This movie is very different than the first. Peter Jackson allows the characters to undergo all the changes that the experiences would have wrought on them. This is very good and leads to even more depth to the characters that we love.
The fellowship is broken. The 7 are now split. Frodo and Sam, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, and finally Merry and Pippin.
If there was a flaw in the movie, it was that there wasn’t enough Pippin and Merry. Yet, the Merry and especially the Pippin we knew from the first movie have changed the most. Boromir’s death did not leave them unchanged. And there is a maturity to Pippin and Merry. Especially in Pippin. Gone is our happy-go-lucky hobbit. Now death and war have washed over them. In the Special Edition, you get more of a sense of Merry’s maturity. That maturity in Merry is very evident in this movie. They both realize that they can’t stay in their beloved Shire and be safe. That the threat would come to all hobbits.
I did not like the fact that John-Rhys Davis (I hope I spelled that right) was the voice of Treebeard. That gave Treebeard too much of a Gimli favor. John’s voice is very distinctive… and you knew it was. Now, I wonder though, if I didn’t know, would I have recognized it. I think yes.
The Ents were great. Entmoot, not being hasty, all of that was there. The attack on Isengard was short, but everything I pictured it to be. The CGIs were terrific.
Again, my complaint is I love Merry and Pippin and there was not enough of them. Small complaint to have.
Next, the introduction of Eomer, Eowyn, Theoden, Wormtongue. This could have dicey because the audience (as the 10th member of the fellowship) may naturally resent these intruders into the closeness of the fellowship). This did not happen. Even though we pick up these characters 3 hours into the epic (I’m counting all three movies as 1 epic) Peter Jackson introduces them quickly and completely. You understand the dynamics and relationships between the players of Rohan. You can also understand Rohan’s nature and character through that wonderful score of Howard Shore. Oh, my! Did the music play a part here.
Gimli comes into his own. I thought he was underused in the movie though I understood that PJ would have a hard time focusing on 9 characters at once. That’s hard. Yet, the Gimli of the SE was delightful. This Gimli is a riot. He takes over the Pippin/Merry comic relief role. I had read that Gimli and his jokes were over the top. I did not think that. And I have been on record that I did not care for the “no one tosses a dwarf” line from the first movie. Yet, when Gimli tells Aragorn to toss him, I about fell out of my chair laughing. It was perfect. This is brilliant. The pay-off to the Moira scene is at Helm’s Deep. That is patient picture making.
Gimli also is more than comic relief. He is a fierce warrior. His competition with Legolas is played out perfectly. Also, Gimli is a friend. His concern, hidden by gruffnuss for Merry and Pippin and Aragorn and Legolas is the right touch.
Legalos is an engima. Maybe that’s what elves are supposed to be. Yet, it’s hard to nail down Orlando Bloom’s performance. That is good. He opposes Aragorn’s plan to make a stand at Helm’s Deep. His reasonings are right. Young boys and old men to fight 10,000 Urak Hai. Yet, Aragorn is right too. They have no choice. And he realizes it. Orlando Bloom plays Legalos faultlessly.
Aragorn. Still grungy, still has his sword… and is still very, very sexy. Peter Jackson portrayed him as a reluctant king. That reluctance is shredded when Aragorn realizes that he must stand and fight as a man for men. Viggo Mortensen is an under appreciated actor who deserves nominations as best actor. Not just for battle scenes… (every body see the scene where Viggo breaks his toe?) but for the comedy he plays. He’s has great comedic timing. And a wonderful horse who tracked down even after floating down the river. Kudos to the horse! And kudos the light-hearted moment of Arwen’s kisses being replaced by Brego’s.
Arwen is seen in dreams and flashbacks. Liv Tyler is beautiful. Through Arwen’s dilemma, we see many things. The pain of Elrond of loosing his daughter. Of Arwen not wanting to disappoint her father by staying. We see her future of mourning her Aragorn. It was tremendous. Well done.
Galadriel’s part wasn’t necessary. I didn’t need a recap two hours in. Yet, Cate Blanchett is never wasted. Yet, Galadriel was used to remind Elrond that if the elves did not keep their alliances with man, Sauron would rule the world. I think it’s fitting that elves cared enough for a place they were leaving to fight for it.
Frodo… Elijah Wood does a great job with a hard part. He has the least to do. He remains either stoic, hopeless, despairing, or under the ring’s influence. That’s tough. Yet, he does it. And the relationship between him and Sam is one of unspoken friendship and great strength.
Sam… Again, Sean Astin has a hard role too. He has to find that middle ground of being supportive without being a nag… or being walked over. He delivered the speech of the movie and he didn’t do it sound trumpets and unfurl banners. He spoke to a wounded heart from a wound heart. That scene was great. When Frodo turned to kill him, you knew Sam’s heartbreak when he said to Frodo “I’m your Sam.”
Faramir in the movie was the Faramir I got from my first reading of The Two Towers. Harsh, severe, cold. Faramir doesn’t come into his own until ROTK. You could sense the Hobbits fear of this Boromir look alike, The only thing I thought was too deviant from the book was Faramir didn’t want the ring at all. He understood what Boromir did not. That the ring could not be used as a weapon. Yet, to tell Frodo and Sam’s tale, the ring had to be under threat. And with that in mind, it was okay that Faramir was a little less true to the Faramir of the book.
Smeagol - What can you say? He broke my heart. I had to remind myself that this was CGI. It was faultless. When Gollum was the dominant character, the anger, hatred, and deceit was evident in his eyes and features. You don’t want to cross him. When Smeagol was in control, you had the pain and waste of 500 years. When Frodo called him Smeagol, you could see that hurt melt away in the promise of a friendship.
One of the best scenes was when Sam was cooking the conies and Smeagol was fretting over them. He was in such agony over the fact that the rabbits were being cooked. Then, I laughed when he was going for the fish in the river.
The conversation with himself where he decides to trust Frodo was fantastic. The utter pain in Smeagol’s face when Gollum accused him of being a murderer was Oscar Worthy. You forget you are watching a computer. And when Smeagol thought himself betrayed at the forbidden pool. Gollum comforting the heartbroken Smeagol and slowly taking control was phenomenal.
And all the tricksey and hobbitses and Smeagol's syntax was left in place much to my delight.
The scenery rates. The battle scene and all the interaction between the characters was fantastic. This movie is perfect. On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate it easily a 12.
Did you say "elf enema?" Elrond could use that. ;-)
Keep up the good fight and good luck on your grades.
Not that luck has anything to do with it.... 8^)
Sam is going to move to the foreground for me in this movie... My tears will be for that scene I think... And for Frodo's face when he sees Gollum in the pool, and betrays him to save his life. I want to see that again.
I loved Gollum's face when he fetched the conies and dropped them on Frodo. Like my dog, so hungry for approval. I once woke up with a dead mouse on me and dog looking at me with the same pride of accomplishment and hope for praise. I have been repulsed by a dog who loves me, and it reminded me of that! ;~D
Even though it was corny, I gotta love the Brego scene because I love recognition of the real bonds that drive our beasts to work for us... And I noticed in Aragorn's ride home many opportunities taken for Viggo to show off his riding and show off that horse. It was like watching a dressage horse dance as he rode, not the yank and run riding of cowboy movies. Do non-horse people see that? I wonder?