Just set this up for anyone who goes to see the film and wants to write a review. Gives everyone else the choice to not look if they dont get the chance themselves for a while.
I will put mine in here on Saturday, until then, please dont put things in other threads as there is no spolier tag option and isnt fair on others.
are you going to see 48/3D Lance?
oh and wheres your novel? I am still waiting you know. :)
Yes... 48/3D for me. Had to go to one a little less local but it is one we frequent anyway as it is cheaper than the Odeon (which is a complete rip off).
Bas Vegas here I come!
Also, novel is on around chapter 24... about half way.
It is amazing! I will be the first to say it, PJ went over the top quite a few times. There were quite a few bits I didnt like at all - Thorin being a push over for Azog, the sceneary looking exactly like Rohan on the way to Rivendell, the Stone giants scene being just too much, Saruman seeming like a grumbling idiot, the Goblin king making a joke as he died and the Eagles not talking :(
But it was still easily a 9/10 for me. Love that they took their time. The Gollum scene was a great mix of scary and funny. Ian Mckellen and Martin Freeman were great. Thorin was almost perfect too. Very grumpy but demands respect. Radagast was also fantastic. And the small hint of Smaug both at the beginning and the end was tantalizing!
Lots of fuel for the negativity fans on here. But I dont think anyone can say it isnt a good film. Very well done, just a pinch too much PJ in there.
But I still hate 3d. The only part that truly 'wow'd' me was flying behind the eagles. Other than that, 3d doesnt impress me enough to warrent the annoying glasses and blurry picture. Wanted to watch it in 2d but none of my locals are doing it...
Bring on next December!
Ayup All...
Just got back...
Coo, what a rollercoaster! Both Figuratively and literally. there is SO much going through my head right now and I can't quite put it all together in order properly, and will have to write what I want to say first to stop me bouncing around from pillar to post and making less sense than I usually do, which I know isn't usually too much.
The thoughts I'll share with you quickly are these: One, this Episode COULD have been a TRUE Epic, had he not changed what he has as regards the plot. we have lost quite a few of what I'd call 'simple but Iconic' Hobbit moments, for his plot 'Flow', which is a shame, (more on these tomorrow). Two, EVERYTHING from the sky to quite literally the Underground, is heavily Buttered with colour, texture and Digital effect to within an inch of its life and is in places SO Uber 'Real' it distracts you for a few secs before you plunge back into the story. And three, all of that IN 3D, on the BIG Screen, in some places, doesn't look a tenth as good as a normal picture on my new 40" Samsung LED Smart TV. but having said all that, there ARE a couple of sequences that are truly STUNNING, which will make you gasp, and make you sit up straight and concentrate hard on the screen, and the time will fly. But Boy, did PJ miss the Bullseye, the Board on which he could have nailed into the wall had he not done what he has done. Makes for a great Action Movie though. Just not OURS, LOL.
And Lastly, I TRULY wish that Eagles grew as Big as they do in Middle-Earth. And When I die, its STILL the place where I want to go next...
Night Night. Got an Essay to write tomorrow !
45 minutes to go till the film starts. I'm sure I'll have things to say tomorrow after seeing it a second time so I can digest all the film and be able to post a solid review.
Ayup All...
Having splept on it, I don't now want to really add anything too much to the above, and want you to go see the film and then come back to discuss what you've seen. You may explode though. Giving a 'Blow by Blow' would truly spoil it for a lot of you, as you won't be able to stop yourself reading this.
Suffice to say, I WILL say that the sequence between Ian Holm and Elijah Wood DOES bring a lump to the throat. Dwarves Handling plates is phenomenal, and makes you wanna join in, and Gandy comes over as a bit of a chancer too, IMO. Plus, By the end of the film i LIKED, yes, I said it, liked Martin Freeman as Bilbo, it WAS his acting all along. the Dwarves AREN'T as silly as they're painted. (apart from a couple of stupid Jokes given to Ori). And Thorin's voice seems to have been re-dubbed by Sean Bean for some reason... Radagast and the Bunnies are AWESOME. don't care what anyone says, and the Goblin King is truly awful, in every way, and if you can stand the ending, I STILL wish Eagles grew that big here on Earth.
On the Tech side, apart from almost everything being coloured and sharpened to within an inch of its life, the 3D is, IMO, quite bad. It seems to be used in some places, and then not ! and its style is that of 'The 3D viewer' type from the 70s, but on a larger scale. Figures and Objects seem to be on 'Planes' slotted one behind the other. such as the old viewer pictures did on those small plastic windows forty years and more ago now... Maybe one DOES have to watch in 48 to not notice it as much. You'll not see such a brazen Example, as in the first five minutes, when Thorin is shown standing at the side of Thrors Throne. seems very crude for the money splashed out on the Tech... Oh, and some of the dialogue is, well, dire too !
If I had to, and I guess I do. My rating out of ten would be 6.0 and I can only guess at what we're going to see in the next one...Giants and Spiders and Bears ? oh My !
Ayup Gandy...
Tee Hee !
I think (for once) I've taken a detatched, unemotional look at what I saw last night. Believe me, for some, 6 IS gonna seem like Ten, or indeed six points too many ! I haven't revealed ANY of the major spoilers that I could have, due to wanting other folks to see, digest, enjoy even, and then come back here. I tell you, we are going to have some RIGHT OLD discussions and arguments once all the regulars have been to see the movie, believe me ! it's gonna be so much fun picking the meat offa the bones totally !
If you can understand, at the end of the day, I liked what I saw, but it wasn't what I actually WENT to see...
I kinda get you, and i have had the low down from a few here at work who have seen it last night too. From what i gather its a fair old mixed bag of PJ and Tolkein and a decent enough fantasy flick as a result. No one i have spoken to has slated it like the initial critiques from the media (which did have me worrying a bit) but the immediate issue just seems to be with the 3D aspect, which i have never been a fan of anyhow so i have no concerns with that as i will happily watch it in 2D. What collegues have said is that the 'PJ patching up bits' were well justified and made sense , so whilst were all holding the torches for Tolkein here, in order for the film to work and tie in with LOTR a few extras here and there were quite necessary.
In before - well they wouldnt be necessary if he'd just followed the correct stroy in the first place - well thats showbiz for ya.!
Ayup Gandy...
Slight Disagree...
From what I saw, it was the other way round. this Movie is PJ with 'Tolkien patching', and not too much of that, TBH.
ha ha ha
ok after having 3 hours sleep and sitting here waiting for my second viewing of the film, I can say when the film stuck to Tolkien it really stuck to Tolkien. But for me those moments weren't enough. A couple of my main issues were the abuse and over use of CGI. Azog and many of the other CGI ceations IMO just look fake and not part of the scene as much as on top of the scene. The great goblin was better than I feared but still obviously fake. Other bits I hated were the out of character moments Bilbo had and there were a few of those, the stone giants were too OTT, and while he wasn't as bad as Jar Jar Binx, Radagast did come off a bit foolish but on a positive note not as bad as I thouht he would be. I think if you totally forgwt this is based on the book you can enjoy it immensly, but if you want the book you'll really be disappointed IMO
Edited to say I was rather disappointed with them dropping the scene in he book with Bilbo escaping thru the door and the ring playing one final trick on him by revealing him in the sun to the goblins and putting the button losing part at the end of riddles in the dark before jumping over Gollum. Rather disappointing IMO...
so basically you two (Stu and Sinister)loved it, but you dont really want to admit it, he he, I am glad you liked it, maybe now I wont be the only one enthusiastic for more PJ. I am going to see it tomorrow. cant wait.
I agree with most here ,it made for a good movie ,but was not the story I was there to see . The Stone Giants , over the top way to much . I was disappointed enough that I started drifting off to sleep in the last hour of the movie . I dont like the changes using Azog , I also think PJ is tring way to hard to link TH To LOTR it moves Gandalfs Line of thinking to far back from where its is in Tolkiens Books . I am Hoping that the disappointment is just temporary and the next two movies will make me happier , but I am not holding my breath . I will comment more when others have viewed the movie , But yes The Dwarves juggling the crockery was great , I found myself wanting to sing along with them .
ah yes forgot about that bit - the sun revealing Bilbo whilst having the ring on, is this just a 'one off trick' played by the ring or is this apparent to all ring barrers. Off the top of my head, whenever the ring has been put on its either inside (away from sunlight) - prancing pony, mount doom the only time i can think of when the ring is on in daylight is emon maul when escaping from boromier sp? and weathertop is obviously at night, have i missed something?
apologies for shocking spelling
Your shadow is still visible when wearing the Ring if it in direct strong sunshine if memory serves.
The buttons bursting off as he sescpaes throughthe fdoor is one of those iconic moments- disapointed if he has needlessly screwed with that!
Im going to see it tomorrow night, so will soon know the worst and best of it.
@ Petty drink plenty of Buckie before you leave for the cinema .
They did change the buttons scene a bit, but it is still very much there.
The Azog storyline was a tad messy. Did seem like a cheap tempo setting baddie that didnt really lead anywhere that deserved the build up it got. It will obviously carry on into the next film though. I thought Azog himself looked fantastic. Reminded me of the massive freaky creature in 300 that the Immortals have on a leash.
Well its not till tomorrow night- so Ive started drinking, well yesterday, in preparation for it. Should be just about ready to cope with it in another 24 hours.
I went to see it by myself as my better half was out of town ,so there was no alcohol consumption for me , I not sure if that would have made it better or worse .
Ayup Figgy...
'Liked' what I saw ? more or less, but as I said, it wasn't what I went to see LOL.
Everyone else, A ring-wearer can only be seen as a hazy shadow in full sunlight by anyone...
Stu how did you like the Bunny Race ?
Ayup TT...
I LOVED IT ! from Thorins (?) snidey comment about the Bunnies not being able to outrun Wargs, and Radagasts beautiful put down, I was rooting like hell for Radagast and the Bunnies. I WAS on THEIR side, Unequivocally. With the sled scooting about Hither and Thither, it first of all reminded me of the Warg attack in TT, and knew it was total fiction and totally unnecessary, but it fitted ! and at the last, when Elrond and his Warriors turned up, the Auditorium seemed to physically shake, as they started killing Orc-riders and showed themselves to be completely Bad Ass too ! WOW !
Ayup TT...
PS...
The BEST piece of Radagast Magic (Literally), for me, was when he bought the Hedgehog back to life with his Medecine and Presumably Valinorean chant to bring 'Simon' back, even as he was under attack. It made me blub for a whole minute, that did... But he showed that under the bird Crap, he could be a Bad-Ass Wizard too. As well as when he confronted Sauron and the Witch-King of Angmar at Dol Guldur too.
Best Comedy Moment was when he had a puff of Old Toby of Gandalf. Predictable, but funny ! Sylvest MCCoy at his best...
Hey guys
Just got back from watching Th and it exceeded my expectations. I thought the 48fps 3d on imax was awesome, best cinematography I've ever seen (beating even Avatar for looks). I much preferred the CGI to LOTR. I thought Azog and the orcs looked awesome. I was blown away by that side of the film. I think my hopes for Radagast had been diminished due to what I had been reading, but I was pleasantly surprised. As Stuart just said the scene where he does the bad ass chant was epic. Dol Guldur was awesome too. Also for me the bunnies worked well, nice touch PJ. Also the bunnies tapping their feet for danger at Dol Guldur was hilarious.
Their was a lot I didn't like too. For one yet again the toilet humor. The trolls IMO were done very badly, too slap stick for me, idk just felt cheap and didn't fit the rest of the feel of the film. Also the joke from Gandalf about how golf was invented. I don't remember that line in the book, maybe somebody can correct me if I'm wrong, but still kinda of ruined the fantasy for a few minutes for me.
Anyways I have just written this from a purely movie perspective and not connecting it to the books as I'm sure we will all be discussing at length and in detail. :)Also I have tried to write in a way to not give out any spoilers until you have all seen it.
Overall I really enjoyed the film and look and will definitely be going back for another imax 3d 48fps viewing. :)
Hmm.. Just as a question off topic.. Did anybody else see the 3d, 15 minute sneak peak of the new Star Treck? WOW....
The Truth
" I also think PJ is tring way to hard to link TH To LOTR it moves Gandalfs Line of thinking to far back from where its is in Tolkiens Books."
If we take Silmarillion as the first book, the bible of middle earth. Manwe and the valar sent Gandalf and the wizards to collaborate the peoples of ME against Sauron. This all took place well before TH (maybe 2000 years or so). Gandalf was scared and didn't want to go and face Sauron as he didn't think he was powerful enough, but Manwe persuaded him.
But this proves from day one of Gandalf being sent from Valinor, his line of thinking was all about Sauron. That is Gandalf's soul purpose for going to ME. So for me I completely get the link. I understand there are inconsistencies between Tolkeins TH and LOTR, but understand why PJ does not want these in his films. Tolkein has the tool of TS to try and tie everything together, PJ does not share this luxury. It is totally understandable IMO.
The movie, so far hasn't mentioned that the ring Bilbo found is the ring of power. I do remember from reading TH a line somewhere where Gandalf states to Bilbo that such things (the ring) should not be treated lightly and I know PJ uses something along the lines of that in LOTR but in TH movie it does not push this either. Also along the lines of the necromancer (I don't want to give to much away) but Tolkein himself does state that it is Sauron, and in the movie so far, he does have a very minor role and only being hinted (although true has been named) as Sauron. Smaug is the main focus of the movie at this point.
IMO we can look at ME, as PJ has, as the big picture (also Tolkein after trying to clean up and tie these stories together). Or we can look at them, as some do here, as individual stories such as the way TH and LOTR were written to which Tolkein as I have said tried to iron out. I know folks are saying that it is not the movie they went to see, but that is because you are going to see a movie that doesn't tie in correctly to LOTR. Unfortunately, that is not the way a prequal to a blockbuster trilogy could ever be made. Again I am not defending some of PJ's appalling changes, but the rabbit sledge, DID, IMO, work. :D
Thanks stu and clayton and anyone else who helped move the spam away. Where is julia?
"Smaug is the main focus of the movie at this point."
I'm pretty sure in an interview Jackson said that Smaug is a secondary villain much like Saruman was in the lotr trilogy.
Also what about Azog?
You must register or log in to post.
