posted
Saw it. Loved it. The Minas Tirith sequences, particularly the riders of Rohan, are simply amazing. Just flat out incredible.
But then the end of the film dragged. I really felt like they needed to get back to the Shire... and then end it. I know the story goes on. But all the melodramatic coronations, goodbyes, marriages and the rest were too much. Bogged it down. Would have been good to see on the Special Edition DVDs, but made the theatrical release drag ass. Like it didn't get to me the way Sam's speech's got me at the end of Fellowship or Two Towers.
Still, an incredible final installment to a stunning trilogy.
Registered: Sep 2000
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Did you get weepy when everyone bowed before the hobbits? Man, I was seriously misty at that scene.
Topher mentioned that the movie coud have ended several times before it actually did and I agree, but even though there was no "hollywood climax" ending, I would have loved a few scenes of Aragorn's years as king or what happened with Legolas (he didint set sail with the other elves did he?) and Gimli. Really, part of what makes the end bittersweet is that we'll never see those characters again.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
I didn't really get weepy, but it was cool. A lot of those character moments weren't really moments for me. The story was over.
Now, I almost wonder if that last little bit could have been achieved in montage. Like no speaking, just soft dissolves: Aragorn King, arrival of Arwen, hail to Hobbitses, return to the Shire, Frodo writing, Sam's babies, Gathering Bilbo, Hobbit hugs, a boarding, and then finally the ship sailing of to new seas. Or something. Just like two-four minutes or so. Maybe a simple Cate Blanchett/Galadriel voiceover just to bookend things. "Age of man has begun..." All that shit.
Or not. I just thought as it was, the end ran way LOOOONG and seemed redundant in a lot of ways.
-------------------- "Nah. The 9th chevron is for changing the ringtone from "grindy-grindy chonk-chonk" to the theme tune to dallas." -Reverend42
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
Well.. I saw it yesterday. and i truly believe it is the best made movie i have ever seen! and I didn't think the end dragged on.. i think PJ closed off everything nicely... BUT.. frodo's leaving did drag on a bit - but other than that...
The Minas Tirith sequence was amazing... Gollum was great... after-a-while i actually started to feel the burden Frodo had undertaken.. PJ did a good job with that character.. I was almost tired for him!
And yes, i did get all misty during the the bowing to the Hobbits....
and I have to add this - cuz I don't think anyone has mentioned it .. but PIPPIN was such a great character in this movie.. i'm glad they highlighted Pippin and Merry in this one.. they really didn't get alot of screen time in the first two movies...
outta 10 i give it an 11! totally met my expectations - and i can't wait for Extended edition to see the Saruman/Gandalf meeting.
posted
All the Hobbits got to be Action Heros in this one. Pippin diving onto a burning pile of wood to save someone, Merry helping to kill The Shredder. But Sam himself was ultra-super Action Hero Sam. Saving Frodo giant spiders, orcs, Gollum, he made fat ginger Hobbits something to worship.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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"...or what happened with Legolas (he didint set sail with the other elves did he?) and Gimli."
If I remember correctly, the two of them were supposed to have hung out for a while, and then sailed to the east together.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
What did everyone think of Minas Morgul? I think it looked pretty creepy. Nice and evil. I loved the part when the beacon activated.
-------------------- I haul cardboard and cardboard accessories
Registered: Mar 1999
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Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
quote:Originally posted by WizArtist: Legolas and Gimli set sail with five passengers for a three hour tour.....a three hour tour....
*WHACK!!!*
-------------------- "And slowly, you come to realize, it's all as it should be, you can only do so much. If you're game enough, you could place your trust in me. For the love of life, there's a tradeoff, we could lose it all but we'll go down fighting...." - David Sylvian FreeSpace 2, the greatest space sim of all time, now remastered!
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Giligan would be riddled with arrows within the week.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
I like Minas Morgul, but with the emerald green coloring it looked like Oz to me.
I also thought Denathor should have just burned on the pyre like the hopeless fool he was, the whole point of the book is Hope and his character shows us what happens to characters without hope and is given no pity in the book. He should have just laid there and burned. But I guess when you have a huge cliff with a big opening on the end of it, you have to throw somebody off of it...
Registered: May 2002
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posted
Besides, it looked cool. The best of all the "Oh my god look how high up we are" sequences.
I do suspect that no-one on Middle Earth suffers from vertigo.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Saw it, loved it. Didn't really feel like three and a half hours though, which is an achievement unto itself. Actually I think I spotted several places where the obligatory DVD extended edition would be filling in some holes.
I'm glad that I decided not to read the books ahead of time, mainly because I hate it when I already know how a story is going to end.
*SPOILER*
The part where Frodo lost his finger had me totally shocked, although I'm not sure why. All things considered he got off lightly.
RE: Denathor's firely plunge. I actually remember thinking to myself when I first saw the master shot of Minas Tirith, "I bet someone is going to fall off the edge of that cliff at some point".
Not to accuse the filmmakers of making shameless allegory, but did anyone else get a 'charge of the light brigade' vibe from Farimir's counter attack on Osgiliath? ...and then there's Aragorn's 'Braveheart' speech, but I suppose that can be forgiven under the circumstances.
posted
Don't forget the D-Day like landing of the Orc, I half expected Orcs to parachute from the skies dropped by Nazgul and Gondorian AA guns raking the skies.
Registered: May 2002
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