Frodo's change from book to film

[Boromir88]

Frodo starts out as a very brave and admirable person in the movies. Somebody that you do see strength in. From The Shire scene, he learns all about the Ring, then tells Gandalf 'What must I do?' A very good moment for Frodo as he shows he is stepping away from his comfortable home in The Shire and will bear the Ring (at least for the time being).

Then at the Council of Elrond when amongst the arguing he steps up again and says 'I will take it.' Both instances show Frodo's strength of sacrificing his own comfortable life, and putting the fate of Middle-earth literally on his shoulders. He did something no one else seemed to have the guts to want to do, and that was to take the Ring to Mount Doom. (As a side note, I do sorely miss Bilbo's presence at the Council and miss his heartfelt proposal of taking the Ring)

However, since those two moments there's not much to praise Frodo about. He doesn't show really any of these qualities again through the rest of the movie. They just see him as a pathetic weakling that if it wasn't for Sam then the quest would have failed. Now there's no doubt that Sam was a key factor in keeping Frodo going, but if it wasn't for Frodo Sam would have failed! Aye, that's the truth. They both kept eachohter going, and you don't see that in the movies.

It gets to such absurdity where people posted threads about Sam should just kill Frodo because he's useless and everyone would be much better off. Sam deserves more praise than what he got, Frodo deserves none of it because he's a whiny baby. And all this is what you feel when you watch Frodo in the movies. He starts out as a strong, brave, determined character, but that all fades away and is forgotten at the latest by The Two Towers.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

And all this is what you feel when you watch Frodo in the movies. He starts out as a strong, brave, determined character, but that all fades away and is forgotten at the latest by The Two Towers.

Maybe that's PJ's way of trying to bring the role of the Ring forward, how it consumes Frodo and makes him weak? I have many objections to PJ's handling of things in the movie, but making Frodo a bit more vulnerable to the temptation and corruption of the Ring is not one of them.

[Boromir88]

As much as I would like to hear you say 'Boro you are perfectly right and you know best,' I just can't make you do that. As this is completely opinionated, it's a matter of personal like and dislike (couldn't you just say though that I am absolutely right? )

Anyway, I see your point, however I think a skilled director could show the agony and power the Ring had over Frodo without making him a total weak whiner that falls down anytime something scares him. Tolkien displays the torment Frodo went through, yet makes him an admirable and strong-willed character. Any director worth half his salt could have effectively done the same thing. There's nothing wrong with Jackson attempting to do what he did, but when people get the wrong idea and just see Frodo as a pathetic useless weakling that needs to die (which is the impression people have gotten), Jackson missed his mark in my eyes.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Maybe that's PJ's way of trying to bring the role of the Ring forward, how it consumes Frodo and makes him weak? I have many objections to PJ's handling of things in the movie, but making Frodo a bit more vulnerable to the temptation and corruption of the Ring is not one of them.

I would be more impressed by this argument if Frodo had been depicted as strong, for the Ring's power over a strong Frodo would be more convincing than over a weak Frodo.

Frodo's Elvishness is another aspect from the Books that is pretty much gone in the movies. His Elvishness is in my mind his strength of spirit; but PJ reduces the spiritual battle to a psychological one. A shame.

[MatthewM]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

However, since those two moments there's not much to praise Frodo about. He doesn't show really any of these qualities again through the rest of the movie. They just see him as a pathetic weakling that if it wasn't for Sam then the quest would have failed. Now there's no doubt that Sam was a key factor in keeping Frodo going, but if it wasn't for Frodo Sam would have failed! Aye, that's the truth. They both kept eachohter going, and you don't see that in the movies.

You forgot to mention one of Frodo's bravest highlights- his decision to leave The Fellowship and venture out on his own to continue his path from Amon Hen. No doubt that his weakness was shown way too early, though.