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- Review count2
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- First reviewMay 17, 2008
- Last reviewFebruary 8, 2009
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating2.5
fiercebodhisattva's Reviews
Overall rating
2
/
5
Just not very good
PostedFebruary 8, 2009
fiercebodhisattva
from Yardley, PA
Just another pay day for Besson. Not that I was expecting The Fifth Element, but this is Liam Neeson, for goodness sake. He can actually act. So where is the nuance? Where is the acknowledgement in the action that this is a 50-something year old? None of that here. Just a pay day for the hair-dyed Neeson too. If you want to see the revenge Besson would apparently like to see exacted against the Albanian immigrants in his fair city by an Irishman posing as a former American super agent, this is the film for you. Spoiler alert - there is a lot of really poor acting, a weak script and cliched situations and direction.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
3
/
5
Enjoy - just don't peek behind the curtain
PostedMay 17, 2008
fiercebodhisattva
My inclination is to be less critical of this film than I would be of a film for which I had higher expectations. As long as you think of this as a high-end children's film it is fine entertainment. The predictable story moves along. The visuals, as one might expect, are well done. The exterior scenery, much of it (to my surprise) in Poland, is stunning.
There are two reasons I am cool on the film overall. Plot development and acting. With few exceptions, the acting is the movie's greatest weakness. The characters are wooden and two dimensional. For the four leads it is as if trekking back and forth to Narnia is nothing. Happens all the time. Of course it doesn't. There are early hints Peter and Susan are not well adjusted to life in the "real" world. But that is of little consequence to the story. For all the panning the director does across their faces, there is little wonder or urgency communicated. Ben Barnes sells Caspian a bit better and he is a worthy heart throb - a young Keannu Reaves. The villians are dime store, largerly identified by their dark dress and Spanish accents. Peter Dinklage as Trumpkin gives the best performance by far. Him I believe throughout. He is able with his facial expressions to give his character the depth and nuance all others lack. Second best is Warwick Davis as Nikabrik, Trumpkin's dark companion. His convincing dark side lends the movie its only modestly surprising and short-lived twist. Eddie Izzard is entertaining as Reepicheep, a muskrat sized mouse - but the character is as much distraction as entertainment.
As for plot, my advice is simply don't think too much. Stop reading here if you don't want me to spoil any story elements for you. For a movie described by many advance critics as "darker than the first" there was surprisingly little drama. Did they mean dark as in lighting and costumes? Because there is little tension in the formation of the alliance between Caspian and the Narnians - it takes about 90 seconds of screen time. And the same goes for the relationship between Peter and Caspian. Peter's ill-fated assault on the Castle Miraz is never explained - what was the point? The tantalizing but inconsequential cameo by The White Witch and a couple of her dark minions - what was the point? If the horn has existed all this time, why weren't the sons and daughters of Adam summoned when the Telemarines first waged their attack on Narnia? And why did Aslan hang out in the forest and let the Narians get slaughtered? And when Lucy rides to him, why do they roll around in the forest having a cheery reunion while more Narians are being slaughtered? And why after 1300 years have Telmarines - whose ancestors were pirates and who launch fireworks when Miraz's son is born - not developed weapons beyond swords crossbows?
Bottom line, totally suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the show. Just don't try to peek behind the curtain.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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