Positives (and some negatives) about TTT

I have seen TTT twice now and I liked it much better the second time around. Initially, I felt many of the same disappointments expressed by others, but the positives eventually outweighed the negatives - after 5 days of rumination and a second screening. Yes, I am still a bit peeved at the Osgiliath scene, the way the Ents so hastily attacked Isengard, and the arrival of Elves at Helm's Deep (!!!!) - but mostly because they could have been easily corrected. Heck, if we all could come up with better alternatives, how hard could it have been? My biggest critique is the missing verbal repartee and growing relationship between Gimli and Legolas. Over time, in the books, they become very close and learn to see beauty in what they once feared/loathed/ignored - the very things the other held so dear. <BR>But overall, an amazing movie. I can't wait to see it again...and again.<P>Before I begin, I just wanted to date myself. I am 38, married with 4 kids (Thank GOODNESS my oldest, 11, loves this stuff too!). A SF, Fantasy fan since I can remember. I have read about Tolkien once a year for 10+ years and never felt excitement about ANY movie until FOTR.<P>1. Gollum - Superb special effects and great character development. You begin to pity him as does Frodo but side with Sam because you know what's going to happen. I never felt sorry for him in the books and credit Jackson for a job well done.<P>2. The Hobbits - Every time I see them and their feet, I am still impressed.<P>3. The Ents - I give credit to Jackson & Company for making them as good as I have imagined over the years.<P>4. The Nazgul - Still look freaky.<P>5. Rohan, Meduseld, Helm's Deep, Mordor, The Black Gate, scenery in general - Extremely realistic. Even Osgiliath looked great.<P>6. The Battle - Should have seemed to last longer. In the book, they scale the wall on the 3rd attempt. But effective enough to see Theoden's arrogance turn to despair. I also would have liked to see the battles in the caves... But the effects were superb here as well. And having Gandalf and Eomer saving the day worked better than the Huorns. It would have been to confusing for many.<P>6. Faramir - Ignoring the Osgiliath incident, I actually liked his character development. Why wait for ROTK to understand his pain in not being in his father's graces? Faramir's first instinct - to bring the ring to Minas Tirith, do what his older, favored brother could not, and earn his father's respect is not so horrible. It will work out in ROTK - assuming they show the Denethor-Faramir relationship.<P>7. Elrond, Galadriel, and Arwen - Perhaps a bit too much but needed for continuity. Had Jackson followed the books more in this regard, it would seem (to the teeming masses who are NOT Tolkien fans but are forking $$$ over at a scary rate to see the movies) that they show up briefly, then disappear only to show up again at the very end. And I felt, at least, that the Elves' conflict in helping Men who failed them in the past was realistic and Elrond's advice was typical of a loving father to his daughter who was willing to sacrifice so very much for love (what do 'teenagers' know about love anyway?)

[Earendil evening star]

Yes i agree the positives do outwiegh the negatives, however i think that some of the negatives do actually create a better cinematic effent than if PJ had stuck to the book.<P>For example who is ever going to forget the Rohirrim cascading down that slope to bring victory to their people??<BR>And the tension when Aragorn fell over the cliff was really intense. And the way that Faramir was at first made to seem quite nasty did actually annoy me the first time i saw it, but the second time i saw it i realised that he was so nasty to emphasise how noble he was in resisting the ring at the end.<BR>So altogether their were some parts that we book freaks can enjoy being picky about, but really, would we have it any other way?<P>ps (i saw it twice in the space of four days, i just sat there with my jaw touching my chest, it was gobsmacking wasn't it?)

[the mortal elf]

It's good to see that we're not all negative I've seen it four times and Faramir is positively growing on me. I have almost no complaints at all. I loved Gollum, who I had a little trouble understanding and pitying in the books. Now I just want to hug him I love the way the movies are bringing the characters to life for me. Even if they don't act exactly the same, it still gets the point across and now I have something to visualize while reading instead of watching a bunch of blurs fight at Helm's Deep in my mind. Same compliment to all the scenery for the same reason.