The Two Towers; One Freepers Review

12/19/02 | Anitius Severinus Boethius

[sweetliberty]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Enjoy the movie. I'm sure you will.

[sweetliberty]

"In a movie like TTT a love scene would detract, rather then add, to the film"

I didn't find it that way at all. Most of the movie was SO intense and fast-moving that I found it to be refreshing....a chance to relax a little before jumping back into the action. Not only that, but I thought it very efficiently resolved the conflicts generated by the love between Arwen and Aragorn.

[epluribus_2]

more or less. Hollywood hates Bush and they the notion of Good and Evil in the real world.

[sweetliberty]

"I know, I know, he's a liberal airhead. But he's gorgeous nonetheless...."

Indeed he is! *Sigh*

[sweetliberty]

I disagree that the tear shed by Wormtongue was one of joy. Joy is something that erupts from the fullness of the soul and does not coexist with evil. It struck me that this was most definitely an insight into what he had sold himself to, never having imagined that that such utter destruction could be imminent and that realization stirred what was left of his human soul with a pang of regret.

[sweetliberty]

"I think Aragorn looked just find the way he was..."

As did I!

[My2Cents]

Good comment. I wasn't comfortable with the term "joy"...I just couldn't think of another term. You may be right. That would make his character more tragic. Although I've always thought of Wormtongue as someone without a hint of humanity left in his soul.

[sweetliberty]

" Aragorn says as an aside to Eowyn, "It's their beards."

That was a great line.

[sweetliberty]

"if the ring could be hidden for 2500 years at the bottom of a river, why not head out to sea and chuck into the deep ocean?"

Simple really. As long as the ring existed Middle Earth would not be free. The Ring had a will of its own and that will sought ever to reunite it with its creator. Only by the complete destruction of the Ring in the fires from which it came could the evil power of Sauron be defeated for once and for all.

[Spyder]

Remember Gimli talking about how it's sometimes difficult to tell dwarf men and women apart, and Aragorn says as an aside to Eowyn, "It's their beards." Hilarious.

That seemed like a sop to Terry Pratchett, who has a female dwarf character running through some of his Diskworld books. She scandalizes some of the other dwarves by wearing lipstick under her beard. Comments are made about not being able to tell a male from a female in his books as well.

[Spyder]

Good pic. Poor Eowyn. Major crush on Aragorn, and all he can do is think of that wispy elf with the overbite.

My husband, the dentist, felt obliged to point out her class II malocclusion to me in the middle of the film, which he doesn't find particularly unattractive, however.

[BornOnTheFourth]

Dan! I saw it last night! In a word: WOW!!!! It was amazing. I'm already planning to take my daughter next week. OH! At the Century Theatres on Ethan, theater #4 is also one of the larger screens. We saw it in that one and it was wonderful. I don't think there was an empty seat and Century is showing it on FOUR screens!

My only complaint is what they did with Faramir's character. augh.

Well, I have to run--have a lot of post-storm yard work to do!

[BibChr]

Glad you enjoyed. Isn't it astonishing, (A) what Jakson bit off in taking this to himself, and (B) how well he's delivered?

Dan

[BibChr]

That scene is one of my very favorites in the whole saga.

Though I'm a tremendous fan of the movies, and utterly marvel at what Jackson has done... well, I think we'd all agree that sometimes he is stunningly true to the book, to the letter — and sometimes he takes liberties, as we should expect.

I just really hope this is one of the former, not the latter. For this scene, and the climactic one at Mt. Doom. Hard to imagine improving on the book at those points.

Dan

[John Farson]

He only objected to Disney doing it.

He objected because he didn't like how they handled the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

[Forgiven_Sinner]

Saw the movie Saturday 12/21, with my son. It did not disappoint, despite the build up.

Spoilers:









I was most disappointed with the change in the Ents' decision. The ent moot ended with a pacifist decision and then they changed when they saw the destruction around Isengard. I think he wanted the hobbits to be more influential in their decision, but I think he could have done it better.

The Arwen scenes weren't as bad as everyone made out. I saw them mostly as flash backs in Aragorn's memory. The scene with Elrond trying to persuade Arwen to go wasn't in the book, but it was implied.

The Elvish fighters at Helm's deep were great. They aren't human.

[BibChr]

SPOILERS.

I agree basically. My wife loathed, particularly, the change in Faramir. We didn't care much for the change in the Entmoot, either. But I figure, it was the damage done to the trees that really moved the Ents in the book as well. So rather than having them aware of and moved by it at the Moot, Jackson et al. have Treebeard see it himself and call the war together. Washes out basically the same, but faster and more visually and emotionally.

Glad you enjoyed!

Dan

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

I liked the Elves at Helms Deep, it was a nice change, but a change nonetheless. That being said, I wasn't too impressed by the Elves as fighters, but 3000 years of sitting around without a large scale war will do that to you, I guess.

[My2Cents]

I have to laugh...Only a dentist could look at the (admittedly) attractive Liv Tyler and see a class II malocclusion.

[seamus]

Although I've always thought of Wormtongue as someone without a hint of humanity left in his soul.

I disagree. At the end of ROTK, Frodo meets Wormtongue again, and shows pity on him -- even extending kindness. Wormtongue is touched by this and wants to accept Frodo's offer, but decides not to and makes a fateful decision. (I'd reveal more but don't want to spoil anything for the un-read).

Wormtongue is a despicable character, but as is typical with Tolkien, not utterly without humanity. I saw that tear as a tear of regret and guilt for what he has done. He wanted to rule, he wanted Eowyn, and in his shock at seeing Saruman's army, realizes that his dreams of power and "happiness" are gone forever. Even if the dark forces win, he'll never be more than a puppet. Saroman, he realizes, has the real power, and will never share it.

And, just a little nit-pick. How the hell could Wormtongue have been surprised by the army Saruman compiled. For crying out loud, there's 20,000 screaming orcs outside the window and he didn't notice?