LotR2-TTT-Seq15

[alatar]

This scene was intentionally set by itself as it is different from the others. It’s a prologue of sorts, summing up the movie so far and showing the location (both physically and in their story arcs) of all of the main actors of the tale. My sister, never having read the books nor (seemingly) having paid much attention to all of the preMovie hype, thought that this scene, or something much like it, would have been more useful had it appeared at the beginning of the film. She was admittedly lost until this scene appeared. She still lost, but that's a whole other story.

Some less familiar with the films would have liked to see this scene (and the one soon to follow) presented earlier in the film. The map which we will see helps the viewer orient himself/herself to Middle Earth again, and if you remember, that’s how we started FotR. Not exactly sure how the synopsis could have been presented earlier, and so I’ll leave that up for discussion.

Anyway...

Cate, our beloved elf Queen and also the LotR trilogy narrator, appears as beautiful as ever. Her elven words are lost on me, but soon she begins to speak the common well enough. We see Elrond, peering out a window of a much-darkened Rivendell, deep in thought. We see Saruman warming his hand over the palantir and then his black death vermin marching across the plains of Rohan. Seeing his legions that way it looks as if no help can save those doomed at Helm’s Deep.

Next it’s the Eye. Sauron seemingly desires to attack Gondor, as his puppet is attacking humankind from the North, and we see the ruins of Osgiliath that bracket the Anduin. Sam and Frodo are being marched, blindfolded, by the men of Ithilien. Galadriel knows what we’ve seen: Frodo is more in the power of the Ring, day by day, and his judgment begins to slip.

The shots back and forth between Galadriel and Elrond suggest that they speak telepathically.

Then there is the Ring. It’s growing stronger, becoming more alive and more of a threat, both to the bearer and to Middle Earth.

We hear again of the weakness of Men, and of one specifically, the young captain who holds the fate of the world in his hands. As Cate continues we see Sam and Frodo enter the hidden cave of Henneth Annûn.

After painting a very bleak black picture, Galadriel asks if the Elves should pack and go, leaving Men to foot the bill. Elrond, looking on the painting of the Fall of Sauron, may now have other thoughts, as he should as there’s more than elvish blood in those old veins. These are his nieces and nephews, however long removed, that he leaves behind to the Darkness. And maybe half of his heart strings are pulled that way. We will see later what Elrond’s decision will be: cut and run, or stand in the gap.


Anyway, it’s ‘half-time,’ and so I’d like to collect my thought about TTT a bit – kind of like raking leaves on a windy day.

• I enjoyed the Balrog opening. It was strong, and as PJ intended, dropped us immediately into Middle Earth. It brought to fore the question, did Gandalf fall or was he simply continuing the battle?

• The pseudo-CG Gollum is all that I thought he would be, and PJ/Andy Serkis pull off an absolutely amazing scene when Gollum debates Sméagol. The CG was so incredible that I was more interested in analyzing this creature’s fractured psyche than wondering about the puppet’s strings. Definitely a high water mark in filmland.

• The culture of Rohan was well done, and I like both of Éomund of Eastfold’s children. Howard Shore’s score fits these people, though I’m not exactly sure of the right words to explain why. It’s that “old brass” sound. The details within Meduseld keep me look even after many viewings. The burials mounds with their everminds was just like the books. I didn’t expect, however, for Rohan to be so brown – where’s the sea of green knee-high grasses?

• The Oliphaunt scene was okay now that I realize that Faramir speaks the words of Sam.

• Treebeard is portrayed as boring, and, as someone said, worthy of disrespect from the hobbits , we guesses. The Ent is too CG, and that, along with the slow monotonous voice with not much to say just isn’t that interesting. And I’m a not big fan of the twain anyway, and when you add an Ent…

• In this film, with the exception of a rare moment or two, Gimli has become the buffoon. Seemingly PJ hates the character or thinks that we need a short chuckle every minute or two. Not that I’m the biggest Gimli fan, but PJ’s handling of the character is poor to say the least.

• And why must we have a cliffhanger every five minutes? We lost and regained Gandalf; it’s in the book, and so I’m fine there. Lose Aragorn? Why? Even if he just had to have the Arwen flashbacks/flashsideways, did we need to see the characters think that Aragorn was dead? What purpose did that serve? Pippin getting stomped was in the same vein, and I have no problem with that, but coupled with all of the other ‘gotcha’ moments, you start to wonder if there isn’t much else in PJ’s bag of tricks. You can add to the concern for the little kids’ mother - will they be reunited? Like Gimli thudding to the ground, after a while, you just want something else to happen.

• And why the tease of Merry and Pippin being handed over to the White Wizard? Not only does this diminish Treebeard, but it also adds tension for no reason. Did PJ think that Treebeard alone, considering the hobbits’ fate wasn’t enough?

• Miranda Otto was well cast.

• Aragorn, as we will continually see, isn’t the book’s reserved world wise traveler/hunter/wizard's pupil/loremaster. Here he’s now and again impolite, setting free Brego and hoping to shoot/stab Saruman/the old man in the back. That’s not very regal.

• Thought that the Merry and Pippin Ent draught scene was a waste of precious minutes.

• The Black Gate was too contrived.

• Éomer leaving Rohan was, as others have noted, just silly. Sure, it sets up for our best warrior wizard to leave the scene when he would be most useful, but also it doesn’t allow Aragorn and Éomer to become the brothers that I always pictured them to be. And Éomer will never learn of Galadriel from Gimli. Surely there are better ideas for the saving calvary to arrive at the end.

Well, there’s more to like and not like, but I’ll leave my list at that. The battle at Helm’s Deep, one of my favorite scenes from the books, is soon on its way, and we’ll have to see how that holds up.

Cheers.

[Macalaure]

Good idea to take a short breather here. Somehow I think that the middle of TTT is one of the weaker parts of the movie trilogy. Luckily we know there's a lot of exciting things to come that are worth waiting for.

Cate, our beloved elf Queen and also the LotR trilogy narrator, appears as beautiful as ever. Her elven words are lost on me, but soon she begins to speak the common well enough.

The words are the same she said at the beginning of the Fellowship, the ones she was given from Treebeard. Why didn't PJ think of something new?

Though I really liked how TTT started, I too think a synopsis would have served better. There's a synopsis at the beginning of each of the books, so why not here. Also I really don't like parts of how it was done.
The map for example. Yes, I know, it's mainly for orientation and clearness precedes detail - but come on: the Lord of the Rings lives by its detail, even though there sometimes may be too much be perceived in full.
Galadriel says "Frodo begins to know the quest will cost his life" in a way which sounds like it truly will cost his life. (Or is this just another "cheap" cliffhanger?)
Saruman is Sauron's puppet? Surely you need to simplify now and then, but this is too much for me.

But at least now nobody can call Legolas Captain Obvious anymore, as Galadriel and Faramir fight so enthusiastically for this rank.


And just some thoughts on your thoughts.

I didn’t expect, however, for Rohan to be so brown – where’s the sea of green knee-high grasses?

I guess this was the one landscape they weren't able to find in New Zealand, which was awesome for most other locations.

you start to wonder if there isn’t much else in PJ’s bag of tricks.

You do indeed. I think Jackson sometimes struggles with creating tension in a subtle way. It's either one of these cliffhangers, or by monumental action.

The Black Gate was too contrived.

After having seen the movies a couple (or some couples) of times I have to agree. But I also have to admit, the first time I saw it in the cinema - I was blown away by it.

We will see later what Elrond’s decision will be: cut and run, or stand in the gap.

Interestingly, Elrond really does nothing in the movie: it's Galadriel (oh, and Celeborn, of course) who sends help to Helm's Deep, not Elrond. I have to say that I would have enjoyed elves at the Hornburg much more if they were led by Elrond's sons than by Haldir.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Macalaure

Interestingly, Elrond really does nothing in the movie: it's Galadriel (oh, and Celeborn, of course) who sends help to Helm's Deep, not Elrond. I have to say that I would have enjoyed elves at the Hornburg much more if they were led by Elrond's sons than by Haldir.

I would agree, yet the focus in the scene is on Elrond. It seems to me that he is the one that is struggling with the question as whether to help or to leave. And of the two, Elrond is more duty-bound to help. Not only are these people kin, but you could say that he bears some of the responsibility for the Ring not going into the Sammath Naur. If it were so important, why didn't Elrond give Isildur a shove? Better one death than the thousands upon thousands that are doomed the moment Isildur walks out, Ring in hand.

[Elladan and Elrohir]

Oh come now, Elrond couldn't have given Isildur a shove any more than he could have made Frodo volunteer to be the Ring-bearer. Tolkien never considers the possibility that Sam could have shoved Frodo in, either. It completely goes against the principle of free will, one of Tolkien's most cherished throughout all of his writings.

But then, that's not really a matter of the movies, just a side issue.

I think the whole telepathic communication thing is kinda dumb, and I'm not sure it's really that necessary. But whatever...

[Essex]

Originally Posted by Macalaure

Galadriel says "Frodo begins to know the quest will cost his life" in a way which sounds like it truly will cost his life. (Or is this just another "cheap" cliffhanger?)

But it does cost his life. He had nothing to live for when he returned to the Shire, as so superbly put in narration by Frodo at the end of the Movie Trilogy, which I still catch my breath at every time I hear it. He left Middle-earth for 1/ healing maybe or 2/ to die. For me, it was a part of both really, so the Quest DID claim his life. Frodo's was the ultimate sacrifice.....

Anyway, I kind of like this interlude, it gives us a brief interlude and sets us up nicely for the rest of the movie. And helps out the non book readers who were no doubt stratching their heads at this moment.