The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - **RotK

doug*platypus · 12-21-2003, 07:12 PM

I thought you guys might like to read the first impression of a friend of mine. He has read the books, but probably not to the point that many of us on the Downs have. I'm always interested to see what the man in the street says about the movies.<P>By the way, I previously made a gross misjudgment in labelling the Bagshot Row/Bag End change as minor. As I have pointed out elsewhere, no detail is too minor on this site, and rightly so. I myself have minor gripes with Gandalf's white staff among other things, and I had no right to imply that the views of other posters were not valid simply because on this point they did not agree with my own. Apologies to lindil.<P>Without further adieu (by the way, there is no point replying to or flaming this review as the person who wrote it does not frequent the Downs):<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> First impressions were ok, the ludicrous amounts of hype kind of affects your objectivity, even though I've tried to avoid it I've still probably heard more from the actors outside their roles than in them. Nice to have some big scale battle scenes, but while I thought PJ's insistence on having emotional involvement with the characters (how many times do we have to see frodos tear rimmed eyes) was a good idea and made for a better movie, how about some more strategy and bigger picture evil vs good? ie more gandalf, and where the heck was saruman? On the dvd I guess, no complaints there. I loved the orcish commander (goonies!) the trolls, the fell beasts, actually all the monsters, it really was a spectacular. At the risk of sounding critical (I hear collective groans) what was up with eowyn/aragorn? Aragorn is definitely my biggest sore point. Eowyn crying all over him while he stands and looks like a shocked and witless king (??) He really didn't do it for me in this movie, in the first two, yeah.. but in 'Return of the King' despite all the adoring gazes that the king of rohan bestowed upon him, the only reason I would follow his heroic charges into battle would be because gandalf believed in him/he is the one etc.. not because of any great charisma or leadership. I think he looked out of his depth the whole time, not taking hold of the role and doing anything with it, apart from growing a beard. The one time that aragorn did take control of the situation, suggesting that they lead a diversion outside mordor, McKellen looked more amused than impressed. One last complaint (you know I have to do this) will have to be laid down about the witchking, leader of the nazgul. OK, fine his fell beast got killed by a lady of the court, but please.. one swing of his mace for her shield, shoulder, arm and then never mind the 'fool! no mortal man can kill me, oh no it's a lady I'm paralysed and totally shocked to see a woman in battle in these medieval times' crap, lay down the terror, lay into her, feast on the king and get into it. I'm sure one little hobbit stab wouldn't slow him down too much, being immortally cursed and all that. I always wanted those guys to go a bit harder, the scenes where they are terrorising the fleeing knights across the plain were awesome, and swooping the castle wrecking stuff, fantastic. Favourite scene would be the whole Mt doom sequence, from minas morgul on, frodo and sam up the mountain, loving that. The start scene where smeagol takes the ring chilled me, really well done the way the ring took control so fast, freaked me out. Elrond, great, I thought he looked impressed by the whole situation, especially when he sorted the sword out for a wooden aragorn and when he gave arwen away. The lighting of the beacons was majestic, god please defend new zealand. The whole end sequence I enjoyed, I could talk about the hobbits enjoying a very lengthy goodbye scene at the river just before running off to get some tattoos done or something but I won't, it was very lovely to see that they were genuine and really felt it was the end of something. and yes, I know, very crucial to the story, but where was saruman again? what was gandalf up to in minas tirith before the attack when he took control of the cities defence? excuse me, I go too far. someone please buy me the dvd for christmas. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

12-21-2003, 07:12 PM	#4
doug*platypus Delver in the Deep Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Aotearoa Posts: 960	I thought you guys might like to read the first impression of a friend of mine. He has read the books, but probably not to the point that many of us on the Downs have. I'm always interested to see what the man in the street says about the movies.<P>By the way, I previously made a gross misjudgment in labelling the Bagshot Row/Bag End change as minor. As I have pointed out elsewhere, no detail is too minor on this site, and rightly so. I myself have minor gripes with Gandalf's white staff among other things, and I had no right to imply that the views of other posters were not valid simply because on this point they did not agree with my own. Apologies to lindil.<P>Without further adieu (by the way, there is no point replying to or flaming this review as the person who wrote it does not frequent the Downs):<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> First impressions were ok, the ludicrous amounts of hype kind of affects your objectivity, even though I've tried to avoid it I've still probably heard more from the actors outside their roles than in them. Nice to have some big scale battle scenes, but while I thought PJ's insistence on having emotional involvement with the characters (how many times do we have to see frodos tear rimmed eyes) was a good idea and made for a better movie, how about some more strategy and bigger picture evil vs good? ie more gandalf, and where the heck was saruman? On the dvd I guess, no complaints there. I loved the orcish commander (goonies!) the trolls, the fell beasts, actually all the monsters, it really was a spectacular. At the risk of sounding critical (I hear collective groans) what was up with eowyn/aragorn? Aragorn is definitely my biggest sore point. Eowyn crying all over him while he stands and looks like a shocked and witless king (??) He really didn't do it for me in this movie, in the first two, yeah.. but in 'Return of the King' despite all the adoring gazes that the king of rohan bestowed upon him, the only reason I would follow his heroic charges into battle would be because gandalf believed in him/he is the one etc.. not because of any great charisma or leadership. I think he looked out of his depth the whole time, not taking hold of the role and doing anything with it, apart from growing a beard. The one time that aragorn did take control of the situation, suggesting that they lead a diversion outside mordor, McKellen looked more amused than impressed. One last complaint (you know I have to do this) will have to be laid down about the witchking, leader of the nazgul. OK, fine his fell beast got killed by a lady of the court, but please.. one swing of his mace for her shield, shoulder, arm and then never mind the 'fool! no mortal man can kill me, oh no it's a lady I'm paralysed and totally shocked to see a woman in battle in these medieval times' crap, lay down the terror, lay into her, feast on the king and get into it. I'm sure one little hobbit stab wouldn't slow him down too much, being immortally cursed and all that. I always wanted those guys to go a bit harder, the scenes where they are terrorising the fleeing knights across the plain were awesome, and swooping the castle wrecking stuff, fantastic. Favourite scene would be the whole Mt doom sequence, from minas morgul on, frodo and sam up the mountain, loving that. The start scene where smeagol takes the ring chilled me, really well done the way the ring took control so fast, freaked me out. Elrond, great, I thought he looked impressed by the whole situation, especially when he sorted the sword out for a wooden aragorn and when he gave arwen away. The lighting of the beacons was majestic, god please defend new zealand. The whole end sequence I enjoyed, I could talk about the hobbits enjoying a very lengthy goodbye scene at the river just before running off to get some tattoos done or something but I won't, it was very lovely to see that they were genuine and really felt it was the end of something. and yes, I know, very crucial to the story, but where was saruman again? what was gandalf up to in minas tirith before the attack when he took control of the cities defence? excuse me, I go too far. someone please buy me the dvd for christmas. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> __________________ But Gwindor answered: 'The doom lies in yourself, not in your name'.