[mormegil]

Okay there are some things that I really like and some that I dislike in this particular sequence.

Likes

1. I love how we see in more detail the ring itself. We see that it has its own character so to speak. We see why Sauron was not destroyed, which is a great piece of information to the movie viewing audience. All they saw was the big baddie blow up and now he's back. So we learn that Sauron cannot be destroyed as long as the ring survives. I actually like how we can almost hear audible language come from the ring. It helps emphasize the peril of owning the ring and Gandalf further makes this point by saying that the ring has heard its masters call.

2. I love the introduction to Sam on this level. Sean Austin starts well and ends even better. Although I must say I am rather neutral on the whole 'idiot' gag. Not incredibly funny but I am partial to Samwise. His comments on the elves are moving and we actually see a glimpse of the depth of spirit in Samwise. He is not articulate and yet he tries to express beautiful and profound thoughts. The same things is recurring throughout the book.

3. The glimpse of Barad-Dur is awesome!

4. The acting of both Ian and Sean is wonderful here and Elijah is great.

Dislikes

1. The Ringwraith killing the hobbit. While we didn't see that it bothered me because it never happened and didn't need to here. I understand that PJ is attempting to make them out to be evil but seeing them exit Mordor and knowing that they are after the ring should establish that to all but the most dim-witted individual. Tolkien explained rather well that they were not 'warriors' but their main weapon was fear. We see that rather well in the wraith's first encounter with the hobbit so why kill the next one. There is no barrier in the road. All this would serve is to raise an alarm in Hobbiton.

2. This is the part I can say that I hate though PJ attempted to rectify it somewhat in the EE it still falls flat. The time line! It's awful. I feel like it was a matter of weeks not years. Gandalf tells Frodo to sit tight, he leaves to Gondor, has an ale and finds the scroll. Meanwhile Frodo is busy at the local pub singing and dancing and he comes home to his house being broken into and Gandalf lurking in the corner, quickly back from his trip to Gondor. He finds it is in fact the one ring and tells Frodo "quick you must leave and you are not a Baggins but an Underhill, so we must leave tonight, hurry and pack a couple of apples Frodo that ought to last you till you get to Bree." It just doesn't make sense why Gandalf wouldn't leave with them and actual complete the journey with them. He seems rather careless and irresponsible here. If this is so important and he is such a great guy why must you run off to Saruman and leave the ring in the hands of a hobbit that has never traveled past Buckland?

I just wish PJ would have been more true to the books and let us know that he there is seventeen years gap here because as the way it is it seems like Bilbo left about 6 months ago and Frodo is quickly following.