Mooters' RotK reviews

[Lizra]

So true, so true!!

I saw RoTK for the second time last night. I am so happy to be into "A Battle" (like a guy! woo! go me ) for the first time in my life. I'm somehow not too cranky about having to wait for the EE for maybe half of the left out goodies, and knowing the other half will not be seen on these gorgeous films. The books give me great comfort, and somehow, I'm happy knowing that this isn't "it".

You know....the films are done, this is it.

Since many layers were left out, ME has not been "done" totally, yet. (Hopefully it never will be "done". )

I love Theoden!!!! I cried each time the Rohirrim begin their trek to Minas Tirith. Tears of joy! The battle of Pelennor Fields is so exciting and thrilling. I could watch it 20 times in a row. I'd like to see it in Imax form. I loved watching the ring slowly sinking into the lava. I might go again for a third time this week, alone. It is such a crime we can't go together Elvet!

[Nurvingiel]

Great review Elvet. Jackson does deserve recognition for making a highly enjoyable movie. I loved the Battle of Pelennor Fields too Lizra, I almost cried at the charge of the Rohirrim. That part was especially well done, and I appreciated the book lines.

[Christiana]

scenes that made me cry
-when sam thinks Frodo is dead and says "don't you leave me Mr frodo. Don't you go where I can't follow"
-when Gandalf described Death to Pippin
-the whole way up Mt. Doom
-the looks on the Fellowship's faces when they see that Mt. Doom is erupting, and think that Frodo and Sam completed the quest just to die
-aragorns coronation/meeting of Arwen:its so bittersweet to me!
-the voiceover: there are somethings time cant mend... *sniff*
-the Gray Havens
-the "Into the West"song

sheesh, the most I've ever cried in a movie before is one or two times!

critiques
-Arwens fate being tied to the ring
-The Star Wars lines at Theoden's death
-Frodo's "regection" of sam
-at the Black Gate, they ride out on horses,but the horses vanished! What happened to Shadowfax?
-why didnt Shadowfax go to the west?hes my favorite character!

good things
-Although I didnt like Frodo "dissmising" sam, Sean pulled it off superbly. the look on his face! he looked like he had just watched his favorite dog be run over by a car!
-paths of the dead:very nice. I thought Viggo did a very good job there
-Battle of pelenor fields: wow
-Legolas's fight with the Mümak. Might not have been in the book, but thought it was cool
-the recitation of the linnod
-Arwen's line "there is no ship now that would bear me to the West":the script writers obviously have read the appendices
-Mount Doom scene:all of it
-when Aragorn grbs the palantir from pippin and legolas knocks it from his hands:very nice touch there
-Shadowfax kicking Denethor: I thought that that was precisely what he needed!
-Aragorn's and Théodens speeches
-Shelob scene: I was perched on the edge of my chair
-Aragorns song at the end: YES! they put it in there!
-the song "into the west": captured the bittersweet ending perfectly



my time in the theater, however, stunk. i found myself really wishing that I was wearing my elf costume. among other things, i has a heavy wooden sword, which would have been very useful. the lady sitting next too me kept gasping and shreiking at every other scene. when Shelob stung frodo she screamed and jumped so much that she bumped into me. I really wished that I had brought my sword then there were the people in front of me who kept standing up: blocked my view even more annoying, if thats possible, were the fangirls sitting a couple rows away. when they were showing the cast pictures at the end, and Aragorn came on screen, they jumped up and shouted "we love you Aragorn!"
I've come to a resolution: from now on all cinemas wust have two screens: one for loyal Lord of the Rings enthusiasts, and the other for annoying fangirls! (and fanboys )

but all and all Im really glad i went: even if people did look at me strangely when I was saying in a restraind yell: go on White Rider! and when I started translating Aragorns song at the end for eveyone who wanted to hear (i'm sure it was the whole theater )

[Arien the Maia]

Originally posted by Christiana
-when Gandalf described Death to Pippin

I liked that too! It was Frodo's dream in Tom Bombadil's house and what he saw upon entering Aman!

but I'm not sure if that is an accurate depiction of human death seeing as how they don't stay in Aman for very long before departing forever.

[cassiopeia]

Mortals go to the Halls of Mandos for a time after they die, so it's accurate -- but Gandalf doesn't mention that they don't stay there forever. But it implies that Frodo is going to die when he crosses the sea at the end; he *is* going to die there eventually, but he's going there to be healed. Even so, it's from one of my favourite parts of the LOTR (when Frodo departs and sees a swift sunrise.)

[Arien the Maia]

Originally posted by cassiopeia
Mortals go to the Halls of Mandos for a time after they die, so it's accurate -- but Gandalf doesn't mention that they don't stay there forever. But it implies that Frodo is going to die when he crosses the sea at the end; he *is* going to die there eventually, but he's going there to be healed. Even so, it's from one of my favourite parts of the LOTR (when Frodo departs and sees a swift sunrise.)

yes that's true...I wish in the movie they would've shown Frodo entering Tol Eressea

[Christiana]

Im glad they didnt, cuz who could portray a world "more fair than mortal thought"? we would have just been dissapointed

[Arien the Maia]

Originally posted by Christiana
Im glad they didnt, cuz who could portray a world "more fair than mortal thought"? we would have just been dissapointed

yes...we would be taking a chance on whether or not Aman lived up to our expectations or not...everyone had there own visions of how it would look....

[Thorin II]

I really enjoyed the movie. There were some gaps, many of which will be filled in by the EE.

Pelennor Fields was terrific, but I didn't like how easily the undead swept away the rest of Mordor's army. It seemed to take away from the valor of the free peoples in the battle.

[Dúnedain]

Originally posted by Thorin II
I really enjoyed the movie. There were some gaps, many of which will be filled in by the EE.

Pelennor Fields was terrific, but I didn't like how easily the undead swept away the rest of Mordor's army. It seemed to take away from the valor of the free peoples in the battle.

But that's how the Army of the Dead swept through the Ships of the Corsairs in the books, so in that aspect it was accurate...

[Tuor of Gondolin]

Originally posted by Dunedain
Originally posted by Thorin II
I really enjoyed the movie. There were some gaps, many of which will be filled in by the EE.

Pelennor Fields was terrific, but I didn't like how easily the undead swept away the rest of Mordor's army. It seemed to take away from the valor of the free peoples in the battle.
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But that's how the Army of the Dead swept through the Ships of the Corsairs in the books, so in that aspect it was accurate.
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However, I think that's why Tolkien wisely "wrote out" the Army of the Dead after the Corsairs. It does rather cheapen the charge of the Rohirrim. In the book it's the one-two punch of the Rohirrim and then the South Gondor relief force that relieves the siege (plus the onset of the Prince of Dol Amroth led Gondor forces) that is decisive. More in keeping with Tolkien's sparing use of "magical type" elements. When the green slime overran the oliphaunts I was thinking, what was the point of Eowyn's and even Leggy's stunts against them, just let the Dead take care of all of the bad guys and their oliphaunts. It's too easy a solution.
Like movie Gimli suggested, why not take the Green Slime Army to Mordor?

[Nurvingiel]

I thought the Undead Army (green slime, lol! ) got far too much camera time. In the books, a company of Dunedain went with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli through the Paths of the Dead. The Undead Army helped them take over the Corsair ships, in fact, they probably couldn't have accomplished this feat without them. After that, Aragorn held their oath fulfilled, and they departed.

Seeing their enemies arrive in the ships of their allies was a 'double-whammy' to Mordor's armies. Aragorn and company fought until they met up with Eomer in battle, and Aragorn and Eomer drew swords together.

[Entlover]

Did the ending remind anyone else of the end of The Good Son, where Elijah also hangs off a cliff?

[Valandil]

Originally posted by Entlover
Did the ending remind anyone else of the end of The Good Son, where Elijah also hangs off a cliff?

Hah! Maybe he's been 'type-cast'... he'll be stuck forever, playing characters who get dangled off cliffs at the end of movies!

[Tuor of Gondolin]

Originally posted by Nurvingiel
Seeing their enemies arrive in the ships of their allies was a 'double-whammy' to Mordor's armies. Aragorn and company fought until they met up with Eomer in battle, and Aragorn and Eomer drew swords together.
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Another chance blown by PJ for an intelligent book adaptation to movie form. In the book:

And so at length Eomer and Aragorn met in the midst of the battle, and they leaned on their swords and looked on one another and were glad.
"Thus we meet again, though all the hosts of Mordor lay between us," said Aragorn. "Did I not say so at the Hornburg?"
"So you spoke," said Eomer, "but hope oft deceives, and I knew not then that you were a man foresighted. Yet twice blessed is help unlooked for, and never was a meeting of friends more joyful." And they clasped hand in hand. "Nor indeed more timely," said Eomer. "You come none too soon, my friend. Much loss and sorrow has befallen us."
"Then let us avenge it, ere we speak of it!" said Aragorn, and they rode back to battle together.

It seems to me a fairly minor editing job could have made that a great "movie moment."

[Nurvingiel]

I love that part, I agree, it would have been genius. Of course, Jackson did opt for Legolas' ridiculous stunt skateboarding down the stairs at Helm's Deep rather than have Aragorn and Eomer ride out together.

[Elvengirl]

I, for one, liked Legolas's stunt. There were plenty of other scenes that did not need to be filmed

[Thorin II]

Originally posted by Dúnedain
But that's how the Army of the Dead swept through the Ships of the Corsairs in the books, so in that aspect it was accurate...

True, but in the movie, they swept through Minas Tirith instead. The implication was that the Army of the Dead could've won the battle by themselves. Just for purposes of the movie, I didn't care for that. I didn't mind PJ changing their role and bringing them directly to Pelennor Fields, but I didn't like how they seemed to carry the day by themselves.

[Thorin II]

Originally posted by Entlover
Did the ending remind anyone else of the end of The Good Son, where Elijah also hangs off a cliff?

That made me laugh. Incidentally, any movie where Macauley Culkin falls off a cliff is fine in my book.

[Nurvingiel]

Mcauley Caulkin = Gollum... new thread potential.