OT: Return of the King (Spoilers likely)

[PvK]

I thought it was extremely well-done, especially Minas Tirith, and much of the main battle.

I watched Two Towers extended on DVD before seeing a midnight (plus preview time...) showing of ROTK, though, which may explain why I was starting to want to kill Hobbits by the end. Seemed like there was about 10 minutes of extra looking-at-cute-Hobbits-doing-nothing footage at the end. The omission of the conflict in the Shire made this pretty gratuitous except for die-hard Hobbit-lovers, at least at my point of fatigue at that point.

As for criticisms, I closely agree with apoger:

Originally posted by apoger:
... The army of the dead being moved to Pelennor was also obviously done for reasons of time constraints, however I think that it could have been done better. By making the undead near invincible it drains power from the sacrifices of the other combatants. The undead should have put the "good guys" just over the top rather than acting like a super smart bomb.
...

and would add that was my main criticism of much of the action scenes throughout the film trilogy is along the same lines. Some of it I thought was just completely superb, and so good that I'm content to overlook the weak parts as a whole. However there are other parts that are overdone, silly, nonsensical, fake-o, or have major scale and/or physics errors in time, space, speed, or number of fighters. The hordes of orcs seems to conveniently change in number by orders of magnitude sometimes, (usually depending on whether they are supposed to be winning or losing), in ways that I don't think are really necessary, and that diminish the otherwise-wonderful effect that exists at other times.

PvK

[Wendigo]

On the whole I am pretty much happy that PJ pulled this, getting a film Version of LotR seemed an impossible dream.

I consider the Version a pretty acurate retelling, taking into consideration the different public, the many decades passed since the book was written & the different pacing of written & film media.

The only 2 changes that kind of annoyed me were the wizard fight in Fellowship (too physical) & Arwen's illness (unneeded). Some of the Indiana Jones stuff I did not like but did not mind much, other changes, like Arwen replacing Glorfindel & the lack of Tom Bombadil actually improve the original IMO. The first reduces the cast & need of characters that do not show up anymore, and improves Arwen's role, the second removes a freak from the story that was just a leftover from child tales that Tolkien told his kids (likely in LotR because the story initially was supposed to be another kid's tale to follow up on The Hobbit).

PJ has filmed some very powerful scenes: The Ringwraiths chasing Arwen in Fellowship, the children & elder being equipped for a Last stand In Helm's Deep, the lightning of the beacons, Faramir's desperate attempt at Osgiliath & the arrival & speech to the Rohirrim were all supberb IMO.

[ December 25, 2003, 09:18: Message edited by: Wendigo ]

[MythicalMino]

I really liked all of them...the first two, much more with the extended dvd's...but Return of the King in my opinion was an incredible movie...I really liked PJ vision of Aragorn's growing into a King....that is probably my favorite character plot...just Aragorns lack of confidence in being a good king, up to his realization in Return of the King as he IS the King....

Also...it is funny, but when they were all reunited in Frodo's room at the end....damn near made me cry....yeah, i know...marriage will do that to a guy...but that scene was VERY emotional....especially when Frodo found out that Gandalf was still alive....just some strong emotions there...anyone that has lost a loved one, will know what that could feel like.

The main battle was very impressive....and brutal i might add....many ppl complain about Legolas killing the Eliphant or whatever that elephant creature was....I think it was a good scene....it added to the battle I thought....may not have happened LIKE that in the books, but it was a detail of the battle....

My favorite line in that movie though....was Aragorn when the hobbits bowed to him at the end.... "My friends, you bow to no one"....just awesome I think....

I know that a book/movie is great to me when i wonder about the characters AFTER the story has ended....like, i think that Aragorn will die eventually....Legalos goes to the undying lands (and, along with Gimli, I may add)....all the stuff that happens AFTER the book/movie tells the story...and the LotR has that for me....so, I think it all has been a great adventure....

And to think, I just read the books for the first time right before The Two Towers came out in theaters....lol...ah well...