[Farael]

Adding my two cents to a bit of an older discussion. This sequence is mostly alright. I don't specially like movie elves besides Legolas and Arwen (say what you may, but even if their characters are not like the ones in the book, they don't look like zombies most of the time)

Which leads me to my main point,

Most elves look like zombies, including some important ones.
Celeborn does, so does his wife (Galadriel). Elrond is not as bad, but then he's only half elven. Haldir is pretty aloof, but at least he shows SOME feeling... What about those elves walking up the stairs? is it just me or do they remind you of the dead walking through the caves on TTT (I know I'm jumping ahead, but still) But going back to my present rant which relates a little more to the actual scene...

Alright now, watch any other movie, you will see that the ones that are mostly unresponsive, stare and scare people away are the zombies! I just don't understand why PJ has decided to make the elves look even more than solemn. I could understand a very solemn Celeborn or Galadriel but why, oh why, do they have to look creepy?

And their words! Is Galadriel that lousy for giving a "pep talk" in the book? of course not! because Tolkien would have had to make half of his characters to commit suicide while the other half just curl up into the fetal position and wait for death to come to them.
"Your quest stands upon the edge of a knife, stray but a little and it will fail... to the ruin of all"
Is that how you encourage a group of people who are afraid, lost and have recenty gone through the traumatic experience of facing a Balrog and loosing their leader?

"Yet hope remains, while the company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled, go now and rest...."
Oh, thanks... I mean, when you said all that stuff about knives and edges you had me scared for a moment, but now it's all good.

Sure, she says those exact words in the books as well... yet as a part of a much longer speech!!! Why does PJ try so hard to make everything look gloomy and terrible?

We see this happening all over the place. It seems that for every encouraging word Galadriel says, ten discouraging sentences are uttered.

To conclude this rant, another of my favourite pet-peeves.... Crazy Galadriel. Please, a green Galadriel was not called for! I could understand lots of light, I could understand her looking taller and threatening... but green? and why the two voices? does her voice not have enough strenght already? (I Think it does)
That little scene is (to me at least) clearly overkill. Sort of trying to show off "hey, check this cool FX we just bought!". I don't like it.

Ok, I think I shall stop here for now... sorry to dig up an oldie but this scene is one of my biggest pet-peaves