[Varda]

" The Ents meet Merry and Pippin, have an Ent-moot, and decide to attack Isengard. Tolkien tells it one way, Jackson another."

The fundamental thing about "Lord of the Rings" is that it is a Christian and Catholic work. It is a myth about truths. Tolkien tells Christian truths, Jackson doesn't.

The Ents are one area where Jackson does a thorough trashing of Tolkien.

Tolkiens Ents thoughtfully and prudently decide to go to war. They go to "Just War".
"Of course, it is likely enough, my friends,' he (Treebeard) said slowly, "likely enough that we are going to our doom; the last march of the Ents. But if we stayed at home at home and did nothing, doom would find us anyway sooner or later. That thought has been long growing in our hearts; and that is why we are marching now. It was not a hasty resolve. Now at least the last march of the Ents may be worth a song."

Jackson on the other hand has his Ents decide not to fight. Merry diverts them toward Isengard which gives them a reason to fight; revenge. For revenge they take up the battle. To fight for revenge makes them no better than Saruman.

LOTR is about good versus evil. It's about the nature of good and it's allies (the virtues) and the nature of evil and it's allies (the vices). Good can only overcome evil if correct actions are motivated by moral reasons. The interior qualities count. Tolkien would never have Ents defeat Saruman by acting out of revenge.

[BradyLS]

Tolkiens Ents thoughtfully and prudently decide to go to war. They go to "Just War". "Of course, it is likely enough, my friends,' he (Treebeard) said slowly, "likely enough that we are going to our doom; the last march of the Ents. But if we stayed at home at home and did nothing, doom would find us anyway sooner or later. That thought has been long growing in our hearts; and that is why we are marching now. It was not a hasty resolve. Now at least the last march of the Ents may be worth a song."

Jackson on the other hand has his Ents decide not to fight. Merry diverts them toward Isengard which gives them a reason to fight; revenge. For revenge they take up the battle. To fight for revenge makes them no better than Saruman.

Thanks, Varda. It's always a treat so see other FReeper's weigh in for Tolkien's defence. I can a accept a thumbnail character sketch of Tolkien's creations when time won't allow for a carefully rendered portrait. I'm sorry that Jackson decided to substitute some important portraits in Tolkien's story with crude cartoons instead.