[doug*platypus]

Good point, burrahobbit. Grey, green, not a huge amount of difference at least not to me. But I definitely have a problem with the dead swarming all through Minas Tirith. Tolkien points out that it is ironic to have Sauron's forces defeated by his own devices (necromancy, or something similar). But <B>I</B> point out that it's <B>moronic</B> to have zombie skeletons swarming through the White City! Truly it was two Minas Morguls grinning at each other across the Vale of Anduin. Once again, PJ reads the books and yet misses the point!<P>I'm one of the strongest advocates against Legolas' ridiculous stuntwork in TTT, but I would have to say that the Oliphaunt thing really worked. It was cool yet believable, given his elven talent for balance and quick movement. It did take up slightly too much screen time, though. Éomer's dispatching of two Mûmakil was <B>hardcore</B> and fairly believable. Honestly, though, elephants aren't like out-of-control trucks. It was like somebody was still stepping on the accelerator of the Mumak, and instead of stopping in his tracks, he kept going and plowed into his buddy, sending them both crashing. I was waiting for the snowspeeder to come in and blow them to pieces, but alas! maybe on the extended edition.<P>As for length, I thought PJ did very well. I had just started thinking "This is too battle-heavy. Kiss your Oscar goodbye!" when the battle wrapped up. Besides, if anything it should have been shortened. As the movie stands, the climax was really the Battle of the Pelennor (what an ironic name!) Fields and Sam's defeat of Shelob. This took a lot of the glory away from the final battle and from Mount Doom.<P>I'm not convinced that the battle really was better than Helm's Deep. Thankfully there were no troops of Elves, although I really missed the Sons of Elrond. I think it would have made much more sense for them to make the journey from Imladris and fight in the war than for Elrond to come to Rohan, go back to Rivendell and then come to Gondor with Arwen. <P>The breaching of the wall at Helm's Deep still rates as the best special effect I have ever seen, it was so realistic! So the whole 'brick crushes Orc' thing had already been done. In fact the siege machines probably went on for too long, and I was a bit disappointed not to see a cow shot out of a trebuchet. Surely that's a must in any battle? Boy, they don't build Númenórean cities like they used to either! One shot, one turret down!<P>The scene at the gate was very well done. Gandalf referring to <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> whatever comes through that gate <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> really got the fear and anticipation up. And then when the trolls burst through, oh boy that was some scary stuff!<P>The Rohirrim were the scariest thing on the battlefield, however. The chant of <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Death! Death! Death! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>was sending shivers of fright down my spine. Théoden's only good moment of the film, if you ask me. Éomer's part in the battle and the death of his lord can't really be judged until we see the extended edition, which is unfortunate but understandable given the time constraint.<P>Too many Mûmakil, no Southron banner, no other horsemen and too many filthy Orcsses. Anyone knows they're the scum of Sauron's armies and too easily destroyed. The battle was good, but not as good as hype indicated it was going to be. I was a bit disappointed at the reliance on CG. It took it out of the realm of <I>Ran</I> and put it into the <I>Phantom Menace</I> class of battle scenes. Bring on <I>The Last Samurai</I>.