I do think he's a bit of a brat because he mocks at Lucy and Ed's belief in Narnia, but he's far from mean. He's just one annoying, complaining kid whose behavior is often amusing. And I agree with you about his relationship with Reepichep. I actually really like that moment when he smiles to Reep after their duel. And I'm quite annoyed that Ed and Casp don't seem to be bothered much when finding his burned shoes/clothes.

I definitely agree. I loved Will Poulter in this role and couldn't have asked for a better actor for this character, but one of the things that bothered me most about the portrayal of Eustace was that his personality transformation seemed to begin before he was turned into a dragon. In particular, the scene where Reep teaches him swordplay, and the brief smile at the end. In the film, it seems as though that in time, he would have come around. In the book, I doubt he ever would have changed had it not been his time spent as a dragon and the range of uncomfortable emotions that came with it. I don't think the movie really conveys that, or makes it clear that the reason he became a dragon at all was because of being so incorrigible. Nor does it really show that it was meant to happen so that he himself could transform and become a new a person.

Yeah, you nailed it Josh. I didn't hate Poulter's portrayal, but it wasn't wholly what Eustace was meant to be.

Yes I felt more sorry for Eustace than angry. I think he was mean and lonely both in the book and the movie. I'm glad Will Poulter saw Eustace's backstory of being lonely, bottled up, socially awkward.

The movie just enhanced the lonely, not good at athletic stuff aspect, eg. duelling, fighting with sea serpents

I actually think the movie Eustace fits the book Eustace too. And there are lots of details in the book showing how mean and lonely he is. In the book he is an only child. His loneliness is also implied by the fact that he (when dragoned) had never felt what it was like to be liked and needed by others. The loneliness and meanness came from being so self-focused. So I did feel sorry for him when watching the film.

They probably didn't make him and Reep as edgy as they may have been in the book because it's a film entertainment for kids and who would want to see overly edgy characters, it's more fun to see them sort of hard-natured on the outside but really softies (sometimes cracking smiles) on the inside who do care. To think about this a bit more, Reep may have been the first real friend Eustace had who encouraged him in his life.

I would have been really crying (in a good way) if they'd developed the characters more than they did and the rest of the narrative around it. And that's my sentimental biased opinion. Nice thread!

I felt sorry for him both in book in movie. I mean, Edmund was not turned into a dragon. He comes back to his famiyl as a human, where Eustace comes back as a dragon ? Also, in the movie he wanted to do things with the otheres, but Caspian and Edmund wouldn't let him! Oh, and Edmund was very upset when he saw his shoe. When he saw that Eustace had turned into a dragon he looked like he was gonna be sick. I felt that Eustace just had a hard time fitting in both in school and Narnia. His parents did not even care about him or his cousins. So, he modeled after them. Also, he may have enjoyed bullying at school, but he was the one carrying favors for the bullies. Who's to say he never tried to get out of being a bully?

I'm not saying the filmaker's altered the character of Eustace. I'm just saying they seemed to give more insight as to why Eustace behaved the way he did, which made him much more sympathetic.

Lewis tended to not give much insight to why Edmund and Eustace behaved poorly which is why both characters were more one dimensional and hateable before they met Aslan. In a way, I actually like that the films added more layers to the characters because if everyone reacted to people like Edmund and Eustace the way Lewis did (ex. "There was once a boy named Eustace Scrubb and he almost deserved it") those people would never change.

I'm not saying Reepicheep could have changed Eustace on his own. Eustace did need Aslan. But by showing Reepicheep trying to befriend Eustace, it would make more sense as to why Eustace would be more open to accepting Aslan.

Still, the film could have made Eustace a little bit meaner. Just so that his character arc was more clear.

That's a good point you make where Reep prepares him to meet Aslan. I'd love to have seen more mean and good Eustace scenes.

To be honest i did feel more sorry for Eustace than for anyone in the film. While I thought he was quite nasty before they entered Narnia, he seemed to be just a scared kid after that. I mean at the Lone Island Pug (I think its Pug ) comes in with Eustace and holding a knife at his throat. Then Edmund growls, "Eustace!" I was just like, "what?" What did they expect Eustace to do? Be able to wield a sword and protect himself with no training?
I like Will Poulter and I liked Eustace, but I think I liked Eustace too much...

I kind of felt the same way with Edmund in LWW. Although I found Edmund to be an interesting character in the book, I didn't feel sorry for him until after Aslan "changed him." In the movie he was much easier to sympathize with. I kind of had a problem with this beacause it sort of decreased the great change he goes through at the end. Again I like Edmund, but I think I just felt too sorry for him at the beginning.

It may not be a bad thing, but it changes things from the book.

I found Edmund to be interesting but he's just brat until the WW betrays him; then you feel sorry for him. Perhaps the fact that with this movie I actually read the book first and knew Eustace was going to change, I didn't find him unlikeable, just humorous. In fact, from the beginning I loved the character; you know he'll change, so for now enjoy the laughter. Kind of 'ruins it', but I didn't care. I rather enjoyed myself.

Hmmm... from the start I felt sorry for him. He just didn't had any friends that's why he acted badly, because no one cared for him.

I understand totally what you people are saying. Now I couldn't altogether be angry Eustace at all because Edmund and Eustace are my too favorite characters. Maybe if he had actually swung around Reep by his tail I would have maybe being able to dislike him a little. But they kind of did this with Edmund too in LWW. Although it may just be me because those are my favorite characters.

in the book it says, "He was a puny little person who couldn't have stood up to Lucy let alone Edmund, in a fight....."
so he might try to be a bully, but he's a pretty lame one!
I like how he did what he did in the movie!

I like how they added character to Eustace. You got to see a glimpse as to why he was being a brat, whereas in the book you just knew it. But did anyone notice that Eustace in the book had next to no time to allow for anyone to try to befriend him. In the book, they go straight to the Lone Islands, a storm, Eustace's theft, then Dragon Island. In the movie, they add Corakin's Island in between all that and give him much more time of pre-dragon. The fight with Reep was a great moment and it helps you see that Reep is the first one to see through the brat-shell Eustace put up.

Now that I think about it, there is a lot more in the book in terms of character that isn't emphasized explicitly, but is hidden in tiny little bits. Tomorrow I'm going to go see it for a 3rd time and see what else I can glean from it.

the movie was sooo good loved it.