New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

Josh Spiegel: I agree with the idea that the other novels just aren't well-known. What's more, only two of the child actors return for a substantial amount of time for Voyage of the Dawn Treader. There's just a lack of familiarity that Liam Neeson's booming voice can't make up for. This result is, however, even a little less than I'd figured, what with high ticket prices and the 3D boost that should have come. Also, as Reagen says, the first two weren't that great, and this one isn't, apparently, any better.

Brett Beach: Good points all so far. I would also argue a few other things. One: the dreaded Ocean's 12 effect where a previous film's derailment of the franchise leaves people wary to approach the next one (although to be fair Ocean's 13 had an opening on par with the other two whereas Dawn Treader's weekend is down over 50% from Prince Caspian, and that's with a 3D surcharge). That is coupled with quite poor reviews that leave parents wondering if paying to see it in 3D is worth it. I have only read the first two books - before seeing the film - but I have come across how the filmmakers acknowledged that this and the rest of the series aren't so easily adaptable into films. The definite problem, especially in contrast to Potter/LOTR/Twilight is that you aren't following the same characters through all of the books: the throughline would have to be a love of Narnia itself and not the children on one hand or the Narnia-ites on the other.

Matthew Huntley: I may be the only one on this thread who feels there was an improvement between The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. As Edwin pointed out, the first film was good, but Caspian was better - the children had grown as actors; the story was more interesting and had a greater sense of urgency; and the action was more intense and exciting. Other than the fierce competition it faced back in 2008 (with Iron Man and Indiana Jones), I don't understand why Caspian created such a gap between it and its predecessor (as far as box-office is concerned).

Now, if The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was the first film in the series to create such a gap, it would make more sense. I saw it yesterday and the series has definitely taken a step back with this one. It's not a bad film (far from it), but it's gone from being appealing to both kids and adults to just kids, and I could sense this in the marketing campaign. That alone probably turned many adults away. Plus with all those who were disappointed with Caspian (again, I don't understand why), the first film's audience has depreciated by quite a large margin. Why this started between the first and second installments remains unclear to me, but from here on out (if there even is a "from here on out" with the Narnia films), I can't the franchise recovering and this probably the last we've seen of it.

Continued:       1       2       3       4