The Chronicles of Narnia: The Black Sheep of 2000's Fantasy
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Growing up in the early 2000’s there were a lot of really great fantasy movies to look forward to. Each new Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Eragon, there was just so many. While a lot of these found success and are either still active today or are being rebooted, there’s one series that had a measurable amount of success, but in comparison to some of the bigger fantasy franchises, it’s like the little brother of all of them. This franchise is of course The Chronicles of Narnia.
0:00 - 1:36 - Intro
1:37 - 10:32 - The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
10:33 - 19:10 - Prince Caspian
19:11 - 26:38 - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
26:39 - 30:25 - Why Narnia Failed
30:26 - 32:22 - Netflix's Narnia
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Outro:
Late Night Driving - Broke In Summer
Hilarious to me that there was any controversy about Christian themes... it's not like C.S. Lewis was trying to make them subtle, and being mad at a movie for trying to maintain the same themes as the source material is pretty cringe.
Fr!! I mean, then don't adapt this particular series if it buggs you this much. Or just don't watch it. Let them Narnia fans have their Narnia in peace.
It was even worse with the Golden Compass movie, a lot of religious groups tried to stop it. The studio became worried which resulted in important scenes and themes being cut. As a child I loved both series and didn't even think about the religious or anti-religious themes in them, and today I appreicate both even though I'm not the biggest fan of Christianity. Like you said, it's funny that adaptations become controversial for sticking to the themes of the source material.
@Lee.na.23 Generally a result of American-british monopoly on moviemaking in the 2000s, Christianity is divided into 4 major denominations and protestantism will it's 50+ demoninations will scream the loudest.
Tolkien also has Christian undertones, it's mostly because art is influenced by culture, lots of things especially the furhter back you go is influenced more by religion, also depends on culture. For instance a lot of Japanese work like the world building in Final Fantasy and literally all of Naruto is directly influenced or inspired by Buddhism and Shintoism the dual religions of Japan. So yeah I don't understand the criticism to C.S. Lewis... he wasn't using it to try and convert people, so no its not controversial. Just radical atheists crying.
@@lettuceman9439 “4 major” Orthodox Catholic Protestant ….?
Bro, Aslan came back to life because he took the place of an evil person while being innocent and it was like an uno reverse on the magic. Another religious theme which points to the substitutionary atonement of Christ in our place. C.S. LEWIS POPPED OFF with that.
Yes Aslan is Jesus. I read the books.
I always knew about this even when I was a kid and I love it so much.
@@TempoLOOKING Like literally. Aslan is a multidimensional traveler and took the form of Christ in our world.
First time I’ve ever read “Bro” and “substitutionary atonement” in the same paragraph
Also it even explains it saying he was there when the law was written. That’s one reason I didn’t like the movies that much is because I read the books before. Good movies, but I fell into the trap of “The books where better🤓”
The first Narnia movie is near perfect fantasy. The books were some of the first novels I read as a kid. I remember how immersive and relatable they were. Sure the books aren’t on the same level of suchworks as LOTR but it’s not supposed to be. CS Lewis was actually good friends with Tolkien. His life is truly a story in of itself. He was a brilliant man and he wrote other books besides Narnia that are underrated but nonetheless a delightful read. As for the first Narnia movie, it was done so well. It stays close to the book and it has a feeling and atmosphere of wonder. Not any other film has made me feel the same way. Not even the Narnia sequels. Unfortunately, I can’t have the same amount of joy or reverence for the Narnia film sequels as they do deviate from the books in a worse way and there is a very apparent drop in quality. I’m excited for this new Netflix series and I hope we can finally see Magicians Nephew get a proper adaption.
When we were kids we watched the first movie over and over again. We could quote the whole thing. Now as an adult, i watched it again for the first time in 15 years. I expected it to be corny. Instead i was amazed at how good it actually still was. Many times i cried. It transported me back to being a kid again.
I'm like 99% sure the Netflix show will be terrible and just there to get people to stay subbed for a few weeks.
I've never seen so much scowling from child actors. the kids spent far too much time with negative emotional expressions on their faces for me to watch this. it was very off-putting and distracting for me.
@@perfectallycromulent That's got to be the most autistic comment I've seen in years.
@@perfectallycromulent I disagree. I actually found the "negative expressionless" faces, as you put it, realistic for the time period. Keep in mind this is a story set during The World War. Times were different. Children were different. They had to grow up a lot faster. The whole context as to why Edmund was enthralled by the idea of Turkish delight was food was scarce during the war. Many wouldn't even consider the idea of deserts except the very rich. The negative expressions match how Peter, Susan and Edmund were described in the book. All except Lucy. Both in the film and book she displays genuine emotion of joy and wonder. You must have watched a different movie if you think Lucy was "scowling”
fun fact abt the ending of the first movie ! it’s supposed to be like the young ww1 soldiers returning home. being out in the literal trenches as a soldier, just to be thrust back into their old lives and treated like kids again. that’s what it’s supposed to resemble. (i am a sucker for looking at the story without c.s. lewis’ intentions in mind and how that would mess with the pevensie siblings tho)
ww2
I actually always thought that Prince Caspian having such a different feeling to it made complete sense. After all, with all that time having passed between the end of the first movie and this one, it would have been weird if they had been too much alike.
I actually like the Prince Caspian film more than the TL,TW&TW one, as its got less religious allegory and such. Even better, the politicking of Miraz trying to have Caspian killed, him seizing the throne, and the Lords of Telmar plotting against him resulting in them backing him into accepting the duel is all straight from the book, no made up details to make the stakes higher. The film is a lot less fantastical and *weird* than the book is lol, and its like a PG-13, family friendly GoT with more fantasy elements
I’ll always remember seeing the first Narnia in theatres, it was so grand and epic it felt like the start of something huge. It was so sad to watch it dwindle away after 3 entries
but the second movie was pretty good too, and i loved prince caspian in the movie, but the third movie was bad
One scene that really sticks out to me in the first Narnia movie is right before Aslan's army and the Witch's army are about to clash in the final battle the music suddenly goes silent and all the audience can hear is heart thumping, basically saying this is it. It's like when the music starts up again when Harry and Voldemort clash wands for the final time after the last of Voldemort's horcrux is destroyed or when the music becomes louder once Gandalf's cavalry clashes with the Uruk-Hai at Helm's Deep.
The problem with Narnia is its setting or rather the lack of it remaining coherent. Every story is pretty much stand alone with huge gaps in time. Most other fantasy settings establish the world and characters in the first volume and every story after continues on from this in a linear narrative. Narnias non linear structure makes it hard to look forward to watching a sequel knowing the characters you've grown to care about aren't around anymore.
The setting is coherent, it just changes over time. I can certainly understand your disappointment with how certain characters you came to enjoy don't stick around, but part of the appeal of the series is how it consistently introduces new charming and likable characters that all feel distinct from one another. Mr. Tumnus is different from Trumpkin who's different from Puddleglum, but they're all likable characters who go through complete arcs within the books they're in. There's no incoherence to it, just change.
Eustace in Voyage of the Dawn Treader marks the birth of a LEGEND
Eyebrows guy!!!
Oh Eustace, the adopted middle child 😊.
one of the few actual good things about the last narnia movie, cause most of it sucked
Every year or so on a day off I’ll just binge all three. It’s such an incredible world with awesome characters. It’s such a shame that they didn’t end up making more. I’ve always had a soft spot for Dawn Treader.
Same. It was my childhood’s favorite series and I used to binge it on repeat. Voyage of the Dawn Treader was my favorite movie because of Eustace turning into a dragon. (I was a simple kid, see dragon, instantly loved) I still have the dvd’s and it’s great to rewatch every now and again now that I’m older. I love the series so much. I’m a bit apprehensive to see Netflix take on it…
that's what i'm doing today : D
They have the perfect opportunity now though to actually finish the original series. Since the actors have aged, they would be suitable to take part in The Horse and His Boy. I think they should start with a Magicians Nephew movie to re-introduce us to the world, keep Tilda Swinton and Liam Neeson. Then produce the remaining books that hadn’t already been adapted. Maybe the remaining stories could work better in a series format rather than films, but regardless I think they ought to keep the same cast and worldbuiliding that has already been established. It would be an amazing comeback for the series.
Unfortunately Skandar Keynes aka Edmund is no longer an actor so he’d likely not be a part of any revival of it. He’s actually a political advisor now
Those Movies will always have a special place for me , it showed the wonders some think when you are a kid , it was beautiful
I always thought it was hilarious how pathetic the fawns were in the first movie, then in caspian they turn into parkour killing ninjas😂😂
well that could be insinuated that they've been training since then and so that generation are much better warriors, that's how i always saw it
My fond memory of Prince Caspian is our English teacher made us to make a movie review about it. Pretty cool teacher.
As a devout Catholic Christian and a Theology and English Literature and Culture student I can tell you all three movies are very saturated with Christian themes. But many things are only subtle. Watching the movies or reading the books as a devout Christian is such an unmatched experience. I never had that form of experience ever in a movie before watching Narnia. Of course, knowing that Aslan is a direct Jesus figure makes his scenes so much more powerful to me and the things he says. I truly and deeply feel Jesus' presence watching the movies. I bawl my eyes out at so many scenes for that reason. I can give you some examples: Aslan in the fireplace scolding Tumnus (Jesus in the Bible, contrary to popular belief, isn't an ancient Hippie, he's authoritative and direct and never hesitates to call wickedness out while still always offering forgiveness for repenting) / "I was there when it was written" - Christians believe that Jesus the son has always been with the father in heaven, he was literally there when God created the Universe and everything in it. God, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, exists outside of time and place, Jesus' only came into earthly existence these 2000+ years ago but he has always existed literally before time itself. / The, what I would call, "confession" of Edmund after he was rescued when we see him talking to Aslan with his head down before Aslan tells his siblings that there is no need to talk about what happened anymore. / I'm pretty sure Peter Pevensie is a minor St. Peter figure (one of the 12 apostles of Jesus', or to a Catholic like me, the first Bishop of Rome so the first Pope) since Aslan crowns him the High King of Narnia. Peter is also pretty hot headed and at different points doubtful, which are major characteristics St. Peter is described with in the Bible. / The "Deep Magic" Aslan is talking about is God the Father, "who is more powerful than any of [them], that rules over all of Narnia [and] defines right from wrong and governs all [their] destinies" both Peter's and Aslan's. In the bible Jesus' says that he is the son who does the will of his father in heaven John 6:38-39 "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me but raise them up at the last day." / The fact that Peter wasn't able to defeat the Witch and that Aslan had to step in and defeat her. She was never a match for Aslan, but she could corrupt anyone else and without Aslan it was hard to withstand the corruption. The same is with Jesus and the Devil. The Devil is in no way a match for Jesus Christ and demons in general even must obey Jesus' command. The Devil exists only because God is a good God who gave everyone free will, including his angels. He allows their existence, but he can and will keep everyone safe who want to be from these demons. If we try to fight the spiritual war without Jesus, we would lose because our sins make us weak. The only way to clean ourselves from sin is Jesus' flesh and blood that he poured out for us. Jesus' defeated the Devil with his sacrifice and resurrection, not us. We profit from it. There are so many more examples, and these are from the first movie alone, but it would take literally an entire essay to give you everything. Basically, if you love Narnia and you love Aslan, give Christianity a chance. ;) Aslan is the best fictional portrayal of Jesus that there exists. It's truly a miracle in itself if you ask me. Because how many times have you seen portrayals of Jesus in media and you though how cringe and awkward they were? Me for my part all the time. Till Narnia Jesus was only ever able to be portrayed directly in truthful adaptations of the bible but not really in fiction. Aslan isn't like Christ figures such as Gandalf, Frodo and Aragorn from LoTR, because they only represent aspects of Christ but as Lewis said himself, Aslan IS Jesus Christ. edit: I only wanted to add that the experience Narnia gives me is unmatched even by movies like "The Passion of the Christ" or other Catholic or generally Christian movies is because the implementation of Christianity in Narnia is so beautifully subtle and so often surprising. It gives me chills whenever I notice something new that I missed before, and it's built in so organically and again beautifully symbolic. I don't know how to explain it better. Also, honestly, I cannot sit through "The Passion of the Christ" because it's so intense and realistic. But this lenting season I'll try to watch it start to finish on Good Friday. But the passion scene in Narnia is SO GOOD. I cry so much it's unbelievably good. edit II: I fixed some grammar and spelling mistakes because they were truly embarrassing (I'm dyslexic :'D)
I agree. Sitting quietly and reading the Narnia stories with a focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be a profound experience and deepens my conversion. I would echo the invitation to learn about Jesus and His Gospel (which means "good news") for anyone who enjoys (or doesn't enjoy) the Chronicles of Narnia. It will likely clarify elements in the stories and help you discover how meaningful they are.
Still upset we didnt get the SIlver Chair movie that Joe Johnston was going to make before he retired! That dude has made some breathtaking movies!
Honestly, they didn’t need Caspian. He was supposed to be an old man and his son was in danger. Or something of that nature.
I LOVE Wardrobe and Caspian, and I really liked Dawn Treader. Not at the same level as the first two, but Will Poulter is just a _delightful_ and hilarious Eustace. 20:50 was perfect 😂😂 Also, as a Christian, I never realized how much you miss out on the meaning of certain actions in the story if you don’t know Christian beliefs. Like what he said about being so frustrated with Aslan resting quietly was Lucy in the woods while the battle is going on. That would be obvious to a Christian. Just like God, He’s demonstrating to Lucy - and to us - that He has everything in control, and even when we are afraid and feel like we’re in the middle of a battle, we can still look to Him and know that we don’t need to worry. But if you’re not Christian, I totally get being confused by that scene and so many others.
Even though I was raised a Catholic I never really noticed the "overt Christian themes" and Aslan being basically Jesus when I was reading Narnia books & watching these movies as a kid. The first time I kind of noticed it was at the end of the third book when at the end of the world they meet Aslan in a form of a lamb which reminded me of the Lamb of God. And it even made me kind of uncomfortable, thinking that Lewis may be doing a mockery of it or something. I only fully realized it when people on the internet were pointing it out much later. So it still kinda bugs me when people say how overt those themes are. 😅
C.S. Lewis always meant the series as a pretty overt allegory of Christianity.
@@verindictus3639For which JRR Tolkien made it is personal mission to tell Lewis how wrong he was about that
@@shadowprince4620 Yes, C.S.Lewis wrote overt allegory, and Tolkien hated allegory. But I don't think either style of writing is wrong - both can be good when done correctly, and both C.S. Lewis and Tolkien made great contributions to western fantasy.
@@verindictus3639 Lewis didn't write it as an allegory; it was supposition. Aslan literally is Jesus who decided to become a lion in another dimension.
narnia was my entire childhood. i learned archery because i wanted to be like susan hahaha so i would say narnia wasn’t underrated to me at least lol
I think the series is difficult to adapt by it's very nature how the stories switch characters, time lines, and arguably genres. I haven't even read them all. I wish serialized animation was on the table because I think the potential is vast. Netflix has killer animation resources under its umbrella, too. Excellent video, I was extremely into the first Narnia movie. That practical minotaur and warrior centaur HAD ME.
I always think for fantasy especially high fantasy best medium is animation. No headache with kids growing up , no limitation with effects and stunts. I don't get why they always insist on live action. Just make an animation. It's much better.
@@Vor567tez Unfortunately there's a major stigma in America against animation. It's weakening, but there's still a pervasive idea that animation is for children. That's one of the reasons Disney keeps making live-action remakes.
@@magnusprime962 That's true. But surprisingly Walt Disney ,himself, was against the notion that animation is for kids. He rather defined it as family entertainment.
agree on the minotaur. Obsessed for years. Rolled Tauren in WoW because of him. I’d watch that battle over and over and it put me in fantasy mood every time.
Ok so it's not just me that had the Price Caspian movie as my favorite movie throughout my whole childhood 😅
nah dude i love the second film a lot, the third ALMOST wins me over because it feels like an rpg game, but the second still wins out over all
I was a preteen when the first movie came out, and I loved the whole vibe of it, and still love it. The Caspian came out when I was a teen, and it was my favorite movie of all time- mostly because I loved Ben Barnes and had (still do) a major crush on him, and it’s a fantastic movie with darker themes. I watched the dawn treader when I was a little older and felt meh about it, but rewatching it as an adult I have a different appreciation for the themes in that movie.
Prince Caspian was my favourite as well.
I'll never forget when I saw the first Narnia in theaters. It was so thrilling (I sadly had missed LotR's run) and magical. I loved how they expanded the role of Maugrim (My favorite hcaracter) in the film, which was awesome. It is a shame this series never carried on after the first three. I like the second film fine but it still bores me a bit.
These movies are a huge highlight of my childhood! On top of that, I made a fan-film on my channel!
Where is it!! I’d love to see it!
@@thethriftytypewriter It’s on my channel!
Thank you! It’s up on my ch@nnel!
It’s on my ch@nel!
For some reason my response is being hidden, but search Narnia fan film and it should be the first one you see. It is also under my name as well
More info about the Silver Chair: there was already a finished script by David Magee and Douglas Gresham (CS Lewis' stepson and co-producer) liked it. But then, after a change in leadership at the Sony (Tristar was set to distribute Silver Chair), there was pressure to make it a “girl power action movie.” At that point, Gresham walked away and the project petered out. Now, Netflix is developing Narnia adaptations with Gresham still listed as a co-producer.
Living an entire life only to suddenly be a child again sounds incredible. To be young with all the wisdom that comes with age is like living a life on easy mode. Also, school for 32hrs per week would be WAY more bearable having experienced a 48 hour work week!
Fair point! 😂
16:03 Yeah, that scene didn't happen in the book. They talked about summoning the White Witch in the book, but never actually did it. 21:16 Funnily, enough the books actually discussed that, stating that "Lucy thanked her lucky stars that she had taken swim classes last semester" (or something very like that). Basically C.S. Lewis stating Aslan/God had, through His divine providence, already gotten the children ready to be dumped in the ocean (and take a voyage across it, as that likely wasn't the only time they needed to swim during that voyage).
The problem of telling a whole Narnia series from start to finish is similar to the problems that Amazon has with The Rings of Power (well, except for the terrible writing at a lot of the time in the 1st season): Time jumps and not the same characters.
Amazon doesn't even hv the rights to LoTR. They r openly selling cheap dupes.
i think if they did it as a series it could work, because the only people effected by the time jump are the narnians so i think it'd be fine honestly
Narnia have a pretty nice world. I wish I could go into my closet and be transported there sometimes lol.
I’m so glad prince capian is your favourite too! Truly a good dark fantasy for kids at the time. I do agree they should’ve changed the Bible related aspects to better make the films intriguing. Hated that they “had” to leave narnia in each book. Broke my little kid heart 😭
Coincidentally rewatched the first Narnia here the other day, and not having watched for many years, I was a bit hesitant about whether it would hold up. It absolutely does! It is genuinely a fun, heartfelt adventure with fun, light world-building. The actors do a decent job too, with Swinton unsurprisingly stealing the show in that department. The CGI is pretty decent, I agree, and the costumes for many of the White Witch's army are stunning! Like the minotaur general. I can see why I loved this so much as a child.
I loved the first two movies and they were a huge part of my childhood. I rediscovered my love for them as an adult and wish that they'd been given a fair shot as a complete series. But I also don't know how I feel about them completely rebooting the franchise. The original holds a dear place in my heart and we've seen that writing quality has taken a noticeable dive in recent years.
I always found the death of Narnia very upsetting as it actually is my favorite series, and the Dawn Treader my favorite movie. Mainly because I was a little kid and who didn’t want to go to Narnia and be turned into a dragon? And now that I’m older and when I say that the Dawn Treader being still one of my favorite movies of all time, it’s embarrassing because everyone replies with, “What’s that?” or “Oh, I never knew Narnia had a third movie.” And I admit- it’s a great child’s movie with lots of nostalgia for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best movie out there. Still glad it scored above average though:)
The Battle of Beruna was my Helm's Deep.
The first Narnia movie is one of the best cinema experiences I have ever had. Narnia (The first one) was insanly popular here in Norway. It reached a simular popularity status as Pirates of the carrbean
I really want an adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew; chronologically the first book. It’s my favorite and it’s so whimsical and fun. Hope the new series does it justice.
The reason it reminds you of Lotr is definitely because all the props and creatures was made by Weta workshop
I always find it kind of funny that people find the presence of Christian themes in LWW controversial. CS Lewis is well known for being a Christian author, and made it very clear that the Narnia series were written as such. People who get upset are the anti-religion folks who somehow didn't do their research.
Weird really but you kinda have to give to how Decentralized Christianity is compared to most world Religion. Lewis is adored even by Catholics and Orthodoxs like how doevstosky is adore in vice versa by protestants and Catholics even Mormons loves Lewis Christian works like mere Christianity however some church in america will probably disagree and protest.
Finally seeing that you uploaded again! Yay! I want to go back and rewatch these again, thank you as always for fun videos!! 😊
I read the Narnia books as my first proper series and watched the films around the same time. It had such a huge impact on my childhood. I think the films are a wonderful introduction to fantasy for children without some of the handholding that's seen in other Disney films. You can really tell just how much love all of the cast and crew had for the films. The details are exquisite (seriously, if you watch them specifically to look for small details you'll be amazed at what you can find!). I loved growing with the films but I honestly think they were right to stop when they did. Eustace is just not as compelling a character as the Pevensies and the last book is incredibly confusing. The horse and his boy is best read critically and should never be adapted to film
this is back when *Disney* was so *popular* & *iconic* with their *GREATEST* & *BIG-TIME* Blockbuster films became a BIG Smash Hit in the 2000s. 🌟✨
Bro, this saga was EVERYTHING to me growing up. The first movie was up there with The Lord of the Rings for little 11 year old me, I remember how bloody excited I was to see LWW because I adored the books and the BBC TV show. But I'm still frustrated there hasn't been any adaptation of The Horse and His Boy, the third book in the chronology which takes place in Narnia during the Pevensies' reign with new characters. It explores the world and different countries south of the land of Narnia and I just... Raah!! I need it! Also, the witch scene in Prince Caspian was in the book, but they were only talking about bringing her back and the Pevensie children actually met Caspian then as they intervened to stop this plot from going forward. I guess they had to keep it in the movie and tried to insert it more logically with the direction they had taken the story, but I see what you mean
Quality viddie. Always really enjoyed the practical effects🤘🏻
As for movie 3 - you are right it is 'all over a place', but it is adaptation - movie is 'all over place', because source material was.
Really enjoyed the video. Narnia used to be one of my favorite movies. Always thought Prince Caspian was alright. Never watched the third one though because for years I never even knew it existed.
You should watch it. I enjoyed it
Must be 15 years since i last saw this movie. I now just learned there is a third one
im rereading these right now this is perfect
WOW! What a phenomenal treat to see! I would love to see you cover the spiderwick chronicles someday, Narnia always reminds me of it hehe
I always love discovering great, thoughtful long-form video essay channels worth watching
Shiiet man I don't know why you ain't got more recognition. I've been binging you content for the past week. Keep it up. And also I still want you to do a full Lost video.
A Netflix Chronicles is Nadia will probably be pretty similar to the series of unfortunate events. An eight episode series based on the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe, while incorporating parts of magicians nephew as back flash moments for the white queen. So basically the Netflix standard for adaptable IP’s
21:40 This is even stranger considering Andrew Adamson which is the director/writer for the first two Narnia movies also directed the first two Shrek movies and was heavily involved in all the subsequent ones. However, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader which was the only Narnia movie to not involve him, makes a peculiar reference to the first Shrek. Bizarre.
This movie series (and fantasy as a whole) were losing steam because people started shifting their focus towards another genre that was picking up in the early 2010s. Superhero movies.
I watched the first movie a lot as a kid but I never even knew there was more than one
3:50 this is sadly and unironically accurate
Well, statistically speaking....
I agree on Prince Caspian. Definitely also my favorite of the three. And I like this movie more than the book. I wish the Silver Chair had been made. It's my favorite of the books. Also the funniest.
At least Narnia got a second movie. Poor Golden Compass had it's ending cut off right before the gut punch, and vanished into obscurity. Great books, too.
I wrote my thesis in Narnia and till this day I will forever defend it over and over again! The first movie is THE BEST ADAPTATION of the early 2000’s and the way that lion look more real than Lion Kings almost 15 years later! The movie itself has an Oscar’s like ITS PERFECTION! The only consistent thing of the series was the casting it was enough to keep it afloat but the 3rd movie was not good! Second tried lol
Great video! I share a lot of your opinions and I also thought it was hysterical that some of your biggest story complaints are things that happen in the books (the witch coming back in Prince Caspian, Peter just knowing something “feels like magic”, etc)
I lost it with the comment about will poulter being ugly until he grew up 😂
I agree that Prince Caspian is super underrated. I think both of the first two movies are lowkey fantasy masterpieces. I'm apprehensive about the Netflix series to say the least. Greta Gerwig is brilliant it's true, 2019's Little Women is a masterpiece, and so that excites me. But on the flip side part of what makes Narnia so good is it's religious themes. Prince Caspian doesn't make any sense if Aslan works like how a normal human works, showing up to help his people at the earliest chance. But Aslan isn't a human, he's Narnia Jesus, and Jesus as far as Christianity is concerned is much more interested in our personal growth through challenges than just bailing us out of every hard situation we encounter. If you think of Aslan like a human character Prince Caspian as a movie doesn't make any sense. My concern is that modern Hollywood writers who are now so far removed from traditional ideas and values will be reluctant to tell a story with the same core ideas that C. S. Lewis had and therefore fail to make a good Narnia project, twisting it into something worse and incoherent. Not going to lie, Netflix doesn't necessarily have the best track record with fantasy adaptations *cough* The Witcher *cough* So I'm nervous. But no matter what, we'll always have these movies, the first two are definitely going to be on my movie shelf when I get one.
I share very similar opinions and backgrounds to you about these movies. I grew up with them, I was obsessed with the first two, especially Prince Caspian. This video was such a treat to watch! Thank you for putting in the work to make it
Great video, as always!
Great overview I agree
To be honest, I grew up up watching the BBC Chronicles of Narnia version & really loved that (even though the special effects are VERY dated), & I even though I was excited for the Disney movie, I just never wanted to go back and keep watching it. Plus, if you haven’t read the books, then the sequel movies might be a huge let down cuz you’re expecting the same Narnia world & you aren’t going to get that, so if you’re surprised w/ that upon your first watch I can definitely see why someone would lose interest in this series .
The tone in the Prince Caspian novel is far darker than Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe, and it should, while Dawn Treader returned to the same magical element with more mature aspects to that land. The problem is with the gross deviations that each movie took. Peter would never have consented to call the White Witch, he knew full well that he was not returning to rule but rather to install King Caspian IX as the king. Dark Island is not even all that important in the novel, and the climax is the discovery of the sleeping lords these are just a very few of the deviations.
Glad to finally get to watch this
Didn’t know I needed this narnia refresher but this was just what I needed before the reboot
I think the reason these movies feel so juvenile in their fantasy tropes is because they were, in fact, made for children. This is not a game of thrones series. Naming characters “Mr. Fox” or having Santa Clause in your story is meant explicitly for the understanding and enjoyment of young minds. And while I too see Edmund much differently as an adult, he is, after all, a kid, I remember distinctly thinking-when I was his age-that he should know better, and that he made poor choices. Children have an understanding of right and wrong. They more often than not know when they’re doing something bad, even if they don’t fully comprehend why. And seeing Edmund’s arc made him my favorite character. He was someone I could relate to as a child, knowing I made some bad choices too, but that I could learn from them and become a be a better person.
Thank you for the Game of Thrones references and shade!
Loved these movies and played all the tie in games on Xbox back in the day.
Same here! Loved those games!
Honestly the the TV series was almost perfect and the movie adaptions was looking into a mirror of them 👏👏🤫
Prince Caspian is great, the perfect sequel to the first. And even the first one was really good
The first narnia movie is one of my favorites till this day 😊 especially the music is fantastic and epic.
Well done anaylysis and I personally also preffer second movie (in fact this is my favourite movie to this day) 🥰🥰💙💙💙💙💜💜💚💚💛💛. As for scene with White Witch in "Prince Caspian" it KINDA happened in the book in that way her people wanted bring her back and tried convince Caspian to this plan, but Peter and Edmund intervened before she ever showed up.
I do think it does the world of Narnia a disservice to divorce the world from its religious undertones, because a *lot* of it is bound into metaphor. And when aspects of the story are seen in-universe to be religious, like Aslan, it actually ties the themes together much better than fantasy alone could. CS Lewis wrote a very fun story, but his love of theology definitely shows through. I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing.
Outside of the Christian sphere, CS Lewis is kinda a unknown or Second to Tolkein. His best books are his christian apologetics like screwtape Letter and the Great Divorce.
I’m an outlier, though my opinion on the movies mirrors my wee self’s feelings on the books. I can’t stand Prince Caspian as a story or a character. Voyage of the Dawn Treader is my favorite with the feeling of compiled serial short stories, it reminds me of the original Pinocchio or the like, with Eustace ending up my favorite character. I feel like the movie did it justice, with the understandable changes for the movie format. That said, the BBC version will always hold a special place in my heart.
Great video
Has anyone also played the video game version of the first movie? I had fond memories of playing it on the original Xbox. Not to mention there being attraction for the first movie at MGM Studios in Disney World.
Very surprised to see this in my feed! If you like 2000s fantasy movies, there is one other one similar to the first Narnia movie I saw as a kid I assume you saw and loved: - The Spiderwick Chronicles If you by chance happen to see this and this gives you an idea for a future review, I'm more than happy to have brought it to your attention out of your day! Good day, and keep up the great writing centric content! 🥂
LOVED The Spiderwick Chronicles books as a kid and I actually recently rewatched the movie and I liked it a lot! I remember not liking it when I first saw it but it’s a super fun movie. I’ll add it to the list for sure! And thank you very much!
1979 Saw the first release of Lion witch and the wardrobe as an animated movie. 1980's The BBC released a dramatised serial, got as far as the Silver Chair!
I remember watching the narnia movies in reruns on cable, some of my earliest memories. I specifically remember Will Poulter being in it because i thought he looked funny lmao
Prince Caspian is where I checked out of those movies. Honestly I didn't know there even was a third until seeing the Badd Medicine reaction
My experience with these movies growing up: -Love the first movie, though Susan's character wasn't really focused on in this movie like her siblings had been -Didn't think much of the second movie since I held it to the same standard as the first movie (an unfair view) -Still haven't seen the third movie plus it didn't feel as talked about as the previous two movies, like Home Alone 1 and 2 compared to Home Alone 3-6
Born in Summer of 2000 .. these movies was def fire but just don’t get spoke about nowadays it seems
Wait there are more than one Narnia movies?! 😮 20:55 I remember him from Maze Runner trilogy (another cinematic universe,btw)
16:11 That was KINDA in the books. In the book, they were ready to bring back Jadis, but there wasnt any dialogue from her. The Pevensies come in and instantly put a stop to the whole ritual, I think. It's been years since I read the books.
Narnia was always my favorite franchise was great hopefully they can get a reboot at some point
The first was sheer perfection but I think they just lost momentum from PC onwards because the format of the books didn't translate as well.
i had the biggest crush on edmund after narnia prince caspian xD
Real
The religious content is the reason I like the Narnia books so much.
I remember seeing the first one in theatres as a kid
I wish you would finish covering the Pirates series! You still have At Worlds End to cover!
I’m gonna end up doing a video on the whole series!
I think the main issue with the Narnia movies going forward will be connecting everything together
"In your world you know me by a different name." - Still my favorite Aslan quote of all time.
Andrew Adamson seriously went from Shrek to Narnia to dropping off the face of the Earth after Caspian flopped
The books explain most of the issues you had with the 2nd. For example, it makes sense that Peter was put above the others because he was high king. Them holding hands because it felt like magic makes sense because they did live in Narnia for years and encountered it multiple times.
Edmund Pevensie always have been and always will be my favourite fictional character of all time
I loved the entire book series as a kid, and enjoyed these three movies immensely. I can see their shortcomings, but good stuff overall.