Lord Of The Rings (Real reviews, please)

[Juggernaut]

Just caught it.
Was originally supposed to see it yesterday, but I lost my ticket. 200:- (equivalent to $20) to hell. Almost cried at the tram on my way home.

So I saw it in solitude today instead.

It was on the whole a neat translation from book to screen, although some of the original Tolkien-feeling had been lost in favour of sheer action.
And eventually one gets a little annoyed at the blue lens/desaturation à la Matrix, which seems to be custom in today's Hollywood flicks.
Thought Elijah Wood was a little unnatural in the beginning, but midways it turned out the role as Frodo fitted him like a glove.
Lothlorien and Rivendel was the dullest parts, just like in the book.

A bizarre thing was that they made an half-an-hour break about midways through, the filmstock split or something. Then when they started it again, they were x minutes ahead. So sickly incompetent.

[November Adam]

You know what I don't like about Mr.Smith as Elrond? It's his vocal pacing, it saturates his acting, (now read this previous line with Mr.Smiths voice in your head), and his facial expressions are so dark and intense.

[Robert Plomp]

watched it, loved it.

I hated it that I read the book and knew the story line that well.
I think it's better to be surprised by the movie, like I was surprised by the book. But so be it.

I think Jackson stayed as close to the book as he could do with a movie like this. Places like Rivendel, Lotlorien and the mines of moria were done so perfectly. And I have to admit that most of the characters looked more or less the way I had imaginated them.

I went with my family, 7 of us had read the book, only my mother didn't. Last time we were in the cinema as a family was with The little mermaid, 12 years ago or something (of course without my girlfriend and my brother in law)

We all loved it, and we loved it as well to talk about it with each other, and talk about the book Family live rocks in those days.

I want to visit it again, but I might wait until the hype is more or less over.

Can't wait for the dvd-release, and The Two Towers !
I saw already a movie-picture of Gandalf the White

I'll post it in a spoiler thread.

CyberShy

[Dr.Oogkloot]

Watched the movie as well?

Not yet, will probably watch it soon.

[Kautilya]

Just came back from the movie. Like everyone says, it's amazing; one of the best I have ever seen.

BTW ,since there was some discussion about this,I haven't read the book but the basic plot was perfectly clear even if I don't remember all the names and places.

If the next two in the series reach this level, the trilogy will be a landmark in cinema history.

[Fiera]

For everybody who's already watched it:

How would you compare it with other recent (or not so recent) epic films? Gladiator, Braveheart, perhaps even Willow, and, most definitely, Excalibur?

[November Adam]

Much, much better than the others. IMO

[Fiera]

Hmm, even better than Excalibur? Do you think it tells Tolkien tales better than Excalibur told the Arthuric (?) myths?

[AustralianJeremy]

Yes.

But I liked Gladiator, too.

Trying to think of favourite films of the last few years: Gladiator was great, Matrix was too, LOTR obviously, and, um I liked the Truman Show. The rest was generally complete garbage.

[Fiera]

Interesting. I can't say I liked Matrix, though. Great FX, but quite a silly plot.

So how would you compare with Star Wars then (not the Phantom Menace, of course)?

And with any other classic adventure films?

[Robert Plomp]

out of those three I've only seen Gladiator.
I wouldn't put the matrix in the 'epos' category.

I during LoTR much more happens then during all those other epos'
I liked Star Wars very much, part 1 pherhaps even more. I bought Gladiator, and I've seen it many times, but I think I like LoTR more. There are more characters in it, more happens, more different landscapes and places in which it all happens.

But I've to see the movie a few more times to say my final word about that.

[Faboba]

The only complaint I could concieve is that whenever I looked at Elrond I didn't see a half-human loremaster, I just saw agent Smith. But perhaps thats more a tribute to the actors memorable performance as the latter rather than criticism.

The acting, I feel, was top notch. All those cast gave memorable believeable performances and they even managed to make Merry and Pippin less annoying than their counterparts from Tolkien's text.

As far as the transition from book to big screen goes, some might feel they haven't been entirely true to the original text, but having just finished reading the lord of the rings I feel it's an improvement. Die hard fans might find the differences annoying ( I was worried they've missed the friendship between Legolas and Gimil ( which at least during the Two Towers was an excellent part of the story as a whole ) but I'm assured they're going to put it in the text film ) but for me they actually made the tale much better.

They've had to remove quite a lot that was in the book to cut it down to fit in 3 hours, but seeing as that includes the removal of.... Tom Bombadil.... I can't help but rejoyce at the fact.

And as movies go ( ignoring the book ).... it's fantastic. Words can't describe it. The begining is fantastic, the ending is memorable, the battle scenes are all expertly coordinated and directed in a very fast paced, all-over-the-place kind of way that actually gives you a feeling of the action they're depicting. It never goes over your head the way the book did ( some of the time when reading it I had to look at either the appendixes or the previous chapters to remember who the hell they were talking about when they mentioned this or that name ) but at the same time it doesn't dumb it down too much. It does it just right.

Go once!

Go twice!

Go thrice!

And..... then just go as often as you can till they show it on TV and you can tape it.

[DanS]

"If the next two in the series reach this level, the trilogy will be a landmark in cinema history."

Kaut: I agree. Taking a look at the book for The Two Towers, there are 9 or so scenes that approach or surpass the scale of the Mines of Moria, depending on where Peter Jackson breaks between The Two Towers and Return of the King. In fact, I fear that the story will become too consistently intense...

Rohan
Treebeard
Helm's Deep
Isengard
Smeagol
The Marshes
The Black Gate
Cirith Ungol
Shelob

edit: Also, it will be interesting how PJ mixes the stories. Depending on how he does it, there could be 4 incredibly intense scenes back to back.

[Q Classic]

in regards to taping it off of tv...

does anyone know for a fact if this movie had digital distribution? my money is on yes.

if so, one might as well think it would be worth a download...

[connorkimbro]

I'm a huge fan of the books. I honestly did NOT have that high of expectations for the movie, i didn't think they could put it off. but WOW.

And folks, don't think me gimpy and all, but i was nearly in tears at times during this movie. Because it was so beautiful. . so . . breathtaking.

Memorable scenes from the movie that moved me the most . . .

The opening narration, when the history of the ring is spoken about, the scenery of middle earth . . .

When the nazgul are chasing frodo and co, frodo puts on the ring and everything is misty and blurred and he's stabbed, the race for rivendel, ESPECIALLY when Arwen races the nazgul and crosses the river, frodo is practically dying, and arwen, in her concern, her urgency, speaks in elvish and the flood comes down shaped like horses, breathtaking . . .

In the mines of moria, when fighting the balrog, and galdalf is pulled into the abyss, as he is struggling to pull himself up, he knows he is about to die and he says "run, fools" and falls and shows him falling. . . i damn near lost it . . .

in lothlorien, the moment of temptation that galadriel goes through, wow. and then afterwords, she says, almost surprised at herself, perfectly done, that she passed the test . . .

borimor's last stand, he's fighting, giving it his all, hit with and arrow DOWN. . .then up again! . . .fighting! DOWN! UP AGAIN!!!. . hit AGAIN DOWN!!!!! UP again fighting! yeah, kick ASS borimor!

wow, too many. there were a few minor changes from the book, of course, and a few things left out, but as others have said, and i agree, these things are not lacking from the movie. I can't wait for the sequels . . .wow.

[kittenOFchaos]

Not providing a review except to say that this is my favorite film of all time and that although I'd like on or two things polished a little that it was FAR more than I expected.

For those who didn't enjoy it -your sexual partners are going to be hard pressed to satisfy you (expect a sad life)



P.S rubbish poetry and songs removed from the film despite being in the book

I do regret that the prancing pony scenes would have been better had they been closer to how it had been in the book...though by changing it they removed several characters which is probably a requirement in not "losing" newbies to the Lord of the Rings.

The "riddles in the dark" of the Hobbit was left out...hopefully this is because it will be portrayed when they do "The Hobbit" as a film!

My mum had never read the LOTR and usually falls asleep during films...she was alert and interest throughout (and understood it). She called it a man's film...Arwen as a more developed entity was VITAL in not making Galadriel an exception (in this film) with women being in the kitchen -later we'll have a certain warrior maiden, who hopefully will be very agreeable to the eyes

[korn469]

i watched it without having read any of the books first

pros:
great visuals (lots of eye candy)
solid acting
epic feel

cons:
draggy
long
long and draggy

overall this is a good movie, while personally it is not one of my favorite movies (fight club, the matrix, usual suspects, aliens) it is a good movie and worth seeing once for the average viewer, and multiple times for the fantasy fan, i plan on going on seeing it again, however it is quite long and it does lack a sense of tension at places...that is about as unbiased a review as i can give

as for the JRR Tolkien fan, the one i went with said it wasn't a perfect adaption, but that they did hit on all of the highlights and he was quite pleased with the movie

[Juggernaut]

Must say the casting is vibrant. Boromir, Frodo, Arwen, all is played extremely well, and now I've heard they casted that nervous guy from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest as Grima Wormtongue. !!!
Although, I really didn't like the guy who played Legolas. Dissapointment bigtime, Legolas along with Boromir were my alltime-favourite characters in the books. De facto, he sucked. Elves are supposed to be beautyful as hell. This guy looks like a dork with '80's Czechoslovakian hockey-haircut. Liv Tyler would qualify as an elve, but they should have given them distincter traits... now they look to much like humans.

[bogi]

Watched it and liked it. But i have a question?


SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER


Was the ending suppposed to be like that where Frodo and his friend go off into the woods just the 2 of them ?

SPOILER End

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by bogi
Was the ending suppposed to be like that where Frodo and his friend go off into the woods just the 2 of them ?

Yup, don't forget that there are another 2 movies to go.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Haven't seen it yet, but two people who've not read the books said that it was VERY slow, and the ending was dissapointing.

Funny, because the first book was very slow, and the ending dissapointing .

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Haven't seen it yet, but two people who've not read the books said that it was VERY slow, and the ending was dissapointing.

Funny, because the first book was very slow, and the ending dissapointing .

I see Imran is still desperately trying to convince himself that Harry Potter is better then LoTR.

[Bereta_Eder]

Ok

Overall: I think that the people who have read the book(s) will enjoy it VERY much and it could ever turn out to be a cult film right up there amongst the best of them. It certaintly has all the igrediants for that.

Now to those who have NOT read the book I think it is a more or less mediocre film (for example my err new-girlfriend-to-be said it was not something special and couple of my friends who also haven't read the book were unimpressed even bored - and very frustrated with the way it ended - left with the **** in the hand - the action was cut right in the middle of it)

On to the film itself. From the point of view of someone who read it, it is a holy thing to see your readings materialize visually so you're VERY pro-desposed. For example I was waiting with suspence to see how Gandalf would react to the temptation of the ring (when with Frodo), how Bilbo would try to clench to it (that was VERY impressing - the acting), how Gandalf would "rise" above Bilbo, the fighting with the Balrog (yeah, now I remember Ecthelion )etc etc
So I was waiting eye-wide to see these and when they happened I had my fill

All in all it was OK. Not something to blow your mind away (maybe that had to do woth the high expectations I got for the film from reading what you guys wrote )

But something that's definitely worth seeing if you have read the book.

It stays close to the writings of Tolkien. But I have the feeling the special effects (although very good) were not up for the job. I was kinda let down by them (but again high expectations) despite the budget of the movie. But then again, no movie, nomatter how expensive could ever hope to substitute your fantasy )

sam was not too convincing. Tayler barely made it. Best acting was with "bilbo" (you will jump from your sit ) gandalf, saruman.
Oh, it definetely has the replayability (seeing it again and again) factor.

I think most of the people who will see it will be because of the "flock effect" (do what the other guys are doing). And it is a huge crowd that goes it and sees it here. there were 10 rooms playing it (out of 20) and most of them had yellow lines in the computer screen (semi-full) or red lines.