Are we talking about the same book?

By the way, finally got to see Prince Caspian in the theater with the kids. It was a fun family outing. A good enough movie with some great themes and sweeping scenes. Sweeping and beautiful but, well, actually disappointing.

Both Rick and I wondered how much liberty one can take when basing a movie on a classic book. How different can the movie be from the book and still get to use that title? Oh, I know movies can’t be exactly true to the books. Writers and directors and producers take some creative license to interpret the story or bring it alive on the big screen in a way that will engage a modern audience. I get that. I don’t have a problem with that. I don’t usually even expect the movie will be just like the book.

But, this seemed like an awful lot of creative license to me. It only vaguely resembled the book. Prince Caspian the movie has the same characters that are in the book and it starts and ends much like the book. But, that’s really about it. Significant scenes are added – the whole battle at the castle is non-existent in the books. A rivalry is drummed up between High King Peter and Prince Caspian which is actually quite opposite the book. There are several “misses” on the very nature of Caspian’s character: in the books, he never truly entertains turning to the White Witch for help. He loves Narnia and it’s Creator too much for that. The movie makes him seem ignorant of the Old Narnia and it’s Lion. In truth, he actually had been taught much about Narnia and has a deep respect for Aslan even before he has the pleasure of meeting him. In the movie, Aslan is given very little time or emphasis. His words are slightly changed and lose some of their potency. Lastly, Susan never would have kissed Caspian like that at the end – it was totally out of character and, in my opinion, even cheesy.

I’m not saying it was a horrible movie. Our family enjoyed it. I’m just not sure we should have called it Prince Caspian and claimed it was based on Lewis’ book.