Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated...

[muscadine]

The beginning was sa-weet.

Gollum was the best part of the movie, by far. They did a great job with his mumblings to himself, although I'm not sure how MPS persons will feel about it. The movie definitely sets him up as a sympathetic character, though.

The dwarf humor, while always funny, was a bit over-the-top or unnecessary at times. Less dwarves being embarrassed or rescued. More dwarves kicking ass!

And speaking of kicking ass, I loved the ents. They got their appearance down pat. You could really believe they were actual creatures, not computer animations. And, as Saruman discovered, you'd better not piss off the trees. My second favorite part of the film. I hope they give them adequate screen time in the last film.

Similarly, I thought they played the return of Gandalf just right. Sadly, however, he seems to have misplaced his pointy hat.

The oliphants and the wargs were done justice as well, though the wargs looked more like hyenas to me, than wolves.

Would have liked to have seen more of Eowyn than making googly eyes at Aragorn, but there was at least one nice foreshadowing scene.

Was it just me, or did Faramir come off as more of a jerk than I remember from the books?

The elven cloaks could have used a bit more explaining.

Anyways, as others have commented, it was a good action film...but you don't really feel you got much of anywhere storywise. You realize that Saruman is down for the count, but the point isn't really driven home. And you don't really have the feeling that Frodo and Sam have made any real progress. But I guess in a way that makes it very much like the book.

Comments

Two Towers

[scarcrest.livejournal.com]

I absofreakinlutely loved the ents. Could've used more of Legolas doing cool stuff, though -- although inventing the skateboard was a nice touch. :)

[the-marionette.livejournal.com]

Faramir came off as a LOT more of a jerk than in the book. I also had a feeling that, like the Fellowship, they had cut out a lot of little snips here and there that do a great deal of the explaining. Hopefully it will all be put back for the DVD and, 5 hours of movie later, it will be better.

To me, it was a lot like Empire Strikes Back; the movie in the middle that just sort of carries you over.

Gollum was funny as hell. I loved that scene where he's talking to himself while Sam and Frodo are asleep. "Master is our friend... YOU DON'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS!" So hilarious :)