February 4, 2003

On the Characters
Mithril Miner

To everyone who has been complaining about Faramir in the movie, I understand. I myself thought it a bit of a stretch, a little TOO free of the books. However, after seein it four times (I have a lot of time on my hands) I like Faramir.
One of the reasons I think Peter Jackson changed this character is because on the screen, if they would have stuck strictly to the book, he would have come off just a bit too perfect. He would end up being the hero, not Frodo and/or Sam (I say and/or because Frodo is being really weird in the movie, and he IS heading towards mount doom!). They needed something of a problem BESIDES Gollum/Smeagol.
As to Gollum, I was uttterly amazed! Andy Serkis does an excellent job! In the books (I think) you don't really feel sorry for him. He's purely an antagonist. But the movie really brings out that pity that Frodo and Bilbo felt.
Frodo was also very good! I do not think he was crumbling prematurely, as some have said. If I were him, I would be "wigging out" if I saw a Black Rider on wings, too!
The whole elf thing at Helm's Deep was, I think, PJ's greatest addition to the books he has made. It shows (on a greater scale than the books) that the elves weren't just running off as soon as Sauron was rising to power. I got that impression from the book, even though the elves were some of my favorite characters.
I would have liked to see Ugluk and Grishnakh more, and maybe even hear their names, but that would actually make some pity for them in a strange, twisted way, knowing their names. I liked Ugluk and Grishnakh personally.
Anyway, there's my two cents.