Too much of the 'Narnia' film weakens the book

IS "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" an epic or just the fantasy of the week?

Admittedly, it provides a lot to see, ranging from talking badgers to a swashbuckling mouse. There are two huge battles and mythical creatures such as centaurs, fauns, werewolves and God himself in the person of Aslan, the crucified and raised-from-the-dead, allegorical lion. That's a lot of show, but this second adaptation from C.S. Lewis' seven-part children's book series is more noise than heart and more computer than magic.

"Prince Caspian" has an impressive pedigree upon which to build. Its predecessor, the 2005 film version of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," took in $745 million in its worldwide theatrical release.

Andrew Adamson, who began his career with computer animation with "Shrek" and remains more a technical than a dramatic visionary, directs his second Narnia film.

With obvious respect for the hallowed origin of the tale, the new film wears its literacy like a burden rather than a point of flight. At over two hours and 15 minutes, it's intent upon getting everything in, even if it means bathroom breaks for some of the youngest patrons.

The darkness of the new film is heralded by the very first scene, the scream of a woman in childbirth. The birth signals that King Miraz, the overbearing Telmarine (read that: human) tyrant, has an heir of his own and consequently will be ready to murder Caspian, the current heir.

Caspian foils his evil uncle by escaping to the deep woods, where the harried remnants of Narnia struggle to survive their 1,300 years of expulsion and oppression. He promptly toots the magic horn that will bring back the youthful kings and queens from the first movie.

The four Pevensie youths have been stuck back in London during World War II, which must be a drag after having been royalty in Narnia. The real scene stealer among them is little Lucy (Georgie Henley), the believer who still worships the lion Aslan, even if he hasn't made an appearance in Narnia for some 1,000 years.

There is plenty of killing, but it is markedly bloodless as the producers carefully watched out for their PG rating. This, however, plays to a slightly older audience than expected.

Anna Popplewell returns as the warriorlike Susan Pevensie, much more battle-eager than she was in the books - adept at firing off arrows in lighting-fast volleys in an apparent determination to prove that girls don't need to be rescued as if they were in a fairy tale. Skandar Keynes as Edmund is more mature and ready to help his older brother - no longer the betrayer who was bewitched by the White Queen.

It is William Moseley as the High King Peter, the older brother, though, who takes the lead and may confuse the audience when they're looking for a lone hero to hold it all together. In spite of the fact it's called "Prince Caspian," it is Peter, not the prince, who takes the lead. Caspian, as played by British stage actor Ben Barnes (from "The History Boys"), is rather bland in comparison (and, at 26, a little old for the part).

At the center, though, when the superfluous sidetracks are discounted, this is an ultra-simple plot about the usual evil ruler who must be ousted. (Caspian, with a murdered father and a usurper uncle, is a close kin to Hamlet but with none of the depth.) Will Miraz and the Telmarines fighting under him prevail? Or will the creatures of Narnia, with the inspiration of Aslan and the help of the four time travelers, make a comeback?

If Caspian takes a curiously bland back seat to Peter in this one, he will have his day later when the already-in-preparation "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is filmed next. The two older Pevensie children reportedly won't go back to Narnia after this one, leaving Caspian to become the central hero.

Among the new characters, only the mouse really scores. Vincent Grass' role as Doctor Cornelius seems to want to break out as the wise teacher that scored in both "The Lord of the Rings" and the "Harry Potter" plots, but he is kept in the background. Peter Dinklage, the movie's reigning little man from "Station Agent" to "Elf," is cast as Trumpkin, the new dwarf character, but he is primarily a curmudgeon.

That leaves Reepicheep, a feisty fighting mouse, to largely steal the movie when it comes to both newness and wittiness. He has the voice of British comic Eddie Izzard. Sure, he's a good deal like "Shrek's" Puss in Boots, even if that was a cat and this is a mouse, but just about everything here reminds you of some other movie - in spite of the Lewis origins. This junior division "Lord of the Rings" reminds us that "Rings" is still the champion at this type thing.

In the end, it's the talking mouse we'll most remember.

Mal Vincent, (757) 446-2347, mal.vincent@pilotonline.com