I certainly didn’t think 2005’s “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” was good enough to warrant a second journey to Narnia. But the film was a smash hit and Disney found 291 million reasons to churn out a sequel.

The story begins in WWII-era England, with our four school aged heroes living a normal life. Without warning they are summoned back to the mythical world of Narnia, where they were once kings and queens.

This time, their mission is to team up with Prince Caspian and the animal creatures of the forest to defeat an evil monarch.

“Prince Caspian” is a stronger film than “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” It gets started more quickly, it has a more engrossing plot, and the final battle scene is more dramatic and well thought out.

That being said, the picture still isn’t very good. In 2 1/2 hours, there is practically no character development.

None of the four children have a believable personality or normal human emotions. They are destined to show up to Narnia every so often and risk their lives to free the Narnians from tyranny. Somehow they all just accept their responsibility - with no questions asked and no crisis of faith. How are we supposed to relate to these kids?

The title character, Prince Caspian, is a boring cipher who was cast based entirely on looks - not talent. He doesn’t seem smart enough to be president of the “Real World” fan club, never mind leader of a vast multi-species kingdom.

And can anyone tell me why he sounds like he is from Spain? My only guess is that a random sampling of teenage girls revealed that a guy is considered 20% dreamier if he speaks with a Mediterranean accent.

What struck me is just how much “Prince Caspian” apes the “Lord of the Rings” movies. Some scenes (like the dramatic shots of noble little people journeying by foot through mountain passes) look like they could be deleted outtakes from “Return of the King.” I suppose there is nothing wrong with stealing ideas from superior filmmakers, but “Prince Caspian” definitely doesn’t earn any originality points.

The morals that the film teaches are a little surprising, particularly considering it is aimed at children. The film seems to argue that people have predetermined destinies. And if you feel you are destined to fight for a cause, you should throw caution to the wind and risk your life. If I had a daughter I certainly wouldn’t want her to take that lesson to heart.

The movie also seems to argue that war is inevitable whenever there is a land dispute and that the only way a tyrant can be defeated is on the battlefield. But don’t worry, the film reassures us: even if you are outgunned, you will surely triumph if God is on your side. I half expected the President to announce “I am George Bush and I approved this message” during the closing credits.

I like my movies with a little less preaching and a lot more characterization. “Prince Caspian” isn’t a bad picture, but it’s not for me.