So, we watched the Two Towers. Yes, their were changes, and yes, I was expecting them. Did I mind? Mildly. Did I still like the movie, absolutely.
The thing is to take it in stride. After my upset with the changes in the first movie, I still thought it was well done and did what it wanted to do.
The second movie is just that, the second part. It isn't a sequel, or a prequel, or anything other than a continuation of the first, and has to be viewed as such.
I've re-read the series many many many times, and because of that I knew that Peter Jackson would have to change the way in which the Two Towers is presented. The book is too divisive in presentation to be well suited to a movie. The first section being about one part of the now broken fellowship, and the second part being about Frodo and Sam. It can't work, so I expected the change, and was well pleased with the editing between segments. Granted, if you haven't read the book it might get a bit confusing, change to one group here, flashback here, dream there... But I have read the book and I enjoyed it.
My sole two gripes are the following, one a spoiler and one not.
First, the non-spoiler. Too much re-use of the same theme; that which was played for Rohan. It is used in three different songs on the soundtrack and that is too many. Yes, it is beautiful, and unfortunately overdone. I can see what was attempted, to use that melody to tie together several key points in the movie, but it is too strong and overwhelms instead of subtly intoning. Now I'm exaggerating here, but that's how it felt.
Second, the spoiler....
The Fell Riders should NOT have been shown yet. It takes away all of the power behind their introduction in the third book, the sheer power and terror associated with them. Hint at them, sure, but DO NOT SHOW them. We've seen them now, when one strikes we lose the sense of surprise and shock of seeing one in all its hideousness, in all the horror of its evil. Instead of being surprised to finally see one of the beasts that have shrieked from the sky but not been seen, instead of that sense of build-up we are just being shown another beast that will do its thing. "Oh yes, here is one of those..." I am greatly disappointed with that. It is the equivalent to having seen Vader doing his Xmas shopping before being introduced to his menacing figure in the first movie...
[End Spoiler]
But in the overall experience was good. Sure the end of the book was cut off in the movie, probably placed in the third instead (the third movie is going to have to be pretty busy as more than just a bit of the end was cut off... the whole part with "She" was taken out...) It is still gorgeous, it is still fun, it is still a good movie and it looks to be a good series and "translation" from the books.
And I was happy that the friendship between Gimli and Legolas is kept in. To me it is a small but very important part of the books; overcoming racism.
Posted by hugin at December 23, 2002 11:57 AM