* * * The Lord of the Rings REVIEW THREAD! Post your reviews in here!! (here's mine...)

[isildur]

LOL

sniping indeed

A thought out opinion I can simply disagree with, unsubstantiated, irrational, ludicrous claims fill me with a neigh irresistable urge to blow things up.

Remember though, when talking about the budget, that the 300 mil was for all 3. Assuming an equal distribution of $ (which may or may not be likely), this really wan't all that expensive of a film.

I had a great time; I think this film has a lot to offer and I definitely think it is offers reason to be optimistic for the next two, but certainly there will be those that feel differently, as you can never be all things to all people.
<shrug>

I must confess though that I don't think I could put Shyamalan on that list of "infinitely better directors." It's still early for both of these two though, so we'll see.

As a postscript: I think Amish might be right though, it might be a good idea to watch this again before making final conclusions. Perhaps the 2nd time around we will feel differently? It wouldn't be the first time I've changed my mind about a movie...

 

[isildur]

. Tolkien was disappointed at the apparent failure of The Silmarillion, but agreed to take up the challenge of "The New Hobbit".

This soon developed into something much more than a children's story; for the highly complex 16-year history of what became The Lord of the Rings consult the works listed below. S

???

Like I said, the Hobbit "grew" out of stories that he told his (grand)children. The LOTR was written to function as a sequel. That it "developed into...more that a children's story" is referrence to its difference from the prequel work, not its narrative sourse of origin.

 

[BigJohnKC]

TAsunder, you make a lot of good points, and I happen to agree with most of them. It seems we hold this movie to a higher level since it supposed to be such a serious picture. We say there wasn't enough character development, too many special effects, etc. But I agree that the acting was at least as good as the special effects, if not better, which is something you can't say for all special effects based movies <cough>Jurassic Park</cough>. I liked the way the Jackson directed this movie, and I really don't think Shyamalan could have done any better (didn't he direct "Unbreakable"? - I wouldn't have touched that pile of dog sh!t with a ten foot pole if I was a director). Maybe we should not hold it to so high a level, but maybe we should, I don't know.

 

[desy]

Hi
Haven't seen the movie yet but have read the books several times so I'll ry to answer some questions.

Complaints about the shabby treatment of hobbits.
In the first book hobbits are a curiosity and not really respected by the other races, It was Gandolfs task to study them for Saruman.
They are essentially children even though they are old due to neivety about the dangers of the world. Tolkein used them as a vehicle of the smallest and most insignificant of us can topple evil. They don't get much respect till they earn it, later. . . .

Complaints about not enough dwarves and elves development.
Man is the primary character of the series, the others were more prominent in the hobbit. Gimli and Legolas come more into their own in the second bok at the battle of Helms deep. I'd expect to see lots of them in the second movie.

Complaints about a book adaptation to screen and too dark and gloomy.
I have seen very few films that strictly adhere to a book especially one of this size. I don't expect it will. the worst was the Dune series ughhh talk about screwing up a good book. I think peopl are gonna have to wait till they see it in whole the bokks end with Boromir dying and yes after that you feel "empty" at the ending but you can pick up the next one right away here you can't. I think people should wait till they have the chance to see it all before they compare it to the books.
For those that think its too dark and gloomy now by the time they get to Saurons mountain they sky is supposed to be enveloped in darkness with NO daylight !

I will take the movie for what it is, something that isn't finished as a work yet. Some will be confused, some criticisms of the actual event of the movie, in my minds eye many of the characters aren't going to fit just as "Agent Smith" doesn't fit cause of the Matrix same correlation.
The thing is why try for comparisions ? cause they are irrelevant . . .
Why try to have the story tied up neatly in a bow after only one third of the project? You can't it ain't over yet . .

 

[BigJohnKC]

desy, I completely disagree with you on the Dune series being ruined, unless you are talking about the original movie made in 1984, which totally sucked. But, the remake a few years ago - the miniseries on the Sci-Fi channel was quite good, and for the most part stayed true to the book. BTW, it wasn't the series, just one book that was remade, the rest of the series has never been made into movies.

 

[kami]

LOL..well I've been away from my PC for like a day and a half and I'm glad to see this thread getting to much attention. I read through it all and there's some good discussion going on. I was preparing this large reply in notepad, quoting some of you, etc. basically to give my opinion on what you said
but isildur said it all for me. This is the money quote:

In the future, if you have a complaint about a deviation - ask yourself: what is gained by adding this scene? How can it be filmed? How long should it be? Does it move the movie along? Does it drag?
The scenes you suggest adding would do nothing but make this film weaker, slower, more convoluted and, in the end, less effective.


Read again please:

In the future, if you have a complaint about a deviation - ask yourself: what is gained by adding this scene? How can it be filmed? How long should it be? Does it move the movie along? Does it drag?
The scenes you suggest adding would do nothing but make this film weaker, slower, more convoluted and, in the end, less effective.


thank you.


BTW, the movie was a lot better the second time. I felt a lot different after it ended the second time and I guess its because the film has finally sunk in. I was pretty awe-struck when it ended the first time and my feelings were a little confused. I can't believe how much better the second viewing was
Last night I saw it with 2 buddies of mine...1 has read the books once (but is not an avid fan, but did enjoy the books) and the other hasn't touched the books before. Both LOVED it. The guy who hasn't read the books must've said about 100 times "this is the best damn movie i've ever seen in my life!!" he only had a few questions after it was all over. We discussed it for hours and hours (movie ended at 11:30, we crashed at like 4:00am) over a couple dozen beers (all drank through light up burger king LOTR glasses)...good times, good times

 

[damocles]

re we all getting a group together to move to NZ? Beautiful country.

You would be most welcome. It was great to see Elijah Wood and Liv Tyler talking about NZ so enthuiastically. Ironically the scenery was the biggest disapointment to me. Having lived in 2 of the areas the film was shot in it was a bit too familiar

 

[Mucman]

I am trying to read the whole thread, but I may have missed it... I ask again...

Was Gandalf the only one to know the state of Moria? In the books I though everyone knew Moria was taken over? In the movie
it sounded like it should have been the first place to go since Gimli was so confident Balin would have treated them like royalty.

 

[kami]

Mucman, I think you're right. But I think it was done this way so the audience (who has NOT read the books) would better understand why Gimli is so upset and crying.
Gimli discovering a massive tomb of his kin VS. Gimli discovering the tomb of Balin, already knowing that Moria has fallen.

The former works better in a movie IMO.

Then again I could be wrong and the movie is right! that one slips by me for some reason.



BTW, at the showing last night there was a group of 3 extremely gorgeous girls dressed up as Elves. There was 3 of us and they were our age...now if we all didn't have girlfriends, you can bet your ass we'd be hitting on those hot elven chicks! :Q We did comment on their costumes though, a lot of work was put into them and they even did up their hair in the right way.

 

[tedthebear]

:Q Oh my God, it was SO GOOD!!!! I've waited thirty years for this day to arrive and I can now say I was NOT disappointed. It was a 3 hour movie that seemed like 1.5!!!! The best part to me were the wonderful actors! I thought every one of them was RIGHT ON! Elijah Wood IS Frodo like Judy Garland WAS Dorothy. And Ian as Gandalf, I LURVED HIM!!!!
The movie was on a bigger scale than in my imagination and of course some of the production design didn't match MY fantasy, but all in all, I was extremely pleased.
And...
OH my God: The Balrog!!!!!
OH my God: Sauron!!!!!
I think he's gonna steal my heart: Gollum!!!!!

Damn! I wanna see TTT tomorrow! I can't wait to see Treebeard.

 

[kami]

<< I can't wait to see Treebeard. >>


Amen to that. <edited for big spoiler content for those who haven't read The Two Towers...sorry>

 

[LucJoe]

Went to the movie last night. I've never read any of the books, but I'd have to agree that the movie was extremely well done. It probably would have been better if I had read the books though, because 3 hours is a long time to be trying to figure out what the hell is going on

 

[DesignDawg]

<< I wish Elrond didn't have to declare them as the Fellowship. I think it was better like in the book that it was just a quiet understanding between all of them what they were. That scene was just cheesy complete with the swelling music. >>

WRONG. Geez. What's up with all these people talking about how it was in the book, and BEING WRONG? Elrond DID, in fact, appoint the fellowship. --And as a matter of fact, it occurred almost EXACTLY like in the book. Even some of the lines in that scene were direct quotes. Please re-read the scene before you spout off.

Ricky
DesignDawg

And, BTW, let me repeat one of my earlier complaints... The effects were NOT "seamless" as everyone seems to like to call them. There were plenty of seams. The efftcs were GOOD, no doubt, but a lot of the 2D work left a lot to be desired.

 

[SaltBoy]

Saltboy has seen LOTR -- finally!

IMHO, this is definitely a 4 star movie. Some things were a little bit different than I expected, but overall, I was very pleased with the direction that was given to the movie. Yes, this is a MOVIE, not a book. And since we could have only three hours instead of nine, every single frame was very necessary.

All of the actors were absolutely phenomenal, even if some of the parts were a little bit thinner than I would have liked. Gimli, Legolas, Merry, and Sam kind of got the shaft. Aragorn, Boromir, Frodo, Gandolf, Bilbo, Arwen, Pippin, and Gollum were treated perfectly. Saruman had a much meatier part than I thought he would, but Christopher Lee did such a great job -- and looked so great, too -- that I didn't mind. Galadriel was a little freakier than I imagined, but I after I went back and read the part where she went crazy, I can understand why she was portrayed the way she was. And I didn't realize how big of a part Isildur and Agent Elrond played. Both were well imagined. And the ring is truly the best character of all. In the book, to me it was just a ring, but here in the movie, it's very much alive and full of power -- something that MUST be destroyed.

Was this an all action movie? Bah. The speech between Elrond and Gandolf about the future of man was just fantastic. The speech between Gandolf and Frodo about Gollum was even better. The reaction of the fellowship outside of Moria after Gandolf's falling into shadow? Perfect. Boromir's temptation and "redemption" was fantastic. Bilbo's pain from the ring was tough to see. And the humor was put into the right times

The FX were the best I've seen, EVER. Sure, ILM could probably do the same thing, but HAVE THEY?! Nyet. The vistas from Saruman's tower (Isengard, I believe...) were amazingly realistic -- REALISTIC, I tell you. I actually got scared watching the view and the formation of the Uruk-Hai. Sauron and his mace were amazing -- hit 50 guys at the same time, and I'll be impressed. The size of the hobbits, Gimli, and the rest of the fellowship were done perfectly. Heck if I didn't KNOW it was FX, I'd just presume they were 3 1/2 feet tall! Stupid behind-the-scene specials on TV! The troll in Harry Potter is the LOTR's Cave Troll's bitch. And the balrog? I was disappointed. He was so awesome, I wanted MORE!! Nobody has yet mentioned Gandolf's fireworks -- they were awesome!

My whole family has read the book, so we were all excited to see it. My Mom was the most enthusiastic about seeing it, and she came away absolutely thrilled. Her only complaint was that the violence was a little too graphic for a pg-13. She's not big on violence anyway. My younger brother saw it for the second time with the rest of us today, and he loved it both times. My Dad was ticked that he had to wait another year to see the next one. I guess I'm ticked, too. I want to see MORE MORE MORE!! Everybody else loved it.

It was such a knock-out experience, that I definitely want to see it again before the weekend is over so that I'll be able to get a more objective opinion. But if my second time viewing it will be much better than the first (like Electric Amish mentioned), then this will be the greatest film I have ever seen. Cinematic history has been made once again.

 

[kami]

<< WRONG. Geez. What's up with all these people talking about how it was in the book, and BEING WRONG? Elrond DID, in fact, appoint the fellowship. --And as a matter of fact, it occurred almost EXACTLY like in the book. Even some of the lines in that scene were direct quotes. Please re-read the scene before you spout off.
>>


Uhh, no. You are wrong too. Stop talking like you are somehow better than everyone else (you're not). I enjoyed when your negative self was away from the forums, why'd you come back? God you're an asshole sometimes.

In the movie, the members of the fellowship simply offer their help right away AT THE COUNCIL and Elrond agrees and just says "you shall be the fellowship of the ring." In the book, the fellowship isn't chosen at the council. Elrond simply announces later on that he has chosen Gimli to represent dwarves, Legolas to represent Elves, Aragorn to represent Men, etc. Pippin and Merry don't run into the council at the books either. In the books, Pippin and Merry are left out and Elrond has only chosen 7 companions, but wants 2 more which he was going to choose from his House. Merry and Pippin say they want to go and Elrond eventually allows them to do so, even though his heart is against it. Check out the first few pages of "The Ring goes South" chapter if you don't believe me.

I had no beef with this part of the movie, I'm just sick of you being a pompous ass.

 

[DesignDawg]

Yes, kami, but you, as always, can kiss my ass.

And what I said is entirely true, and not necessarily in opposition to what you just said. Dude said there was just a quiet agreement, which there was not, and that they weren't appointed, which they were.

Ricky
DesignDawg

 

[kami]

<< Yes, kami, but you, as always, can kiss my ass.

And what I said is entirely true, and not necessarily in opposition to what you just said. Dude said there was just a quiet agreement, which there was not, and that they weren't appointed, which they were.

Ricky
DesignDawg >>



Read my post again. I said you were both wrong. You said it was "almost exactly" like it was in the movie. It was completely different.

Anyway, not gonna dwell on this. Whatever...the movie owns ass! That's all that matters.

 

[Elita1]

OH MY GOD, in my entire life I haven't seen a more incredible movie.

In fact the more I think about it I keep saying those 1st 3 words over and over!
Even the slight alterations to the original story seemed to fit in so well.

*QUESTION*
Though I read the books last year, I still can't quite remember if Saruman DID in fact "breed" some kind of hybrid orc/goblin(the urukhai) or did Sauron just send him troops?

A few interesting points for me from this incredible movie:

-Bilbo snapping at frodo in Rivendell over the ring--gad, I nearly pissed my pants. Wasn't expecting that. Excellent touch to bring home to the audience how the ring affects its wearer.

-Casting for Elrond--"welcome to Rivendell....Mr. Anderson" was all that was going thru my head, but hey, he didn't butcher the part, so good for him

-As was said before--OH MY GOD, THE BALROG!!!!!

This movie was so mind-blowingly unbelievable. I knew the whole story from beginning to end yet still jumped in terror, sobbed with grief and sighed with relief as the plot unfolded.

No movie I can think of EVER made can possibly hold a candle to this one.
Hats off to the people who made this incredible work.
Best Xmas present ever!

 

[DesignDawg]

I agree, it was a good movie. Very good.

Ricky
DesignDawg

 

[kami]

Awww Elita Glad you liked it!!! Did Optimus think the same?

What showing did you guys go to? And Silver City or Galaxy Cinema?

 

[Pliablemoose]

Just saw it, I loved it, read the books appx 20-25 years ago, it was so much like I imagined it it blew me away. J.R.R. Tolkien would have approved

 

[desy]

Yah Big J , I was talking about the 84 movie I didn't get to see the Dune series.
The Uruk Hai were Sarumans invention not Saurons

 

[Elita1]

Kami;
We went to today's 4pm Matinee at SilverCity with a bunch of Optimus' co-workers...braved the weather and everything!
Yesterday was too hectic a day for us to be able to go...so for a few hours there we were really jealous of you
Optimus absolutely loved it too.
It has been a loooooooong time since I've wanted to see a movie again right away in the cinema, if you know what I mean!
probably may go see it again one more time before Bambino's arrival

 

[Kronos]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

I just got home from this movie and thats my review.... you other guys wrote some amazing reviews and I know I cant compare....

I just want to say this is the best movie Ive ever seen. The casting is perfect.... the CG is the best ever.... the story is something you have to appreciate..... It just ROCKED!!!!

 

[Saltin]

First class effort all the way. I was shocked at the story book quality the movie had. Excellent cast.
I'd have to say my favourite character was Boromir. He wanted to do the right things, but was just too weak to resist the ring. They handled his redemption scene very well.

There were a couple of funny things in the movie too.
The dwarf tossing mention was shocking. I also liked it when Gandolf and Bilbo were smoking and Bilbo stated " this is good weed"! hehe.