Woooooooo!
Dec. 14th, 2012 04:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bladesparkJust got back from seeing The Hobbit. In IMAX, which has JJ pissed since Fandango basically lied to us about it being HRF and it was not. It was pretty good though. The 3D didn't suck. And I think that's a first, I didn't like the 3D in Avatar or anything else I've ever seen, but I think they did it right in The Hobbit in several different ways. For one it wasn't obtrusive and gimmicky, most things didn't leap out of the screen at the audience (which sin Avatar was guilty of way too often) and in fact it was the kind of 3D where the screen is a window in, not a backdrop the movie sticks out of. That works much better, because that way every time something crosses the edges of the screen it doesn't look weirdly chopped off and floating.
Anyway, I mostly approve of the changes in the story too. Mostly.
And while you can't really spoil a story that was published in 1937,
The addition of Radagast and the Necromancer I was expecting, and found to be nicely done. Radagast's weirdness is maybe a little over the top (and the line about mushrooms just made me roll my eyes. Really? Really? We're going to blame him being strange on drugs?) but by and large I liked how he was done. The extra bits with Elrond were basically part of that, and also nice. The scene between Gandalf and Galadriel where he talks about why he brought Bilbo was actually kind of genius, I think.
The extra orcs with King Pale Pirate Whatever... eh. I don't know. I suspect I know why they were put in, I think in fact there were two reasons. One was to give Bilbo a "moment", because his "moment" when he finally comes into his own in the book isn't until the bit with the spiders, so he'd be ending this first movie still nearly helpless, having done nothing more spectacular than escape Gollum while invisible, which really isn't much. This way the movie ends on a note of resolution, Bilbo committed to the party at last, and the party committed to him as well. (And really, his facing down the Orc leader was a *terrific* moment, I nearly cheered out loud. It was really something.) The other reason, I think, was because they're trying to make this story also about the dwarves. The book has all 13 of them be warriors, tried and confident and never doubting, if sometimes not as capable as they think they are. The movie on the other hand explicitly says that they're not really warriors, and certainly aren't tried and tested, except Thorin himself and Balin who admits he's too old. The extra conflict gives them more chance to prove themselves, to develop and grow. I see the moment when they fight their way out of the goblin city (which in the book had much less combat) as a bit of a "coming of age" for them as a group. That gives the entire first movie one coherent theme, that of the forging of Thorin's Company; the forming, if you will, of a true Fellowship.
So I think it works very well and thus I'll forgive the movie makers for making some fairly drastic changes.
Pale whojit is also setting up things for the later films, I suspect, particularly the final battle, because then Thorin and the orcs/goblins fighting will have something personal as well as merely both wanting the dragon's hoard.
I think the final battle is also why they added in the bit with the Elven King refusing to help the dwarven refugees. In the book Thorin acts like a complete idiot towards the elves, and we know why because the book tells us what he's thinking. A movie can't do that, so the movie has to show, somehow, and I think they decided to give him an established dislike of elves to make that final, insane spurning of them make more sense. And so I suspect I know why they did it.
But I HATE how they did it.
Look. If you're a king, with an army, and your next door neighbor has just been invaded by a dragon that you don't intend to fight are you going to march your army to within literal spitting distance (ie. the damn dragon could fly up and spit fire all over you!) just to say "nope!" and walk off? THAT'S MORONIC! And the elven king is not that stupid, nor does he have any reason to hate dwarves and want to rub their noses in the way he's not helping them!
What should have happened, in my opinion, was that the column of dwarven refugees should have reached the edge of mirkwood and been turned away there. Elves *are* notorious for not letting people in their woods. That would be utterly in character, and would still give Thorin a reason to hate elves! Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy have the elven king act like a stupid, petty little twit for no reason whatsoever, totally out of character, when you have an *in character* action that would accomplish the same thing? Why, why, why?! If the later movies don't give him some damn good reason to have done such a bone-headed thing I will be severely pissed, but even if there's a reason explained later on I'd still rather he acted in character with the book rather than being some kind of rabid dwarf-hater or whatever reason they come up with! AUGH.
*pant, pant* Okay, rant over. That bit is like ten seconds long, and it's the only ten seconds of the whole three hours that I hated.
I did have another eye roll or two here and there, especially with the dwarves piling in to fight the trolls, that was just somebody wanting another gratuitous action-packed battle scene in a whole movie full of them, and frankly it undermines the notion that the dwarves aren't ready for combat, that they jumped in so quickly and did so well in that battle. It was almost like it was directed by somebody other than the person who did the *next* battle where they flee into Rivendell, where they seem somewhat fearful and not nearly ready for combat yet. Though I will admit that if you're not experienced, three trolls might *look* easier than a pack of orcs on wargs.
But that's a minor nit-pick, and also a very short scene, the dwarves do quickly end up caught by the trolls anyway, and then it proceeds largely as per the book.
Also they put in the "Chip the glasses, crack the plates" song! Pretty naturally, even. :D I giggled madly when they started singing it. In fact I believe they put in, in some form or another, all but one of the songs from the book. (I don't recall any of the words from "15 birds in 5 fir trees" turning up at that point, but the other songs were at least referenced if not outright sung.) Just for that I will forgive them the above idiocies.
Overall it was really nicely done, and the character interactions were very strong. Thirteen dwarves all have distinct personalities, which is no mean feat (even if they did cheat a bit by making several of them stereotypes.) The dialog was good, the special effects were stunning as always, and the fight scenes were nicely choreographed. (The goblin city battle was particularly fun, if a touch over the top now and then, but I think after Legolas surfed his shield down the wall at Helm's Deep, it was firmly established that Middle Earth battles could be somewhat ridiculous, and I am okay with that.) Also Gollum was terrific and the riddle game REALLY nicely done. A nice blend of dialog straight out of the book and weird behavior that harks forward to the LoTR portrayal of the character.
So I do definitely recommend it, and I am not actually sad at all that we have to go back again to watch it in HFR, I am quite looking forward to it!
Anyway, I mostly approve of the changes in the story too. Mostly.
And while you can't really spoil a story that was published in 1937,
The addition of Radagast and the Necromancer I was expecting, and found to be nicely done. Radagast's weirdness is maybe a little over the top (and the line about mushrooms just made me roll my eyes. Really? Really? We're going to blame him being strange on drugs?) but by and large I liked how he was done. The extra bits with Elrond were basically part of that, and also nice. The scene between Gandalf and Galadriel where he talks about why he brought Bilbo was actually kind of genius, I think.
The extra orcs with King Pale Pirate Whatever... eh. I don't know. I suspect I know why they were put in, I think in fact there were two reasons. One was to give Bilbo a "moment", because his "moment" when he finally comes into his own in the book isn't until the bit with the spiders, so he'd be ending this first movie still nearly helpless, having done nothing more spectacular than escape Gollum while invisible, which really isn't much. This way the movie ends on a note of resolution, Bilbo committed to the party at last, and the party committed to him as well. (And really, his facing down the Orc leader was a *terrific* moment, I nearly cheered out loud. It was really something.) The other reason, I think, was because they're trying to make this story also about the dwarves. The book has all 13 of them be warriors, tried and confident and never doubting, if sometimes not as capable as they think they are. The movie on the other hand explicitly says that they're not really warriors, and certainly aren't tried and tested, except Thorin himself and Balin who admits he's too old. The extra conflict gives them more chance to prove themselves, to develop and grow. I see the moment when they fight their way out of the goblin city (which in the book had much less combat) as a bit of a "coming of age" for them as a group. That gives the entire first movie one coherent theme, that of the forging of Thorin's Company; the forming, if you will, of a true Fellowship.
So I think it works very well and thus I'll forgive the movie makers for making some fairly drastic changes.
Pale whojit is also setting up things for the later films, I suspect, particularly the final battle, because then Thorin and the orcs/goblins fighting will have something personal as well as merely both wanting the dragon's hoard.
I think the final battle is also why they added in the bit with the Elven King refusing to help the dwarven refugees. In the book Thorin acts like a complete idiot towards the elves, and we know why because the book tells us what he's thinking. A movie can't do that, so the movie has to show, somehow, and I think they decided to give him an established dislike of elves to make that final, insane spurning of them make more sense. And so I suspect I know why they did it.
But I HATE how they did it.
Look. If you're a king, with an army, and your next door neighbor has just been invaded by a dragon that you don't intend to fight are you going to march your army to within literal spitting distance (ie. the damn dragon could fly up and spit fire all over you!) just to say "nope!" and walk off? THAT'S MORONIC! And the elven king is not that stupid, nor does he have any reason to hate dwarves and want to rub their noses in the way he's not helping them!
What should have happened, in my opinion, was that the column of dwarven refugees should have reached the edge of mirkwood and been turned away there. Elves *are* notorious for not letting people in their woods. That would be utterly in character, and would still give Thorin a reason to hate elves! Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy have the elven king act like a stupid, petty little twit for no reason whatsoever, totally out of character, when you have an *in character* action that would accomplish the same thing? Why, why, why?! If the later movies don't give him some damn good reason to have done such a bone-headed thing I will be severely pissed, but even if there's a reason explained later on I'd still rather he acted in character with the book rather than being some kind of rabid dwarf-hater or whatever reason they come up with! AUGH.
*pant, pant* Okay, rant over. That bit is like ten seconds long, and it's the only ten seconds of the whole three hours that I hated.
I did have another eye roll or two here and there, especially with the dwarves piling in to fight the trolls, that was just somebody wanting another gratuitous action-packed battle scene in a whole movie full of them, and frankly it undermines the notion that the dwarves aren't ready for combat, that they jumped in so quickly and did so well in that battle. It was almost like it was directed by somebody other than the person who did the *next* battle where they flee into Rivendell, where they seem somewhat fearful and not nearly ready for combat yet. Though I will admit that if you're not experienced, three trolls might *look* easier than a pack of orcs on wargs.
But that's a minor nit-pick, and also a very short scene, the dwarves do quickly end up caught by the trolls anyway, and then it proceeds largely as per the book.
Also they put in the "Chip the glasses, crack the plates" song! Pretty naturally, even. :D I giggled madly when they started singing it. In fact I believe they put in, in some form or another, all but one of the songs from the book. (I don't recall any of the words from "15 birds in 5 fir trees" turning up at that point, but the other songs were at least referenced if not outright sung.) Just for that I will forgive them the above idiocies.
Overall it was really nicely done, and the character interactions were very strong. Thirteen dwarves all have distinct personalities, which is no mean feat (even if they did cheat a bit by making several of them stereotypes.) The dialog was good, the special effects were stunning as always, and the fight scenes were nicely choreographed. (The goblin city battle was particularly fun, if a touch over the top now and then, but I think after Legolas surfed his shield down the wall at Helm's Deep, it was firmly established that Middle Earth battles could be somewhat ridiculous, and I am okay with that.) Also Gollum was terrific and the riddle game REALLY nicely done. A nice blend of dialog straight out of the book and weird behavior that harks forward to the LoTR portrayal of the character.
So I do definitely recommend it, and I am not actually sad at all that we have to go back again to watch it in HFR, I am quite looking forward to it!