of Narnia the film had to do with the stagy look of the picture and the none too subtle Messianical allegory. (The Christian metaphorical subtext is integral to the story, but is feathered in far more palatably in Novel form. There is certainly a level of religious text at the heart of Prince Caspian as well but it isn't nearly so central to the story.

In The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, the siblings (played by Georgia Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, and Anna Popplewell) who saved the land of Narnia in the first epic tale have had a hard time re-adjusting to their lives in the regular world. After all, they lived a life time in Narnia, and reverting back to childhood (time moves at a much quicker clip in this magical land) hasn't been easy on them. Before long however, they are called back into service after being summoned by young Prince Caspian, a would-be ruler who seeks their aid in a bid to rid the land of villainy. As Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan arrive back in Narnia, they are shocked to discover it is not the same land they once new and loved.

Prince Caspian is darker and far more complex than it's predecessor and I was rather surprised by the tame PG rating (parents be warned–this is film is grittier than the first). There are many supporting players (some human and some not so human) and this installment may be a little tough for really young audiences to keep up with, but what I liked most about it is not only the growth of the story, but the maturity of those telling the story. The three young leads appear far more comfortable this time around and they are given heavier issues to deal with. The opening of the film is particularly strong as we immediately realize these siblings are having an incredibly rough time settling into the real world. After having a sense of purpose and living an entire life time in Narnia, the struggles of the everyday world appear just as difficult as slaying an Ice Queen. The reverting back to childhood issue was never really dealt with in the first picture. It was more of an underdeveloped after thought. Here, this emotional struggle is dealt with head on, and the young cast is up to the challenge.

Andrew Adamson also matures as a film maker. This depiction of Narnia feels bigger in scope and far less stagey. While the pacing of the picture is a bit off, there certainly is a higher level of excitement and drama at the heart of this adventure.

There were certainly elements of Prince Caspian that bothered me. Ben Barnes is a bit awkward as Prince Caspian. At times, his line readings suggest he's watched Mandy Patinkin in The Princess Bride one too many times. The effects work is stellar but I could have done without the living trees climax. Far too Two Towers if you ask me. In fact, there are many moments here that reminded me of both Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. But then some might argue that J.R.R Tolkien and J.K. Rowling were actually inspired by the works of Lewis. That very well may be, but visually speaking, it's clear that Adamson was inspired by "Rings" and "Potter".

Prince Caspian isn't exactly the pinnacle of epic fantasy films but it is a substantial step up from the first picture and I greatly prefer it to the likes of The Golden Compass. With Michael Apted set to direct The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I'm rather curious to see where this magical franchise is headed.

Grade: B-