(no subject)

[vivien]

Okay, so first of all, I don't have a fannish connection to the Chronicles of Narnia from childhood. While I read LW&W as a kid, and enjoyed it very well, I hadn't actually read all of the books until, ahem, I apped Susan Pevensie for Milliways. So the liberties they took with the story? They worked for me. I liked Caspian being older, actually, because it has been hard for me as an adult to accept the whole "barely teenagers" fighting and winning wars thing. I can certainly understand fans who despise it, though, since I certainly hold my Tolkien close to my heart in a purist sense.

Anyway, things I liked:
I totally got the "angry Peter" and "distant Susan"; that worked for me. It's very much how I characterized Susan myself when I wrote her. One thing I always believed - even as a kid when I read the first book - is that it would be really tough to go from being a grown up, a Queen in an idyllic setting to a child in wartime England, which was a rough time to live through with rationing and, you know, war. So it works that the older children are having trouble with adjusting.

Edmund. Edmund rocks, and Skander Keynes has seriously grown as an actor and in his character.

I liked that they took out most of the "Oh, silly Lucy, no one believes you" plotline that Lewis imbued the novel with. That always annoyed me.

Peter's pride and hubris, trying to find out where he fit into this version of Narnia, also worked for me.

Reepicheep. OMG. Fabulous. I adored the effects, Eddie Izzard's vocal characterization, everything.

I liked Ben Barnes as Caspian. Although there was a point where I had to stifle a snicker as "I am Caspian Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." They could have not gone there, but hey, it was a small quibble.

I didn't mind the Caspian/Susan overtones. I could have done without them, too, but I didn't think it hurt. In canon, it's right after that that Susan becomes more interested in "lipstick and nylons" after all. *eye roll* So again, it didn't make me froth at the mouth.

I noticed that when Peter's telling Lucy that it's okay that he and Su can't go back to Narnia that Susan says nothing.

I think Prince Caspian as a movie adaptation is a tough one to do. It's not as "magical" as LW&W. But wow, I am looking forward to Voyage of the Dawn Treader

ETA: One small thing I didn't care for. I don't think Susan could have gotten hold of that much emo black eyeliner and mascara during wartime, much less in Narnia. That bothered me just a wee bit. It was a jarring addition.

I miss playing Susan.


In summation: Happy-making for Viv

Comments

[alchemine.livejournal.com]

I had to stifle a snicker as "I am Caspian Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

I thought the exact same thing and laughed at that moment, and TC was all, "What? Why is that funny?" LOL

[miraielle.livejournal.com]

I am not sure I'm coherent on this movie yet, and I've already seen it twice.

KGISGIMEGOFMZDFOFGJ.

[vivien]

*GLEES AT YOU WITH MUCH GLEEING*

[tigerlilyaj.livejournal.com]

I figured the rumored (I haven't seen it yet) tweaks with Susan were to try and prepare the audience for not seeing her later, to give us a gradual shift instead of having it dumped on us later, which is how I felt reading the books.

[vivien]

That really does make sense. *grumps at C.S. Lewis*

[alemara.livejournal.com]

I don't know...I saw it last night and I'm still trying to figure out if I really liked it or not. There's some definite issues I have with the choices they made regarding Peter, Caspian, and Aslan's appearance.

However, there were some great moments, too, notably REEPICHEEP. HELL YES.

...I miss Caspian.

(We should so AU Susan/Caspian sometime! Or 'ways Susan-Caspian regarding That Kiss.)

[vivien]

Ahem... in mixed_muses, I just happened to add three teen-aged Susan icons last night to my account (lj user=mm_vivien). I'm just sayin'.

LET'S DO IT, I MISS YOUR CASPIAN OMG!

[vivien]

Or with correct coding, mm_vivien. *rolls eyes at self*

Ooh, I'd love to do a missing scene from the movie. Something sweet, yet tense.

And also, I understand issues, for sure. I had puuuuuh-lenty with them for the LotR movies (and still do, at times). If you look at it as AU fanfic, it helps, I find.

[mm-lorna.livejournal.com]

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<_<

>_>

<small>....*waves*</small>

[mm-vivien.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

[i-open-doors.livejournal.com]

I agree that the older kids having trouble adapting worked really well. I got to go out and see it last night and my husband and I DIED when we heard Eddie Izzard's voice come out of Reepicheep.