[The Saucepan Man]

Well, I for one can live with the Faramir portrayal. Yes, he is different in character from the books, but evil? Surely not. As Tar Palantir said:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> I think movie Faramir should not be viewed as 'evil'. Try to envision him as simply being more loyal to Gondor and Denethor than in the book. Not only is it true, it is easier to swallow that way. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>For all he knows when he comes across Frodo and Sam, they could be spies from Mordor. He is a Captain of Gondor and the son of the Steward. It is his duty to defend the borders of his country. Moreover, it has been decreed that anyone letting potential spies go will forfeit their life. And, to top that, he also knows that his father won't exactly be chuffed if he learns that he let the One Ring slip through his hands and head off to Mordor in the hands of two Hobbits. In film terms (and without much of the wonderful dialogue between Frodo, Sam and Faramir at Henneth Annun which it would, alas, have been impractical to include) it makes perfect sense for him to act the way he does. And yet, despite all, he does in the end let Frodo and Sam go, thus delineating his character from that of his brother. In my view, this sets things up nicely for the interaction between Faramir and his father in Rotk.<P>And I can live with Osgiliath too (particularly as the extended DVD will explain how Frodo and Sam make it back to the other side of the Anduin). Except, of course, the scene where Frodo tries to give the Ring to the Nazgul. That just doesn't work for me. <P>Other disappointments?<P>Well, the major one for me was those silly Lemming-Hyena hybrids . Don't get me wrong, I was tremendously excited when I saw that there would be Warg-riders in the film. But the Wargs themselves were a great disappointment. And I could have done without Aragorn being dragged over the cliff and ending up being nuzzled by his horse.<P>Elijah Wood rolling his eyes up for the umpteenth time. I agree with Maril that the sense, in RotK, of Frodo gradually falling apart as they near Mount Doom, and the power of his finally succumbing to the Ring, will largely be lost given the state that he has already fallen to by the end of TTT.<P>Not enough Treebeard or Ents generally. Treebeard and co being tricked into attacking Isengard. And no Huorns at Helm's Deep (although, surprisingly it seems that they may be in the extended DVD - difficult to see how the timing will work on this).<P>One Dwarf-tossing joke too many.<P>One short Dwarf joke too many.<P>Legolas shield-surfing.<P>Well, I think that's all. But, overall, I can forgive these diappointments for the great bits in the films. And there are many. And for the wonderful visualisation (the Black Gate, Edoras, Helm's Deep). And, of course, for the fanatastic work of Andy Serkis and WETA in bringing Gollum to life.