May 8, 2002

Criticisms of the FOTR Movie
Bob the Builder

Before I upset a lot of diehard fans, a few points should be made first so you know where I am coming from: I'm really glad the LOTR movies saw the light of day, I'm glad that it was made into 3 three hour movies instead of cramming the story into a single 2 hour mess, I really liked the vast majority of the casting, and the special effects generally reflected the vast sums of money spent on the project.

However, having seen the first movie after over a year of devouring every gossip and trailer, I must say I was left with a slightly disquietening feeling of not being fully satisfied. In part, this was due to the fact that my expectations were so sky high that they could not help but be disappointed. Anyway, though this might be somewhat against the grain, I thought I would list the gripes I had.

There appears to have been a lot of last minute editting to fit the movie under 3 hours. From what is reported to be included in the special 30min longer DVD version, it appears the bulk of these cuts were character developments and scene setters. It appears, therefore, that the intention and result of these cuts were to make the movie into an ‘action’ movie, a la Raiders of the Lost Ark. However, the conversion of the story into one rollercoaster ride after another does a disservice to the unique depth and breadth of the written work.

I know that the movie ends more or less when the first book ends, but I think this is really anticlimatic (especially for non-LOTR readers). Since it is not THE END, of course there is not going to be a final resolution but there should at least be an interim resolution. The way it ends, it just ends. With the books, you can immediately pick up Two Towers, with the movie, you are left with that nothing ending for a year. I know it’s impossible, but ideally there should be 4 movies. That way you have 12 hours to flesh out the story and characters, and you could finish the first movie with the escape from the Mines of Moria (very thrilling, albeit bitter sweet with the death of Gandalf).

I really liked the scene where Bilbo sees the ring at Rivendell. The corrupting power of the ring (the corrupting power of power) should be a visceral and palpable presence throughout the movie. I was disappointed that the Great Victory of Evil (the corrupting of the head of the Istari by the allure of the ring) was reduced to just Sauraman deciding that Sauron was going to win and opting to become his lieutenant (Darth Vader to the Dark Emperor, as one film critic noted). The book was more complex and powerful than this, and should not have been changed.

I have to mention the scene at Weathertop as some others have had. It would have been far more effective to display this incident as the Nazguls retreating satisfied after having struck Frodo with the poisoned blade, confident that it was now just a matter of time, rather than having Strider take them all on in a Ramboesque fashion and blowing them up in balls of flame. Granted this is more action oriented, but the dreadful atmosphere of the black riders was compromised.

Any comments?