Also, don't we lose a lot of Denethor's character in the movies? I mean, he is given as a crazy overlord dude, but we don't get any of the actual reason for his fall or his decisions, and their were many.

There is nothing at all done to reinforce the importance that Osgiliath holds, and, worse still, no mention made at all of the Palantir of Minas Tirith, which was the single biggest contribution to Denethor's insanity. Since Sauron controlled the Palantir network (up until Aragorn managed to seize control away from him before the battle of the Black Gate), Denethor could only see things which Sauron wanted him to see. Sauron couldn't lie with it (Palantiri were elder tools beyond even his power to make or manipulate that much), but he could dictate what aspects of the truth that Denethor could see, and he did. For example, Sauron showed Denethor the black ships coming, implying them as reinforcements for him, despite the fact that they were now carrying allies of Gondor. Sauron showed him enemies everywhere and hid his views of his allies (hence the whole "Rohan has betrayed me" bit), driving Denethor into despair and insanity. Yet we only get very vague hints to this massive plot device.

I also dislike the lack of the Scouring of the Shire. It drastically changed the message of the films compared to the books. In the books, that section is a clear indication that though a great evil was defeated, more still remains, and that there is more work to do, that the battle against evil was a continual one. While the movies held the much simpler implication that destroying the Ring was the elimination of all evil everywhere.


Still, I have to give the movies credit. They did a wonderful job of converting the books to a new media while keeping the feel the same. I have my gripes, but I am very glad those movies were made, and I am waiting for the Hobbit with eager anticipation.

As a side note, I think the relegation of Gimli into the role of comic relief in the later movies will have a positive effect on the Hobbit. The Hobbit, being a kid's book, had much lighter characters than those in Lord of the Rings, and the dwarves will be a little easier to accept in their lighter roles than if Gimli had been a supreme ultra-tough warrior the entire time.