The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Fantasy war epic 'Prince' is a worthy heir to first 'Narnia'

Updated Wednesday, June 4th 2008, 3:08 PM

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Fantasy-adventure about siblings who help save a magical land. With William Moseley, Ben Barnes. Director: Andrew Adamson (2:24). PG: Intense battle action and violence. At area theaters.

"Things never happen the same way twice," the noble lion Aslan teaches us in "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian." And anyone familiar with author C.S. Lewis' classic fantasy series knows that Aslan, creator and savior of Narnia, is never wrong.

So those coming to the second installment in Andrew Adamson's epic adaptation are likely to be disappointed if they arrive with memories of the first, truly wondrous adventure. But taken on its own, there's still enough magic in this sequel to please all but the most earth-bound audience members.

When the movie begins, the young Pevensie siblings from "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" - Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) - are once again stuck in dreary wartime England. Soon enough, however, they return to a Narnia that desperately needs them.

The kingdom's new leader should be Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes), but his wicked uncle Miraz (Sergio Castellitto) has stolen the crown and started a civil war. With little time to waste, Caspian and Peter marshal their army, which in this case includes centaurs, minotaurs, a cranky dwarf (Peter Dinklage) and a very brave mouse (voiced by Eddie Izzard).

Peter and Caspian have differing ideas on how to fight Miraz's men, but only Lucy knows they cannot win by force alone. Without faith, and the aid of Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson), they will surely be lost.

Lewis made no secret of the religious themes in his stories, and they're certainly evident on-screen if you go looking. Most viewers won't though, because there's always so much else to see. Adamson stages breathtaking battles intense enough to rival those from "The Lord of the Rings," while the actors playing the Pevensies are as charming as ever.

The same, alas, cannot be said for the wooden Barnes, and there is no villain to rival "Wardrobe's" White Witch (played again by Tilda Swinton in a brief cameo). With his generic threats and random Italian accent, Miraz isn't half as scary as those computer-generated minotaurs.

Still, even with all the CGI effects, this darkly emotional movie feels like the anti-"Speed Racer." Sure, it's a big-budget spectacle. But it's also the kind of grandly old-fashioned entertainment we don't get enough of anymore.

eweitzman@nydailynews.com