After listening to the "The Bridge of Khazad-dûm" chapter this morning, it struck me regarding why I don't like this Aragorn.
In the books, Aragorn is the pupil of Gandalf. During the FotR's journey from Rivendell to Moria it is Aragorn and Gandalf that take council together, and even when they would disagree it is amicable. Aragorn is concerned, not by the dark road through the Black Pit, but for Gandalf's well-being. And this is what struck me: When leaving his mentor behind in Moria, Aragorn salutes his fallen companion with Anduril before turning towards Lothlorien.
PJ's depiction of Aragorn doesn't demonstrate a relationship with Gandalf. We don't have two intertwined fates, just two parallel lives. Aragorn wants to get rid of the failed human race - Ring stigma (and win Liv, of course
), and Gandalf wants to help the hobbits and the other free folk by ridding ME of the Ring and subsequently Sauron. There is no connection between the two, and they are companions by chance and need.
There's no wizard's letter at Bree mentioning Aragorn, nor does the Grey Pilgrim state that he has traveled with Aragorn before, like when they searched for Gollum. PJ's Aragorn, then, cares not so much for Gandalf, and when the eight arrive outside the gates of Moria, he is simply ready to journey forth. Boromir, on the other hand, is shown to be more sympathetic, if not towards the wizard, with whom he had openly argued, then to his followers, like the hobbits (sword training, "give them a moment" outside Moria, and telling Frodo not to carry the death of Gandalf too).
This Aragorn may not try to claim the Ring, but other than that, what does he have over Boromir?