Anyhoo, what a show! WHAT A SHOW!!! I don't quite know where to start! Smeagol- I adore him. He was exquisite. Faramir...*drool*. Ok, seriously. PJ's screenplay was excellent, for the most part. Faramir's journey of understanding was appropriate for the screen. I do think the Ents would have been better served by not having the "not my problem" attitude, but then that journey of understanding was needed given their short time on the screen.
Helm's Deep took my breath away. I, like other HHers, had an incomplete grasp of the battle and PJ made it real. Hubby approved heartily of the "proper" military tactics. Gandalf's charge left me sobbing I was so caught up in it (good thing the theater was dark).
I loved the glimpse of Osgiliath. Some have said it was an unecessary device but I think it served to illustrate the desperation of Gondor. And the map sequence was excellent- mostly due to the close-ups of that hunky man of Gondor.
I criticized the warg attack when it was released in the 16-minute spoiler clips as "dry" saying it needed music. Well, I loved the music and the sequence was fabulous. And it was tremendous fun to hear the music I've been listening to be set to pictures. Shore needs another Oscar. The violin theme for Rohan swells my heart. Oh I love it!
How amazing was the Black Gate? Oooooh, nasty dark ominous gate- it was perfect. I'm so thrilled with what PJ did with the cloaks- it was better than I had imagined. WTG Galadriel!
Some light critique: What happened to Gollum's fish scene? It would have been so darling! After his capture at the forbidden pool Faramir declares that the price of the fish is death. Gollum, holding a fish, drops it and says "Don't want fish!"
The women and children at Helm's deep did heighten the drama, but would it have been so bad to have them at Dunharrow as per the book? Setting HH banter aside, Gimli was humorous but in a detrimental way. He didn't heighten the esteem of dwarves (their women are mistaken for men?? how sad is that? Gimli can't get the horse to go and ends up under a pile of wargs. Gimli can't see over the wall. Legolas: "Want me to get you a box to stand on?") which is unfortunate. I'm sure there's a way to give Gimli light moments without having him look so inept.
There were some moments with the cgi where Gollum seemed a little out of scale or the Ents seemed a little blue-screen but these are minor quibbles.
Oh what a show! I can't wait to see it again.
Ian McKellan voice: Well, it is in Tolkien.....
Seriously, look in the appendices regarding dwarves. I don't have time to look it up now.
I know what you mean about the jokes. There really were a lot of jokes. I think I will find them less shocking this time around, and enjoy them all more. I saw it as a laugh track moment the first time around... but it also made me snicker about whether PJ was reading our thread ;~D.... I think I just resented that PJ made all the jokes that we could have made here!
I think I will try for a matinee, when there won't be so many of them, I hope. But, your review has got me psyched, thank you. Got to check with my wife and daughter (20, home from college day before yesterday) if we can go tomorrow or Friday.
I liked PJ's Galadriel in FOTR, so won't mind seeing more of her.
You never liked Gimli to begin with. :-P IMO, his scenes were humorous but not humiliating. We get to see him kick plenty of ass.
(their women are mistaken for men?? how sad is that?
That is directly from Tolkien. Why do you think Galadriel looked so attractive in comparison?
At least Dwarvish men aren't androgynous or almost feminine in appearance like their elvish counterparts.
