Eric and I finally got to the theaters to see Prince Caspian this weekend. I guess having a baby the weekend before the movie opened gives me an excuse for the delay — but this was a movie I really wanted to see on the big screen. Then I was afraid — as we walked into the theater — that I’d built it up too much and would be less than wowed. It didn’t disappoint.

There were several times during the movie when I leaned over to Eric and whispered, “Oh, there’s a great spiritual lesson. Oh, did you hear that?”

I think he was more than ready for me to be quiet and simply enjoy the flick.

But there’s a part of my mind that never shuts off. Saturday night, it analyzed the masterful way the spiritual lessons were slipped into the plot by CS Lewis and the filmmakers. They were there to see if I wanted to find them, but they certainly didn’t interrupt the story for me. Instead, it added a rich layer to the plot.

How seductive sin and evil can be.
How easily we can slip into pride.
How quickly we want to go back to the good old days, that are so different when we do go back.
The challenge to make the journey regardless of who is going with us.

I want to learn as a writer how to subtly insert the spiritual thread so that it’s there but it doesn’t stop the story.

The special effects were great. The story wonderful and true to the book as much as I could remember. It is darker than Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, but that’s because of the plot. We didn’t take Abigail and Jonathan – though I can’t wait to analyze the movie with Abigail. It could be a great teaching tool.

So if you haven’t seen it yet, go to the theater. It is well worth your time.