New On DVD: 'Prince Caspian,' 'Hancock'

'The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian' (PG): The scope is bigger and entertainment is better in the big-screen adaptation of author C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," the follow-up to the 2005 blockbuster his "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

That's not to say "The Lion" was a bad film -- in fact it was quite good. But it was a tad overlong and laborious in its set-up. But with the characters firmly established in "Prince Caspian," the film is wide open for a full 2-plus hours of adventure that doesn't disappoint.

Prince Caspian (a charismatic Ben Barnes) is a new character in Narnia, an heir to the throne who's on the run after his uncle, the ruthless King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), seizes the kingdom. Facing certain death, Caspian summons the royal Pevensie family -- Peter (William Moseley), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), Susan (Anna Popplewell) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) -- to travel back to Narnia for help.

But when the Pevensies return the Narnia they discover much has changed. Only a year has passed for them, but hundreds of years have gone by for the enchanted land and things are looking grim. And while the siblings must learn to trust Caspian and a whole new host of mystical creatures in order to bring Narnia back to its glory, the stalwart lion, Aslan (voiced majestically again by Liam Neeson) is not that far away.

"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" is decidedly different in tone than "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," and without question is much more ominous. Miraz commands an army of masked soldiers who pose to destroy all, and the odds for Pevensies and Caspian aren't looking good.

But what emerges in the film is classic battle of good vs. evil that has a "Lord of the Rings"-type feel, but in a much friendlier family tone. The humor cuts through the intense moments and Moseley, Keynes, Popplewell and Henley are even more charming than before, and Peter Dinklage makes huge impressions as the dwarf Trumpkin.

And while he's supposed to be a prince who commands respect, Barnes expertly underplays the role of Caspian, showing the vulnerability just below the surface of Caspian's heroism and is quite convincing for a virtual unknown being thrown into the lead role of a big-budget film.

With Barnes and his co-stars leading the charge, the next film chapter of the "Narnia" film series can't come soon enough.

DVD Features: The two disc release of the film includes commentary with director Andrew Adamson and cast, deleted scenes, production featurettes, a blooper reel and more. (Walt Disney Home Entertainment)

'Hancock' (PG13 and Unrated): An unstoppable juggernaut at the box office, it only makes sense that Will Smith finally plays a superhero -- and he does so with gusto in "Hancock," a funny and exciting, visual effects-filled tale that takes the genre to new heights.

Smith stars as Hancock (the origin of his name is eventually revealed), a grizzled, super-powered hard drinker who does the public good by catching criminals. The problem is, he does harm, too, in his duties of goodness -- leaving structures and public property in ruins after he harnesses the bad guys. When he falls out of favor with the public with his latest bust, Hancock eventually allows enterprising public relations executive to give him an image makeover, which yields positive results. That is, until he meets the PR man's wife (Charlize Theron), who is closer to Hancock than he'd like to remember.

The first half of "Hancock" gets out of the gate like a rocket with non-stop action and laughs at every turn. But when Theron's character enters the picture, the film's tone becomes much more serious. It's great story development for those looking for it, but somewhat halts the buzzing tone the movie had going its first half. Still and all, it's hardly a reason to avoid the superhero tale, which for the most part measures up to the entertainment served up by "Iron Man." (Parents be warned: There is some sexual innuendo in the unrated version of the film to take note of, so you may want to screen the film before your children see it.)

DVD Features: The two disc set contains full-length PG-13 and unrated versions of the film, production featurettes and more. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

'24: Redemption' (Unrated): Fox network wisely capitalizes on the immediate DVD release of the film, just days after it aired on the network. Following the real-time format, Kiefer Sutherland returns as Jack Bauer for a two-hour prequel to the 7th season of the hit show, which was held back a year due to the writers' strike.

In "Redemption" we find Bauer in exile doing missionary work in Africa alongside an old friend (Robert Carlyle) when a wave of child soldier kidnappings hits too close to home. Wanted by the U.S. government despite his dedicate service to his country, Bauer chooses to get involved in a deadly rescue effort to save some of the boys, even though it may ultimately cost him his freedom.

Accompanied by the customary clicking "24" clock, "Redemption" is every bit as good as "24" was in its heyday (the show began to falter last season), and it inspires promise for the upcoming season. We're introduced to the new president (Cherry Jones) and Vice President Noah Daniels (Powers Boothe) puts in a pivotal appearance, and naturally, the prequel is a set-up for the next season. The DVD also offers a tantalizing peek at the next season of the show with the first 17-minutes of the first episode.

DVD Features: The two disc set includes additional footage not seen in the television version, commentary by Sutherland and crew members, a production featurette, a featurette about the plight of child soldiers and more. (Fox Home Entertainment)