![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
The Two Towers review
Yesterday I went to see the movie for the second time. I went with my mother who, BTW, enjoyed it even more than the first one, something I’ve heard from several people who aren’t as into the books as I am. Even a friend of mine who didn’t like the first movie loved this one. I may have enjoyed it more than the first one, too, at least more than the cinematic version of it (the extended version is a whole other story), but the reasons lie not so much in the movie as in the fact that I was more prepared for this one than for the first.
So, details. What did and what didn’t I like, and why?
Some nitpicks first (bigger issues later):
The whole warg-rider scene, and especially Aragorn’s falling off that cliff, was very unnecessary and partly bordering on cheesy. What’s it with PJ and fake deaths, anyway? It’s almost as bad as on Farscape! (People always die and come back on FS... well, not always, but remarkably often.)
Theoden’s exorcism. All I can say to that is Arrrgh. So cheap. Just as embarrassing as the wizards’ duel in the first part. Although Gandalf’s throwing off his cloak was pretty cool.
Frodo. More on that later. (This is a bigger issue.)
Faramir. I understand the need to show the influence of the ring, so I can accept Faramir getting tempted and temporarily claiming the ring for Gondor, but they could and should have shown a little bit more of Faramir’s thoughtful, philosophical nature, IMO. It would have made a nice contrast to his brother. BTW, I don’t have a problem with Faramir’s looks. He’s not *my * Faramir, but then, Viggo Mortensen bears little resemblance with my Aragorn, and Elijah Wood is not my Frodo. I can accept deviations from my visual image of the characters as long as I can live with the way they are portrayed.
Gollum’s probably a bit too cute, ‘cause my mom loved him. She went ‘ooh, he’s so cuuuute!’ every time she saw him!
Treebeard’s and Merry and Pippin’s story is reduced a bit too much
Sauron’s presence is eclipsed somewhat by the emphasis on Saruman. (The Darth Vader syndrome.)
Why does Arwen appear to renounce her decision to stay with Aragorn here?
Helm Hammerhand with a hammer in his hand. Argh.
Did I hear wrong, or is Hama’s son called Haleth? Umm... I haven’t read the Silmarillion recently, but I seem to remember that as a female name?
Merry and Pippin being carried by Treebeard through Fangorn Forest looked *very* blue screen at times
Too many great lines of dialogue missing (e.g. Aragorn’s speech to Eomer – ‘I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and I am called Elessar, the elfstone, and Dunadan, Isildur’s heir, Elendil’s son of Gondor...’ etc.)
The ringwraiths aren’t as intimidating as they should be, and have a distinct feel of cg about them.
Strange:
Grima reciting Aragorn’s description of Eowyn. Somehow, it worked, but it nevertheless felt like a desecration to have these words uttered by Wormtongue!
Sam saying ‘we shouldn’t be here’ in Osgiliath. I keep wanting to reply: ‘Indeed. You should be in Minas Morgul or Cirith Ungol!’
I don’t think it’s physically possible for horses to go down *that* steep a slope.
How did the horses of Theoden, Aragorn and co. get into the big hall??
What was that light that shone into the hall from the doors while Theoden was being dressed for battle? (Spotlights in Middle-earth? ;-))
Wasn’t there an image of Arwen getting Anduril in the trailers? So what’s happened to that?
What I liked:
Basically, almost everything, except for the above. ;-) More precisely:
Spot-on casting and acting of the following: Eomer, Eowyn, Theoden, Grima. Still love all the members of the Fellowship, too, to slightly varying degrees.
Once again, the chance of seeing Alan Lee’s paintings come to life. For that reason, I could even forgive PJ for taking Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath. I’ve always wanted to see Osgiliath.
The battle of Helm’s Deep. Although I’ve learned to like the battles in the book, they have always been my least favourite parts of the book. They have a certain pompous grandeur, but they’re sort of not taking place quite in the ‘real world’. Tolkien waxes a bit too biblical in the descriptions. It moves me, but in a way that does not have much to do with the characters anymore. (I don’t know how to describe that.) The movie has made the battle real for me, I could connect with the characters during the battle sequences really well.
The visualisation of Arwen’s future (Aragorn’s death – taking place in another Alan Lee painting come to life!)
And, talking of paintings, the very Ted Nasmith-like view of Mordor at the end of the film
Lots of Elvish dialogue! Yay! I could just melt whenever someone speaks Elvish in the movie...
Theodred’s death; Theoden mourning for his son with Gandalf standing respectfully in the background, and Gandalf speaking the words of farewell for him that are spoken for Theoden in the book. *Very* nice scene. Especially because it brings to life something that is only mentioned in the book.
Gollum – apart from the ‘too cute’ issue. There should be an oscar both for Andy Serkis and the team that created Gollum.
Grima crying a tear when he sees Saruman’s army.
The look of the Morannon, and seeing those orcs leaning on their spears, talking to each other, atop it. Gave it a ‘they’re just doing their jobs’ feel.
The look on Pippin’s face when the truth of Merry’s prediction that soon, there will not be a Shire anymore, sinks in. You can see him growing up in that moment.
Edoras. ‘Nuff said.
Gandalf’s death and resurrection. Very well done, not too obvious, not too Christ-like. Nice.
Gandalf’s fight with the Balrog, and especially their falling through that huge cave. Impressive.
Theoden and Aragorn. Theoden’s pride, Aragorn’s silence to his accusations of Gondor.
Frodo’s reaction to Gollum’s saving him from drowning in the Dead Marshes
The ‘great stories’ conversation between Frodo and Sam
So, details. What did and what didn’t I like, and why?
Some nitpicks first (bigger issues later):
The whole warg-rider scene, and especially Aragorn’s falling off that cliff, was very unnecessary and partly bordering on cheesy. What’s it with PJ and fake deaths, anyway? It’s almost as bad as on Farscape! (People always die and come back on FS... well, not always, but remarkably often.)
Theoden’s exorcism. All I can say to that is Arrrgh. So cheap. Just as embarrassing as the wizards’ duel in the first part. Although Gandalf’s throwing off his cloak was pretty cool.
Frodo. More on that later. (This is a bigger issue.)
Faramir. I understand the need to show the influence of the ring, so I can accept Faramir getting tempted and temporarily claiming the ring for Gondor, but they could and should have shown a little bit more of Faramir’s thoughtful, philosophical nature, IMO. It would have made a nice contrast to his brother. BTW, I don’t have a problem with Faramir’s looks. He’s not *my * Faramir, but then, Viggo Mortensen bears little resemblance with my Aragorn, and Elijah Wood is not my Frodo. I can accept deviations from my visual image of the characters as long as I can live with the way they are portrayed.
Gollum’s probably a bit too cute, ‘cause my mom loved him. She went ‘ooh, he’s so cuuuute!’ every time she saw him!
Treebeard’s and Merry and Pippin’s story is reduced a bit too much
Sauron’s presence is eclipsed somewhat by the emphasis on Saruman. (The Darth Vader syndrome.)
Why does Arwen appear to renounce her decision to stay with Aragorn here?
Helm Hammerhand with a hammer in his hand. Argh.
Did I hear wrong, or is Hama’s son called Haleth? Umm... I haven’t read the Silmarillion recently, but I seem to remember that as a female name?
Merry and Pippin being carried by Treebeard through Fangorn Forest looked *very* blue screen at times
Too many great lines of dialogue missing (e.g. Aragorn’s speech to Eomer – ‘I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and I am called Elessar, the elfstone, and Dunadan, Isildur’s heir, Elendil’s son of Gondor...’ etc.)
The ringwraiths aren’t as intimidating as they should be, and have a distinct feel of cg about them.
Strange:
Grima reciting Aragorn’s description of Eowyn. Somehow, it worked, but it nevertheless felt like a desecration to have these words uttered by Wormtongue!
Sam saying ‘we shouldn’t be here’ in Osgiliath. I keep wanting to reply: ‘Indeed. You should be in Minas Morgul or Cirith Ungol!’
I don’t think it’s physically possible for horses to go down *that* steep a slope.
How did the horses of Theoden, Aragorn and co. get into the big hall??
What was that light that shone into the hall from the doors while Theoden was being dressed for battle? (Spotlights in Middle-earth? ;-))
Wasn’t there an image of Arwen getting Anduril in the trailers? So what’s happened to that?
What I liked:
Basically, almost everything, except for the above. ;-) More precisely:
Spot-on casting and acting of the following: Eomer, Eowyn, Theoden, Grima. Still love all the members of the Fellowship, too, to slightly varying degrees.
Once again, the chance of seeing Alan Lee’s paintings come to life. For that reason, I could even forgive PJ for taking Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath. I’ve always wanted to see Osgiliath.
The battle of Helm’s Deep. Although I’ve learned to like the battles in the book, they have always been my least favourite parts of the book. They have a certain pompous grandeur, but they’re sort of not taking place quite in the ‘real world’. Tolkien waxes a bit too biblical in the descriptions. It moves me, but in a way that does not have much to do with the characters anymore. (I don’t know how to describe that.) The movie has made the battle real for me, I could connect with the characters during the battle sequences really well.
The visualisation of Arwen’s future (Aragorn’s death – taking place in another Alan Lee painting come to life!)
And, talking of paintings, the very Ted Nasmith-like view of Mordor at the end of the film
Lots of Elvish dialogue! Yay! I could just melt whenever someone speaks Elvish in the movie...
Theodred’s death; Theoden mourning for his son with Gandalf standing respectfully in the background, and Gandalf speaking the words of farewell for him that are spoken for Theoden in the book. *Very* nice scene. Especially because it brings to life something that is only mentioned in the book.
Gollum – apart from the ‘too cute’ issue. There should be an oscar both for Andy Serkis and the team that created Gollum.
Grima crying a tear when he sees Saruman’s army.
The look of the Morannon, and seeing those orcs leaning on their spears, talking to each other, atop it. Gave it a ‘they’re just doing their jobs’ feel.
The look on Pippin’s face when the truth of Merry’s prediction that soon, there will not be a Shire anymore, sinks in. You can see him growing up in that moment.
Edoras. ‘Nuff said.
Gandalf’s death and resurrection. Very well done, not too obvious, not too Christ-like. Nice.
Gandalf’s fight with the Balrog, and especially their falling through that huge cave. Impressive.
Theoden and Aragorn. Theoden’s pride, Aragorn’s silence to his accusations of Gondor.
Frodo’s reaction to Gollum’s saving him from drowning in the Dead Marshes
The ‘great stories’ conversation between Frodo and Sam