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Message
re: Official Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug Review Thread (spoilers)
Posted on 12/16/13 at 11:35 pm to asurob1
Posted on 12/16/13 at 11:35 pm to asurob1
quote:
And Elf having the hots for a dwarf? Really? Come on even my kid thought it was ridiculous...(unless she was looking for a place to rest her drink).
Honestly, I really like the simple concept of it. What kind of love is more forbidden than that in a fantasy setting, aside from one that is entirely insane (like an Orc and an Elf)? I'd say it was a good thought by Jackson, and I really like the inclusion of it, and I like it especially since I know just about exactly where this is going to go in the third film. If you were to make me greenlight a film set in Middle Earth that had nothing to do with Tolkein's writings, a dwarf and elf love story would be close to the top on things I'd want to see done.
This post was edited on 12/16/13 at 11:40 pm
5
Posted on 12/17/13 at 12:04 am to OMLandshark
I'd like to frick Ariel from little mermaid.
Posted on 12/17/13 at 12:13 am to OMLandshark
quote:
Honestly, I really like the simple concept of it. What kind of love is more forbidden than that in a fantasy setting, aside from one that is entirely insane (like an Orc and an Elf)? I'd say it was a good thought by Jackson, and I really like the inclusion of it, and I like it especially since I know just about exactly where this is going to go in the third film. If you were to make me greenlight a film set in Middle Earth that had nothing to do with Tolkein's writings, a dwarf and elf love story would be close to the top on things I'd want to see done.
I get the idea behind it, I really do, but it would have perhaps been more believable if the dwarves had been imprisoned weeks instead of what appeared to be mere hours. Give that sub plot time to grow. It was asking your audience too much to believe that she'd run off chasing that cute lil guy and throwing away her entire elf lifestyle after knowing him for hours.
Posted on 12/17/13 at 8:49 am to OMLandshark
Legolas losing his elf chick to a dwarf in this series only adds to the impact of him becoming friends with Gimli in the LOTR trilogy.
Posted on 12/17/13 at 9:06 am to asurob1
I agree that they moved to fast, but I also think she makes that jump easier because she was viewed as an outsider, or lower class, by the elvish king because she was from a different line of elves.
Saw the movie last night and I liked it, but wasn't blown away. Really enjoyed the Smaug scenes but I felt they went on way too long and it became an overblown action set piece. I enjoyed the interplay with Bilbo and Smaug before the rest of the dwarves showed up.
Saw the movie last night and I liked it, but wasn't blown away. Really enjoyed the Smaug scenes but I felt they went on way too long and it became an overblown action set piece. I enjoyed the interplay with Bilbo and Smaug before the rest of the dwarves showed up.
This post was edited on 12/17/13 at 9:07 am
Posted on 12/17/13 at 9:10 am to asurob1
Bree: I love that they used this as the opening of the film. For one it was nice to be back in Bree again and it was nice to see this bit of written material come to life. It’s funny to see in the sixty years between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings that Bree hasn’t changed much. I also enjoyed seeing Peter Jackson use his cameo in Bree, much like during The Fellowship of the Ring.
Beorn: Don’t blink or you’re going to miss this. Seriously, I don’t think they could have made this any shorter if they tried. I’m not a big fan of the character in the book but I think we should have gotten a little more development of this area. I actually rather enjoyed the introduction of the character and how they get to his house. We’ve already done the whole mini-Dwarven intro so there is no need to do it again. I have grown to like the look of Beorn. I think I especially feel this way after seeing him in action and I do want a statue of him from Weta. I will say one of the looks in the new Weta Art book would have been a better choice. As far as his bear look it was pretty cool! Super detailed and look likes a giant were-bear.
Mirkwood: It is as creepy as I created in my mind. So that for me was a real treat to see on the big screen. I actually like the change in that basically they get lost because of the spores in the air instead of Bombur falling in the stream. The Spiders during this sequence are as amazing as I could have ever hoped they would be. They looked so good and gave me some major cases of the shakes. I can think of one family member who is really going to hate that sequence. I also loved how Jackson showed that the spiders talked. Tying it to Bilbo putting on the Ring and it really comes off and fits within the world. If you listen you can hear the word Attercop mentioned.
Bilbo naming sting here was another moment that I was so looking forward to and it was pulled off so well. I did enjoy them showing some effects of The One Ring on Bilbo, starting the hold it will have on him when we see old Bilbo in The Fellowship of the Ring. I also like the change in that the Elves help kill the spiders, but capture them then take them to Thranduil’s halls. This makes more sense than eventually being caught chasing the Elves as they party in Mirkwood.
Beorn: Don’t blink or you’re going to miss this. Seriously, I don’t think they could have made this any shorter if they tried. I’m not a big fan of the character in the book but I think we should have gotten a little more development of this area. I actually rather enjoyed the introduction of the character and how they get to his house. We’ve already done the whole mini-Dwarven intro so there is no need to do it again. I have grown to like the look of Beorn. I think I especially feel this way after seeing him in action and I do want a statue of him from Weta. I will say one of the looks in the new Weta Art book would have been a better choice. As far as his bear look it was pretty cool! Super detailed and look likes a giant were-bear.
Mirkwood: It is as creepy as I created in my mind. So that for me was a real treat to see on the big screen. I actually like the change in that basically they get lost because of the spores in the air instead of Bombur falling in the stream. The Spiders during this sequence are as amazing as I could have ever hoped they would be. They looked so good and gave me some major cases of the shakes. I can think of one family member who is really going to hate that sequence. I also loved how Jackson showed that the spiders talked. Tying it to Bilbo putting on the Ring and it really comes off and fits within the world. If you listen you can hear the word Attercop mentioned.
Bilbo naming sting here was another moment that I was so looking forward to and it was pulled off so well. I did enjoy them showing some effects of The One Ring on Bilbo, starting the hold it will have on him when we see old Bilbo in The Fellowship of the Ring. I also like the change in that the Elves help kill the spiders, but capture them then take them to Thranduil’s halls. This makes more sense than eventually being caught chasing the Elves as they party in Mirkwood.
This post was edited on 12/17/13 at 9:15 am
Posted on 12/17/13 at 9:12 am to RceTigers
Elven King’s Halls: Such a beautiful looking place. Better looking in fact than what I had playing in my head. The intricate wooden cuttings were pretty darn impressive. His halls are every bit as good looking as Lothlorien especially when you factor in the stone work you get within this realm. There is one part early in this sequence that is just really silly and has no place in this world, between Kili and Tauriel. Its really rather eye rolling to be honest. What I did like was the interaction between Thranduil and Thorin. There is some real tension between these two characters just from what we saw in film one. You also get to see a brutal scar that Thranduil can hide with magic but I want to know more and how he got that.
From there I love that you get a great conversation between Kili and Tauriel where these two begin to understand each other. They begin to let go of the hate that the two races have for each other. It’s a pretty nice little sequence and the polar opposite of what you see with Thorin/Thranduil. Legolas sees all of this and is far less understanding, because of his hate for the Dwarven race that was handed down by daddy. Then you get the drunken Elves sequence, which I was glad to see since its matches the book. Bilbo gets a chance here to show his burglar skills by stealing the keys and getting the Dwarves out of another mess. The escape from Thranduil’s halls is classic with how they think Bilbo is crazy then Bilbo realizing he forgot one thing with his plan.
From there I love that you get a great conversation between Kili and Tauriel where these two begin to understand each other. They begin to let go of the hate that the two races have for each other. It’s a pretty nice little sequence and the polar opposite of what you see with Thorin/Thranduil. Legolas sees all of this and is far less understanding, because of his hate for the Dwarven race that was handed down by daddy. Then you get the drunken Elves sequence, which I was glad to see since its matches the book. Bilbo gets a chance here to show his burglar skills by stealing the keys and getting the Dwarves out of another mess. The escape from Thranduil’s halls is classic with how they think Bilbo is crazy then Bilbo realizing he forgot one thing with his plan.
This post was edited on 12/17/13 at 9:15 am
Posted on 12/17/13 at 9:13 am to RceTigers
Barrels out of Bond: Really a non-stop action piece but its pretty fun. I’m actually glad they made it this way to be honest. It would have been a little boring for fans if they had just easily floated down the river. You get the the Orcs lead by Bolg chasing them and the Elves lead by Tauriel/Legolas chasing them. So you’re bound to get some wackiness. The cool thing about the Elves during this is you see that Tauriel can hold her own with Legolas.
Both of these characters pull off some pretty slick moves and keep you glued to the action. There are two moments that when put together I think are a little too much or could be a little too much. Bombur pulls one heck of an act coming out of the water in his barrel, ending it with some ninja moves. That might be alright but when you pair it with Legolas surfing the water with his feet on a couple of the Dwarves heads it is a little OTT. Pick one or the other and you’re good I think. The whole moment ends with the final attack by Bolg following Azog’s order of keeping the attack on, which leads to a severe injury to Kili.
Legolas/Tauriel: Legolas is back and he’s as big a badass as ever. He just takes on all Orc comers and with ease takes them out as well as spiders during the Mirkwood sequence. He pulls off several Legolas moves that we’ve come to know over the course of all these Middle-earth movies. I actually enjoy all of them but in conjuction with a few others, maybe could have left one of these on the cutting room floor. He’s also rather grumpy towards the Dwarves. This to me makes absolute sense to the character. He’s a jerk at The Council of Elrond towards Gimli and is rather snarky early in The Fellowship’s journey.
Tauriel: She caught a lot of crap before the movie about being a created addition. I personally went into the movie with an open mind about her. I’m glad I did because I thought she was a perfect addition to the Middle-earth universe. She can totally handle herself as a warrior from what we see in Mirkwood, during barrel sequence, and later on in Lake Town. I think she is every bit the warrior that Legolas is. The nice change from Legolas is that she is open minded to other races and the problems that are happening in Middle-earth. I love her speech to Legolas after the barrel sequence because it echoes the one thing I love about The Lord of the Rings. We’re all in this together and together evil can be defeated.
Lake Town: The score that leads you into Lake Town is fantastic! It is so perfect for what you see on screen and works with the mental image I had of this place. I love that it’s so run down and is just part of the desolation that area has suffered because of Smaug. It is also a political mess that I think is within the text of The Hobbit.
Both of these characters pull off some pretty slick moves and keep you glued to the action. There are two moments that when put together I think are a little too much or could be a little too much. Bombur pulls one heck of an act coming out of the water in his barrel, ending it with some ninja moves. That might be alright but when you pair it with Legolas surfing the water with his feet on a couple of the Dwarves heads it is a little OTT. Pick one or the other and you’re good I think. The whole moment ends with the final attack by Bolg following Azog’s order of keeping the attack on, which leads to a severe injury to Kili.
Legolas/Tauriel: Legolas is back and he’s as big a badass as ever. He just takes on all Orc comers and with ease takes them out as well as spiders during the Mirkwood sequence. He pulls off several Legolas moves that we’ve come to know over the course of all these Middle-earth movies. I actually enjoy all of them but in conjuction with a few others, maybe could have left one of these on the cutting room floor. He’s also rather grumpy towards the Dwarves. This to me makes absolute sense to the character. He’s a jerk at The Council of Elrond towards Gimli and is rather snarky early in The Fellowship’s journey.
Tauriel: She caught a lot of crap before the movie about being a created addition. I personally went into the movie with an open mind about her. I’m glad I did because I thought she was a perfect addition to the Middle-earth universe. She can totally handle herself as a warrior from what we see in Mirkwood, during barrel sequence, and later on in Lake Town. I think she is every bit the warrior that Legolas is. The nice change from Legolas is that she is open minded to other races and the problems that are happening in Middle-earth. I love her speech to Legolas after the barrel sequence because it echoes the one thing I love about The Lord of the Rings. We’re all in this together and together evil can be defeated.
Lake Town: The score that leads you into Lake Town is fantastic! It is so perfect for what you see on screen and works with the mental image I had of this place. I love that it’s so run down and is just part of the desolation that area has suffered because of Smaug. It is also a political mess that I think is within the text of The Hobbit.
This post was edited on 12/17/13 at 9:18 am
Posted on 12/17/13 at 9:18 am to RceTigers
Bard: There is little information on Bard in The Hobbit so there was plenty of room in these films to give him some depth. Personally the look of him, I think, matches perfectly how Bard is described in the book. He’s very grim, unhappy, and is not pleased with The Master. You can tell though he cares about the people and why he will go on to be a good leader of men. A bigger family for Bard I think was an ok addition, as they really didn’t add to or take away from story. The one change with Bard’s story that I didn’t expect was the black arrow that comes into play in The Hobbit: There and Back Again. I had always imagined them being just a normal arrow and shot from a normal bow. So it’s a change I have to get use to from my mental movie
Dol Guldur: This one of the creepiest looking places I think we’ve seen in all of Middle-earth. It’s totally a place you don’t want to make the mistake of taking a wrong turn and ending up at. So many cages with victims still inside them and other various bones all over the ground. All of this makes it a perfect place for say Sauron to hang out as he tries to rebuild his armies to take over Middle-earth.
Necromancer: If you’ve seen the movie you now know who the necromancer is and of course if you’ve read the books you already knew this. I like how they’ve handled this in the movies so far with Sauron not being able to take really even the eye form yet. His battle with Gandalf is pretty darn epic! Seeing these two go at it was something to see even if it was totally made up. I think it works with being one of the reasons Gandalf is so afraid of what Sauron can do.
Gandalf the Grey: He’s quite busy in this movie. We see him start out helping them get to Beorn’s house, go to the High Fells, and of course battle The Necromancer. I love that even if some of this is made up we’re given a chance to see what Gandalf was doing when he wasn’t with the Dwarves. Going back to the battle with The Necromancer for a second I think people will feel this made Gandalf look weak. I don’t think that’s the case at all. He went toe to toe with Sauron and gave him all he had. This fits perfectly with what happens in The Lord of the Rings with it taking a Hobbit and a Hobbit like creature in Gollum to destroy Sauron. It also ties in with what Gandalf told Galadriel about why he choose Bilbo for this quest.
Dol Guldur: This one of the creepiest looking places I think we’ve seen in all of Middle-earth. It’s totally a place you don’t want to make the mistake of taking a wrong turn and ending up at. So many cages with victims still inside them and other various bones all over the ground. All of this makes it a perfect place for say Sauron to hang out as he tries to rebuild his armies to take over Middle-earth.
Necromancer: If you’ve seen the movie you now know who the necromancer is and of course if you’ve read the books you already knew this. I like how they’ve handled this in the movies so far with Sauron not being able to take really even the eye form yet. His battle with Gandalf is pretty darn epic! Seeing these two go at it was something to see even if it was totally made up. I think it works with being one of the reasons Gandalf is so afraid of what Sauron can do.
Gandalf the Grey: He’s quite busy in this movie. We see him start out helping them get to Beorn’s house, go to the High Fells, and of course battle The Necromancer. I love that even if some of this is made up we’re given a chance to see what Gandalf was doing when he wasn’t with the Dwarves. Going back to the battle with The Necromancer for a second I think people will feel this made Gandalf look weak. I don’t think that’s the case at all. He went toe to toe with Sauron and gave him all he had. This fits perfectly with what happens in The Lord of the Rings with it taking a Hobbit and a Hobbit like creature in Gollum to destroy Sauron. It also ties in with what Gandalf told Galadriel about why he choose Bilbo for this quest.
This post was edited on 12/17/13 at 9:33 am
Posted on 12/17/13 at 9:30 am to RceTigers
Erebor: Seeing them get to the door was pretty darn awesome and the emotion of them thinking they had failed was a punch in the gut. I loved that they used the light of the moon to show the door. I loved getting a great look at the architecture inside this place and it is one of the most amazing looking places we’ve seen. That pales in comparison to Smaug, who I will talk about more in a second. I really don’t mind the idea that the Dwarves attack Smaug. I think it makes sense from a movie point of view and wouldn’t be outside of the realm of possibility that Tolkien could have gone that way. However, I think the action goes on a little too long with some stuff that I would have left out like Thorin on Smaug’s mouth. Take some of this stuff out and put more Beorn in and I think the film is better for it. I also like that Smaug takes off and leaves Erebor because of this and the tie-in to Lake Town. I think it plays better, movie wise, than him just leaving because of a cup.
Smaug: He is the best Dragon I’ve ever seen. Weta did for Dragons what they did all those years ago for creatures like Gollum. He’s smart, smart-alecky, all-knowing, mean, evil, etc. He’s a great representation of the book I think and I love his banter with Bilbo. That part felt like the book but I do wish it had gone on a little longer. During the action with the Dwarves I did like how he played with them letting them run around and I did like how in love he was with that golden statue. His taking off for Lake Town at the end was beautiful and Bilbo’s reaction to it was classic.
Smaug: He is the best Dragon I’ve ever seen. Weta did for Dragons what they did all those years ago for creatures like Gollum. He’s smart, smart-alecky, all-knowing, mean, evil, etc. He’s a great representation of the book I think and I love his banter with Bilbo. That part felt like the book but I do wish it had gone on a little longer. During the action with the Dwarves I did like how he played with them letting them run around and I did like how in love he was with that golden statue. His taking off for Lake Town at the end was beautiful and Bilbo’s reaction to it was classic.
Posted on 12/17/13 at 9:31 am to OMLandshark
quote:
Honestly, I really like the simple concept of it. What kind of love is more forbidden than that in a fantasy setting, aside from one that is entirely insane (like an Orc and an Elf)? I'd say it was a good thought by Jackson, and I really like the inclusion of it, and I like it especially since I know just about exactly where this is going to go in the third film. If you were to make me greenlight a film set in Middle Earth that had nothing to do with Tolkein's writings, a dwarf and elf love story would be close to the top on things I'd want to see done.
My understanding was that dwarves liked the way dwarf women looked with beards and of short stature. Tauriel was vastly different. Didn't make sense.
I liked the movie overall. I believe Jackson did very well with Smaug (Cumberbatch is my favorite actor). Laketown was over done. I thought the barrel chase was great though cheesy. I had a good laugh. Tauriel was hot so I didn't mind. I thought Shelob was in the Hobbit since Frodo told Shelob that she should remember Sting. Why is everyone giving such grief of the guy who tried to shoot Smaug? Why don't they try to shoot a fast moving dragon with a ballista? At the hidden door scene, why in the hell would you give up after something as small as not finding the keyhole? Put the damn key in everything that looks like a hole and try to wiggle it (hehe).
Posted on 12/17/13 at 9:42 am to asurob1
quote:
Still waiting for someone to explain the plot hole I mentioned.
Afraid?
I'll take a stab at it. In the book and the movie, the authority of Laketown are thrilled about the Dwarves trying to take back Erebor. They know how much they will prosper should they succeed. So a desolate and depressing little town is given news that they are about to be filthy rich. What do you think they did? Got shitfaced drunk that's what. There was a celebration in the book to send the dwarves off that likely carried on pretty late. The Orcs attack around dawn, when everyone has been blacked out for at least an hour or two. Why would the streets be empty? Because the citizens are either passed out or puking in their lake toilets. Makes sense to me anyway. Loved the movie, but I'm not an expert critic like some on this board.
Posted on 12/17/13 at 9:44 am to Mr. Wayne
quote:
I'll take a stab at it. In the book and the movie, the authority of Laketown are thrilled about the Dwarves trying to take back Erebor. They know how much they will prosper should they succeed. So a desolate and depressing little town is given news that they are about to be filthy rich. What do you think they did? Got shitfaced drunk that's what. There was a celebration in the book to send the dwarves off that likely carried on pretty late. The Orcs attack around dawn, when everyone has been blacked out for at least an hour or two. Why would the streets be empty? Because the citizens are either passed out or puking in their lake toilets. Makes sense to me anyway. Loved the movie, but I'm not an expert critic like some on this board.
Troy
Posted on 12/17/13 at 9:48 am to Hu_Flung_Pu
The horse of Troy is not a singular incident. Never underestimate the usefulness of a city wide rave.
Posted on 12/17/13 at 9:53 am to Mr. Wayne
quote:
I'll take a stab at it. In the book and the movie, the authority of Laketown are thrilled about the Dwarves trying to take back Erebor. They know how much they will prosper should they succeed. So a desolate and depressing little town is given news that they are about to be filthy rich. What do you think they did? Got shitfaced drunk that's what. There was a celebration in the book to send the dwarves off that likely carried on pretty late. The Orcs attack around dawn, when everyone has been blacked out for at least an hour or two. Why would the streets be empty? Because the citizens are either passed out or puking in their lake toilets. Makes sense to me anyway. Loved the movie, but I'm not an expert critic like some on this board.
Also, the dwarves wanted to sneak past the guards. The orcs probably just snuck up and killed any guards that were actually still working after the party.
Posted on 12/17/13 at 10:05 am to Hu_Flung_Pu
I really enjoyed the movie. Better than the first even though I liked the first. I see people wanting a lighter tone, but then bash the barrel chase scene. I personally loved it. So over the top that I laughed several times, especially when Bombur kept rolling over all of the orcs. Loved the addition of Legolas/Tauriel. She's nice to look at & it's never bad when Legolas is putting arrows through orcs. I thought Laketown was pretty cool. The Gandalf/Necromancer storyline will be intriguing. The scenes with Smaug were awesome. Really looking forward to checking it out again in IMAX 3D this weekend.
I think Tauriel was really fascinated with him. I think she tells Legolas that "he's taller than most dwarves". Kili kind of looks like he has some elf in him.
He told that to Gollum in the Two Towers.
quote:
My understanding was that dwarves liked the way dwarf women looked with beards and of short stature. Tauriel was vastly different. Didn't make sense.
I think Tauriel was really fascinated with him. I think she tells Legolas that "he's taller than most dwarves". Kili kind of looks like he has some elf in him.
quote:
I thought Shelob was in the Hobbit since Frodo told Shelob that she should remember Sting
He told that to Gollum in the Two Towers.
Posted on 12/17/13 at 10:16 am to swagsurfin7
quote:
I think Tauriel was really fascinated with him. I think she tells Legolas that "he's taller than most dwarves". Kili kind of looks like he has some elf in him.
I got the Tauriel to Kili direction but Kili to Tauriel is under question.
quote:
He told that to Gollum in the Two Towers.
Yep sure did. Just looked it up. My b
This post was edited on 12/17/13 at 10:19 am
Posted on 12/17/13 at 10:31 am to Hu_Flung_Pu
I don't think the Kili/Tauriel thing is going to be all that romantic in nature as almost everyone is saying.
Its a connection, for sure. But they're not going to be screwing and making babies that's for sure..
And no spoilers for the non-book readers but, if you know the fate of Kili, then that should give a clue as to what happens in the next movie between these two.
Its a connection, for sure. But they're not going to be screwing and making babies that's for sure..
And no spoilers for the non-book readers but, if you know the fate of Kili, then that should give a clue as to what happens in the next movie between these two.
Posted on 12/17/13 at 10:31 am to Hu_Flung_Pu
quote:
I got the Tauriel to Kili direction but Kili to Tauriel is under question.
shite, Tauriel is a smoke show! I'd be doing the same thing!
I did Lol at the comment she made about having "nothing in his trousers".
Posted on 12/17/13 at 11:47 am to OMLandshark
So what's the general consensus around here? Better than the first?
Edit: even more crappy cgi?
Edit: even more crappy cgi?
This post was edited on 12/17/13 at 11:48 am
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