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Reckoner · 2012-12-17, 03:27

I honestly though the movie was great. I'd put it just behind the fellowship for all the tolkien films thus far.

People complain about the pacing and how much of the material they used to stretch it out, but I really adored that aspect. Too many times with book adaptions do I feel that there are too many cuts to the material and here it is a real treat to get all the material. Really appreciated that.

GDB · 2012-12-17, 08:42

My only problem is when it comes out on Bluray, do I wait and see if there'll be an extended cut or not...

kyp275 · 2012-12-17, 09:13

Depends on if you want it right away or not, since it's very likely that any extended edition will take awhile before they're released.

james0246 · 2012-12-17, 09:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by GDB

My only problem is when it comes out on Bluray, do I wait and see if there'll be an extended cut or not...

Considering what they left in, its hard to imagine they left anything out...

kyp275 · 2012-12-17, 09:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by james0246

Considering what they left in, its hard to imagine they left anything out...

more dwarves singing?

RWBladewing · 2012-12-17, 10:02

I really enjoyed this movie. I do have one minor complaint, though it's mostly a personal nitpick and isn't something unique to this film: humorous moments that either break the fourth wall or just come across to me as out of place within the setting and pointed directly at the audience. Moments that really emphasize "this is a movie" instead of feeling like naturally occurring events. I am totally fine with stupid dwarf antics and Gandalf hitting his head on the chandelier, but some moments felt pretty awkward to me. As an example:

Spoiler for just in case I guess:

I know this was supposed to be more light-hearted than the previous films but it's somewhat off-putting for me to see this kind of thing done with characters and a world that I don't feel really had it before. (Yeah, Legolas shield-surfing was pretty weird but I don't think even that stood out as much as this.)

Of course, if these moments were actually in the book and I just forgot about them (it's been over 10 years since I read it), please feel free to disregard this post.

kyp275 · 2012-12-17, 10:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWBladewing

Spoiler for just in case I guess:

Now imagine if Sauron had said the same thing right before the black tower crumbles...

willx · 2012-12-17, 10:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by james0246

Considering what they left in, its hard to imagine they left anything out...

Ha! Zing!

So, this is a late review, but I saw the movie in all it's 3D glory on Saturday morning. Got to go to the screening that I had mentioned previously.

So my thoughts:

-Overall I'd give the movie: 7/10. Passable. My fiance loved it and thoroughly enjoyed it: 8/10+
-Both of us agreed the movie felt long (and it was, 169 mins = 2hrs 49 mins)
-Both of us thought it started a little slow
-Both of us thought the singing at the beginning was a bit awkward
-I read a review prior to seeing the movie, saying it felt like "Watching a video game" -- it did indeed feel that way
-I thought it was acceptably visually stunning
-I felt certain sequences had Peter Jackson sitting beside me saying, "Remember this? You liked this in LOTR, well here it is again!'
-Fiance liked the "spirit of camaraderie" that was instilled and felt it was touching
-Fiance liked the humor that was injected throughout the film
-Fiance thought the action sequences were a bit too long and stretched out
-Fiance had never watched the Hobbit / I last read it .. wow, maybe 20 years ago?
-We'll probably be seeing the remaining movies

Reply hazy, ask again later

Chiibi · 2012-12-17, 11:14

Oh yeah, I have to ask, was anyone else totally repulsed by the goblin king!?

DAT CHIN....ugh, every time he was onscreen, I kept flinching in disgust! His chin reminded me of.....uh, you know.....

SQUICK.

I do have a serious question. I haven't read the Hobbit (though the book is definitely going on my Christmas list now) but has Tolkein ever explained why orcs can move in daylight? The other 'creatures of darkness' can't (goblins and trolls) and the orcs don't seem to be that different from them...aside from being a good deal stronger and sharper.

willx · 2012-12-17, 11:28

^ I'm not 100% sure, but in the Silmarillion he tells you the origins of the orcs. Orcs are actually corrupted elves. I'm not sure where Goblins come from though..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orc_(Mi...origin_of_Orcs

Reply hazy, ask again later

GDB · 2012-12-17, 11:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by willx

^ I'm not 100% sure, but in the Silmarillion he tells you the origins of the orcs. Orcs are actually corrupted elves. I'm not sure where Goblins come from though.

Sarumon stated that in Fellowship, as well. And if I recall correctly, Goblins are basically just Orcs who don't obey Sauron. Note how Sting still glowed around them.

My only problem with the Goblin King was "Hey, how come you can annunciate so well?"

Chiibi · 2012-12-17, 11:44

Oh yes! I do remember reading something like that. Completely forgot though.
Makes sense now.

Holy crap, corruption sure makes elves UGLY.

kyp275 · 2012-12-17, 11:49

Well, what can you say, Morgoth is somewhat of a specialist at corrupting things

willx · 2012-12-17, 11:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyp275

Well, what can you say, Morgoth is somewhat of a specialist at corrupting things

Interestingly enough, the books and notes also point out that in Mordor:

Quote:

Further south lay the inland Sea of Núrnen and Núrn the southern part of Mordor. This area was more fertile, in part due to the volcanic ash; it was used as farmland to feed Sauron's forces, worked by his servants and human slaves.

So it'd be funny, but there is greenery in Mordor, it's just hidden behind the curtain. I'm sure Sauron has a great greenthumb! Don't want to ruin your stereotypes of "The Land of Evil(tm)" after all..

Outlook is positively.. EVIL!

GDB · 2012-12-17, 12:08

Makes sense if you recall Merry and Pipen finding that storehouse of very normal food at the end of Two Towers. Granted that wasn't Mordor, but if one of the towers has it, the other likely does too.

Xagzan · 2012-12-17, 12:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by GDB

Sarumon stated that in Fellowship, as well. And if I recall correctly, Goblins are basically just Orcs who don't obey Sauron. Note how Sting still glowed around them.

My only problem with the Goblin King was "Hey, how come you can annunciate so well?"

I thought goblins were some type of smaller orc variant?

GDB · 2012-12-17, 12:35

Possibly. Either way, they're essentially orcs.

ChainLegacy · 2012-12-17, 14:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiibi

Oh yes! I do remember reading something like that. Completely forgot though.
Makes sense now.

Holy crap, corruption sure makes elves UGLY.

It's actually kind of ambiguous whether they're actual elves that were corrupted or some kind of monstrous offspring. In The Silmarillion Morgoth captures some Elves and creates Orcs from them somehow, but it doesn't really say what the process was, whether they descended from those captured creatures, they were transformed by Morgoth, or if he somehow used them as a 'template' to create the Orcs. They do mention that the Orcs themselves multiplied and perpetuated their race afterwards, so regardless they became in independent race after that initial creation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyp275

Well, what can you say, Morgoth is somewhat of a specialist at corrupting things

I really love the stories in The Silmarillion, especially how Morgoth operates subtly to foment dissent, etc. I think they may be the best of Tolkien's work, but after seeing this movie I do not want those stories to be touched....

GDB · 2012-12-17, 14:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChainLegacy

They do mention that the Orcs themselves multiplied and perpetuated their race afterwards, so regardless they became in independent race after that initial creation.

Yet we never see any Orc women...

ChainLegacy · 2012-12-17, 15:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by GDB

Yet we never see any Orc women...

Nor Dwarf women, for that matter.

2012-12-17, 10:02	Link #266
RWBladewing Salt Levels Critical Join Date: Oct 2007	I really enjoyed this movie. I do have one minor complaint, though it's mostly a personal nitpick and isn't something unique to this film: humorous moments that either break the fourth wall or just come across to me as out of place within the setting and pointed directly at the audience. Moments that really emphasize "this is a movie" instead of feeling like naturally occurring events. I am totally fine with stupid dwarf antics and Gandalf hitting his head on the chandelier, but some moments felt pretty awkward to me. As an example: Spoiler for just in case I guess: Pretty much the whole goblin king scene was like this. His taunt immediately followed by a genre-savvy "That'll do it" before flopping over dead. The perfectly-timed "that wasn't so bad" right before his corpse comically lands right on top of them. Etc. I know this was supposed to be more light-hearted than the previous films but it's somewhat off-putting for me to see this kind of thing done with characters and a world that I don't feel really had it before. (Yeah, Legolas shield-surfing was pretty weird but I don't think even that stood out as much as this.) Of course, if these moments were actually in the book and I just forgot about them (it's been over 10 years since I read it), please feel free to disregard this post.

2012-12-17, 11:14	Link #269
Chiibi Vanitas owns you >:3 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: in a boring place you will not want to go to	Oh yeah, I have to ask, was anyone else totally repulsed by the goblin king!? DAT CHIN....ugh, every time he was onscreen, I kept flinching in disgust! His chin reminded me of.....uh, you know..... SQUICK. I do have a serious question. I haven't read the Hobbit (though the book is definitely going on my Christmas list now) but has Tolkein ever explained why orcs can move in daylight? The other 'creatures of darkness' can't (goblins and trolls) and the orcs don't seem to be that different from them...aside from being a good deal stronger and sharper. __________________

2012-12-17, 11:44	Link #272
Chiibi Vanitas owns you >:3 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: in a boring place you will not want to go to	Oh yes! I do remember reading something like that. Completely forgot though. Makes sense now. Holy crap, corruption sure makes elves UGLY. __________________

2012-12-17, 08:42	Link #262
GDB Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Age: 38	My only problem is when it comes out on Bluray, do I wait and see if there'll be an extended cut or not...

2012-12-17, 09:13	Link #263
kyp275 Meh Join Date: Feb 2008	Depends on if you want it right away or not, since it's very likely that any extended edition will take awhile before they're released.

2012-12-17, 11:28	Link #270
willx Nyaaan~~ Join Date: Feb 2006 Age: 40	^ I'm not 100% sure, but in the Silmarillion he tells you the origins of the orcs. Orcs are actually corrupted elves. I'm not sure where Goblins come from though.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orc_(Mi...origin_of_Orcs Reply hazy, ask again later

2012-12-17, 11:49	Link #273
kyp275 Meh Join Date: Feb 2008	Well, what can you say, Morgoth is somewhat of a specialist at corrupting things

2012-12-17, 12:08	Link #275
GDB Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Age: 38	Makes sense if you recall Merry and Pipen finding that storehouse of very normal food at the end of Two Towers. Granted that wasn't Mordor, but if one of the towers has it, the other likely does too.

2012-12-17, 12:35	Link #277
GDB Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Age: 38	Possibly. Either way, they're essentially orcs.