Reepicheep is ‘Pretty Sweet’

‘Massawyrm’ from Aint it Cool News got a look at some footage from Prince Caspian, and, besides refering to our beloved Reepicheep as a rat, it’s an interesting report:

Now I’m on the record as having dug the **** out of the first [movie] – and I still do. Sure it isn’t LotR or on par with the best of the Harry Potters, but it is better than the weakest of the Potter’s. Liked it better than The Golden Compass as well. But this one looks like a light speed jump in what they’re trying to accomplish.

The footage they showed us was decidedly darker and really seemed to move on from the dropping jaw golly gee whillicker effect that first fantasy films tend to fall prey to. The footage they showed us was of a ruined Narnia – a Narnia some 1300 years later than when last we saw it. Where palaces once stood, now outcroppings of polished stone remain. Everyone we’ve come to love in Narnia is dead. Evil has crept in once again to take the place of goodness. And our four young heroes return as nothing but legends of a bygone age – needed once again to help free the land of tyranny. Sounds pretty good to me.

The centaurs are back. The Minotaurs are back. And this time they both appear to be working alongside our heroes. But most importantly, there were a few sequences of this crudely drawn sword-wielding rat. This was some placeholder animation to show us what this oversized rodent was doing during key sequences, and I for one will say that what he was doing was pretty sweet. If the animation comes out right, he could be one of those truly wonderful characters that folks can fall in love with.

Much like the 10 minute sequence Disney showed us at Fantastic Fest, this footage took me from curious to pretty **** jazzed. Can’t wait to finally sit down and watch the final product. Disney’s live action film department has been on a serious roll the last few years and hasn’t gotten the props they deserve. Everyone talks about the animation issues and glows about Pixar. They forget that almost everything Live Action that Disney’s been party to has been pretty stellar. Even their lesser films have been fun, family fare. This looks to be up in the peak of their abilities, however. Fans of the series are going to lose their minds when they see the set design and creature work for this. Top notch stuff.

Thanks to ‘epevensie’ for the find.