They won't let the dragon in Shanghai because there is too much of him already.
They won't let the dragon in Shanghai because there is too much of him already.
I think this film suffered big time from middle film syndrome, in that with the first you knew what it was leading too, but now the middle film is just like the padding between the two. I really felt like it had pacing issues toward the end, the stuff in the mountain just went on and on and on and on and on and on and...
But having said that I still enjoyed it, well apart from the smurfing spiders - as someone who's afraid of spiders, that was a bit uncomfortable to say the least, even though I knew they weren't real.
I do like how it continued the comeday trend the first film set of Dwarves falling out of things or Dwarves falling from silly heights and surviving.
I loved it and couldn't care less about them using CGI. Smaug was great and I'm hyped for the third film.
(SPOILER)I do like how the dragon wasn't able to hit jack trout, though.
I'm hype for the extended version, lol. Third film too of course, but I have a feeling a lot was cut. Beorn and Gandalf didn't share a single line that I recall, so I'm thinking there must be more of that scene. Thorin's father, Thrain was also in the movie originally, but he obviously was missing in the theatrical version. Considering how PJ stated he likes this one better than the other 4 I just have a feeling there could be a good hour worth of material that he toyed with puting in the movie and then cutting back out from the movie, and spliced and diced to respond to the pacing critics that were pretty rough last year.
"I AM FIRE! I AM... DEATH!"
"Yes, Bern, the dragon was cool. We get it."
Uh oh, Hitler heard about Tauriel already.
Hitler reacts to Tauriel - YouTube
To avoid spoilers I do wish to say this movie was made of meh and wank. I was impressed and enjoyed most of it but those of you who have seen it will agree that there was a bit too much wanking.
Interesting note about these movies that was mentioned in the production video diaries they were releasing on youtube; these scenes actually really bothered Peter Jackson as well. Apparently he's pretty afraid of spiders and could not handle this stuff very well, haha.
Also, I just got back from watching it, and I loved it. Yes, I would have preferred more whimsy and to have it feel more like a children's story. I knew I wasn't going to get that, though, and it was great for what it was.
It's a legitimate complaint. I felt like Peter Jackson was shooing me along through a good portion of the beginning of the film. This story has been made into three smurfing separate films. There is no excuse whatsoever for quickly-paced scenes and fast camera cuts unless they are playing on high tension.
I didn't think it opened well, but at the beginning of watching this film I resolved to myself, "I think I was perhaps a bit too negative and critical of the last film. I'm going to try to separate this one from the story that I know and love and try to appreciate it for what it is." That resolution lasted for perhaps ten, maybe fifteen minutes.
By the time (SPOILER)Legolas was popping off orcs left and right whilst rafting down a slew of unfriendly rapids atop the heads of two dwarves and proceeding to hop from head to head of the dwarves while he continued to shoot at the enemies, I was ready to leave the theater. The only saving grace that kept me in my seat was that I came to see Benedict smurfing Cumberbatch as a dragon and that was what I wanted to see.
Smaug and Bard were the only two things good about this movie. The rest of it can burn in a fire. I am ready to give up on this trilogy.
I will write an actual elaborating review of it at a time later than now when I am not seething about three wasted hours of my life.
I'm talking about the critics who complained about the last movie being too slow which is why this one isn't.
I never read the books so can't comment on any of that.
I can easily add some nagitive critical response to Lego. Oh yeah, I'm not a fan of the use of Legolas in these films at all, but this began in TTT as well. I was not a fan back when he was skate boarding on shields or taking down giant Mumikil at ease. The overall use of Legolas in all these films have always troubled me, so I was not surprised to see him acting like the super Elf hero this time around, but I've always felt what's the point of Gimli and Aragorn when you have super Elf that can do virtually anything?
Even for being completely fabricated, I thought Tauriel made a far better elf than Legolas, and Thranuil was even better. My biggest complaint on the Hobbit trilogy would be the loss of feeling like the characters are in serious trouble, AUJ mostly did this though. The over the top stunts do not stop at Legolas, for I really did not like Thorin sledding over hot molten gold like it was a water slide at an amusement park either. The happy fun escape from the goblin tunnels were all too easy too.
As for straying form the source material of the original book though..not really bothered by much of what has been done. I grew up on the book and the cartoon way before getting into LoTRs so it is not because I never read or loved the book. by the time he published The Lord of the Rings Tolkien was already unhappy with The Hobbit and he planned on doing a rewrite of it to match the more adult theme of Lord of the Rings. This was never a secret. He was working on connecting his books together more. We know enough about Dol Guldur for it to be in the movie, and it makes sense completely. Those changes not only do not bother me in the least, but I'm happy they are given there place.
Azog and Tauriel are written in with still the spirit of Tolkien's world so I don't mind their additions as much as some, but I would if they were portrayed as ridiculous as Legolas and some of the insane stunts Peter Jackson has allowed the characters to do. I do wish someone had been there to draw the stops when Peter Jackson was getting out of hand. It's like he knows he's going over the top sometimes, but can't seem to control himself. Giant golden dwarf, Gimli and Pippin farting, The army of the dead looked terrible and Gimli's comedy during that section was not needed, Gimli portrayed as comedy relief in general, bird poo on Radagast, cheesy Disney Great Goblin King...nope, not a fan of that either. But there was less in Lord of The Rings because he knew there was much at risk. It's almost like he feels in the clear, and he's free to go over the top, because it does not matter anymore. At any rate, I do love the film and this trilogy. The things I enjoy far out weigh the things I do not like.
gimli and pippin farting??
i did not like the goblin king either :o
i was not that bothered with the giant golden dwarf, a mather of fact, Thorin's (grand) father was already known as a greedy dwarf with a crapload of gold. it would make sense for him to melt some of that gold an make a masterpiece.
Pippin farted in TTT I believe, and I was thinking the same of Gimli in Return of the King..maybe it was a burp though. Guess I'm not too fond of gas humor, but I know some people will watch a a 5 minute youtube video filled of fart noises and think it's just the best thing since sliced bread.