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The One Ring Forums: Tolkien Topics: Movie Discussion: The Hobbit:
At last BOFA has reached us here in Australia..

patrickk
Rohan

Dec 26 2014, 11:02pm

Post #1 of 16 (1218 views)
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At last BOFA has reached us here in Australia.. Can't Post

 ...and like a few of you it reminds me of the curates egg (good in parts), but worth another view but I will wait for the EE for the DVD version.

The best bits for me were the opening and dealing with Smaug; Bain’s role in particular; and the fight with Azog on the ice (me almost crying out ‘don’t follow him under the ice’).

The best moment by far was the silence between Bilbo an Gandalf as Gandalf was sorting out his pipe. The use of silences made the film.

Now the issue for me was the character focus, which made AUJ and FOTR was absent, and this is a pity. Some of what was there such as Tauriel and Kili romance was a bit forced. I have no problem with the romance but it should have been more understated. More characterisation in the mountain, in particular Balin was also needed.

The issue that others had, I actually liked, was it being a children's film PJ made sure there was a lightened by humour hence Alfrid, and Bard’s children featured a lot.

The ending for me was perfect as it focussed on the Bilbo and his maturing to the wide world and broader realisations that his life was changed that had come to him, and so crowning kings, and funerals would have diminished that. I would have like Balin and Gandalf to turn up a few months later (with Balin heading off to Moria) but it is hard to put that in the EE without changing the ending too much, but then PJ may do that.

Of course this calls for another smaller film of Aragorn and Legolas, which is more a character film, with maybe Tauriel, hunting for Gollum, among other things (directed maybe by Andy Serkis). PJ has probably secured the rights for the LOTR Masters (to digitise a few years down the track) as he has now spoken of a re-tweak, and even having Evangeline Lilly coming to film a couple of scenes to put into the 6 DVD set for continuity. Her replacing Arwen in the athelas and horse chase scene in FOTR would be fantastic but as she is not a Rivendell elf probably not possible.


Eruonen
Half-elven


Dec 26 2014, 11:08pm

Post #2 of 16 (803 views)
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Glad it finally arrived for you. [In reply to] Can't Post

Rather than replace Arwen, I would rather see the fighting they did against Sauron's forces.

"Thranduil and his people withstood attacks by Sauron's forces during northern battles of the war. Having routed their foes in the north, Thranduil's forces moved south, and joined with the armies of Lorien under Celeborn and Galadriel in destroying Dol Guldur, cleansing Mirkwood of Sauron's taint of evil. " Wiki


Glorfindela
Valinor


Dec 26 2014, 11:28pm

Post #3 of 16 (787 views)
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Personally [In reply to] Can't Post

I would like to see Thranduil in the Battle of the Last Alliance at the beginning of FotR. He has such a fabulous, graceful fighting style, and I wouldn't even mind a prolonged scene with him…


Elanor of Rohan
Lorien


Dec 26 2014, 11:51pm

Post #4 of 16 (717 views)
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Pity that Glorfindel's place was taken by Arwen [In reply to] Can't Post

but in the end, in this movie canon verse it's alright.
But Tauriel.... please no. One healing scene is more than enough.Crazy


Ham_Sammy
Tol Eressea

Dec 27 2014, 12:16am

Post #5 of 16 (735 views)
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Glad you got to see it [In reply to] Can't Post

And now we wait for the EE's.

Thank you for your questions, now go sod off and do something useful - Martin Freeman Twitter chat 3/1/13


Kim
Valinor


Dec 27 2014, 12:22am

Post #6 of 16 (791 views)
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Here's a nice article from The Australian [In reply to] Can't Post

  

Quote
PETER Jackson’s The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies is the New Zealand filmmaker’s sixth and final excursion into JRR Tolkien’s Middle-earth, the culmination of a near 20-year journey. No surprise, then, that he has given it everything he’s got — and then some. It’s an epic fantasy film that is both spectacular and of Shakespearean depth.
If that sounds a bit over the top, suspend judgment until you see Richard Armitage’s final turn as the dwarf king Thorin, who is the brooding centre of the film. It’s a performance full of sound and fury signifying something: he’s part Macbeth, part Lear (if you’re willing to imagine his dwarf lieutenants as the three daughters). I don’t think any one actor has so commanded one of the Hobbit-Lord of the Rings movies before, and it’s thrilling to watch.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/...3abfbf18fd1eb0fa06e8


Couldn't agree with that last sentence more. Smile

#OneLastTime


patrickk
Rohan

Dec 27 2014, 12:32am

Post #7 of 16 (750 views)
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It just for me... [In reply to] Can't Post

...Tauriel is more believable than Arwen for taking on the nine riders. But she would have to introduced as a ranger type person (friend of Aragorn) as she is not a Rivendell elf so a hard stretch, and a big change to the script.


Mooseboy018
Grey Havens


Dec 27 2014, 4:34am

Post #8 of 16 (720 views)
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No no no no no no no *terrified face* [In reply to] Can't Post

That would be awful. Tauriel already took up enough screentime that could have been used to develope the dwarves. Having her literally steal a scene from Arwen would be beyond pointless. The entire reason they had Arwen replace Glorfidnel was to have a strong introduction for her and because Glorfindel never appeared in the story again anyway.

And Arwen is a descendant of Luthien who faced Morgoth, and the daughter of Elrond who faced the Nazgul (in the movie). I don't see how Tauriel is a more likely candidate for facing anything.


Me85
Rivendell

Dec 27 2014, 5:49am

Post #9 of 16 (667 views)
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replacing arwen? [In reply to] Can't Post


In Reply To
That would be awful. Tauriel already took up enough screentime that could have been used to develope the dwarves. Having her literally steal a scene from Arwen would be beyond pointless. The entire reason they had Arwen replace Glorfidnel was to have a strong introduction for her and because Glorfindel never appeared in the story again anyway.


I completely agree. Scenes from lotr should only be replaced for the sake of continuity and in no case should they replace a character with another imo. Especially not by Tauriel (a made up character) who too many people just don't like. In addition, it is indeed arwens introduction scene which is therefore important so you cant just remove it and lotr/arwen fans have come to love it.


(This post was edited by Me85 on Dec 27 2014, 5:53am)


Old Toby
Grey Havens


Dec 27 2014, 6:48am

Post #10 of 16 (587 views)
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Ditto!! [In reply to] Can't Post

RA was incredible in this film! Glad he's being given some recognition in the media.

"Age is always advancing and I'm fairly sure it's up to no good." Harry Dresden (Jim Butcher)


patrickk
Rohan

Dec 27 2014, 9:35am

Post #11 of 16 (547 views)
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Well this has certainly stirred up a hornet's nest... [In reply to] Can't Post

...of comment. After just reminding myself by watching the Blackrider Horse chase scene from FOTR (one of my favourite scenes) on youtube; I still think Liv Tyler is a big let down as a warrior elf and the line 'if you want him come and get him' is as wooden as they come and there are more than a few wooden lines across the six films. I know they won't replace Arwen for the reasons mentioned but Liv Tylor is probably the worst miscasting in the set of six, which has a bunch (well three!!!) of powerful women of whom she is not one..


mefansmum
Rivendell

Dec 27 2014, 1:37pm

Post #12 of 16 (512 views)
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This review was also [In reply to] Can't Post

very positive about the whole movie. It was nice to see a critic, along with 9 year old, who went into it, it would seem, with never a thought about frame rates, 1,2 or 3 movies, deviations from the book, PJ or Warner Bros greed etc and was just watching the third movie in the tale as presented.


Avandel
Half-elven


Dec 27 2014, 5:49pm

Post #13 of 16 (474 views)
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LOL Kim I second your agreement [In reply to] Can't Post

Richard Armitage, who plays Thorin, continues to steal the show as the omnipotent and omnipresent dwarf....

LOL well of course he doesWink - this hairy fierce exiled dwarf king who strode into so many hearts 'round the world in his iron-toed bootsHeartTongue

http://www.latinpost.com/articles/27735/20141213/hobbit-battle-five-armies-movie-review-fitting-ending-somewhat-disappointing.htm


I don't agree with a lot of this article, especially the part about Martin Freeman - his scenes with Thorin and Thranduil are perfection, as well as Gandalf. But I think the reviewer was trying to be fair and just state his opinion and impressions, unlike some "critics" who are obviously just listening to themselves talk. I also vehemently disagree about Dain, tho I guess you could say he's uninteresting in the sense for sure, there was NOT ENOUGH of him.


Quote

It is probably a positive that despite its grandness, "The Battle of Five Armies" is actually the most intimate of the three films. Despite the arrival of new and ultimately uninteresting characters (Thorin's warrior cousin for example) and the fact that it never manages to draw the viewer in the way the originals did, the battle for Thorin's soul and his relationship to Bilbo and the others gives the viewer the most visceral emotional connection of the trilogy.


(Er, the originals don't "draw me in" the way the Hobbit does, but IMO that's subjective, and I'm not gonna say - which is another thread - that both series don't have their flaws.)

The battle for Thorin's soul. I don't think of the movie that way, but I like that.Heart


Kerewyn
Rohan


Dec 27 2014, 11:27pm

Post #14 of 16 (423 views)
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Yeah, at last! [In reply to] Can't Post

And hoorah for that. After a tedious 2 weeks staying off TORn, I was finally attended my long-awaited viewing last night at “the world’s third largest Imax screen” in Melbourne. (now THIS was the way to see it!)


Quote
and the fight with Azog on the ice (me almost crying out ‘don’t follow him under the ice’).

I know, right? I actually had this internal dialogue: “Dude! Haven’t you seen Fatal Attraction? Never trust a “dead” person underwater with their eyes open!”


Quote
The ending for me was perfect as it focussed on the Bilbo and his maturing to the wide world and broader realisations that his life was changed that had come to him, and so crowning kings, and funerals would have diminished that.

I’m still trying to reconcile myself to this. I know the ending was the right Bilbo-focussed way to end, but when I realised I wasn’t going to see a funeral, or any parting words from Thranduil to Bilbo, I couldn’t help it… a little part of me died inside. (Ok that’s extreme, but I did experience disappointment.)


Quote
very positive about the whole movie. It was nice to see a critic, along with 9 year old, who went into it, it would seem, with never a thought about frame rates, 1,2 or 3 movies, deviations from the book, PJ or Warner Bros greed etc and was just watching the third movie in the tale as presented.

Agree, mefansmum. And I loved … “My nine-year-old co-viewer, open mouthed in amazement, kept looking across at me, to make sure my dad brain was taking in the awesomeness of it all.” (although ‘Billy Connelly returns…. ??? ) Sorry, I’m an editor. I nitpick.
Whereas The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald’s reviews were pretty much as per the points you mention. I won’t bother linking to them, but am glad I remained ‘review free’ as well as spoiler-free right up to my viewing.

One of the most memorable moments for me was the Thorin-madness when he’s having a rant at Bilbo and his voice distorts to sound more like Smaug. The frequent editing cuts here, while still maintaining the same shot/angle, had a surprising edgy effect.

The highly tense altercation between Tauriel and Thranduil broke my heart.

And, I can’t help myself – I have to admit: I applauded Legolas’s stunts, especially the ‘Tetras bridge’. PJ needed to up the ante, and I think the ‘running on bricks as they were falling’ was it.

And there was much more to comment on but I am still processing it. I need to go and see it again. Am very tempted to do so today actually (a mere 24 hours after my first viewing...) Wink



"Then the bells shall ring in gladness at the Mountain King's return... but all shall fail in sadness, and the lake will shine and burn."

(This post was edited by Kerewyn on Dec 27 2014, 11:40pm)


jkm7
Bree


Dec 28 2014, 8:52am

Post #15 of 16 (363 views)
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Can't agree with that [In reply to] Can't Post

Arwen and Galadriel are perfect elves to me. Mysterious, beautiful, otherworldly and I love their acting. EL's Tauriel on the other hand never convinces me. I don't like her looks, the freakishly long ears and she is just way too emotinal for an elf
EL does basically 2 things. Crying and looking shocked.


Eleniel
Tol Eressea


Dec 28 2014, 9:32am

Post #16 of 16 (363 views)
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Yup... [In reply to] Can't Post

I think the best we can say is Tauriel certainly epitomized the "more dangerous and less wise" aspect of the Mirkwood Elves....Wink




"Choosing Trust over Doubt gets me burned once in a while, but I'd rather be singed than hardened."
¯ Victoria Monfort

 
 

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