The Desolation of Not Having a Clever Title for This Reaction Post
[Sorry I've been slowish replying to comments lately. Brain does not want to perform thinky-tasks. Anyway.]
I can't figure out if I liked the film as a whole. There were moments I loved and moments I was bored out of my mind and moments I was embarrassed for everyone involved. I'll probably see it again next month, but this is the stuff that left an impression on me:
- The politicization of the plot. It's made very explicit that the Orcs of Moria are allied to Dol Guldur, that Beorn has good reason to hate the Orcs of the Misty Mountains, that Gandalf wants Smaug disposed of before the Necromancer can use the dragon to terrible effect, that the sylvan Elves debate over how much involvement they owe the outside world, etc. (And Laketown, but we'll get back to that). I think I liked most of the changes resulting from this, not least because it involved more focus on the darker forces of Middle-earth, but that being said it also resulted in:
- An almost unabating darker tone. Don't get me wrong: I like darker. But there is a quaintness to The Hobbit (novel) that was almost completely lacking here--along those lines, I was most disappointed that we didn't get the goofy scene where Gandalf introduces the Dwarves to Beorn.
- I still like Azog even though he looks way too much like a CGI video game character. Did you see that dude getting pissy with the Necrofuckingmancer and not even batting an eye?
- The suggestions, as early as the edge of Mirkwood, that the Ring is having an effect on Bilbo. The Ring was used well in the film overall, tying it into the darker themes of LotR.
- Wood-elves. Thranduil is entertaining if nothing else, a total drama queen who also appears to have some kind of illusory skin graft. Legolas has more dimension here than in the LotR films, and I do like Tauriel. I found the thing with Kili "cute" in the cells, but rather maudlin as it seeped over into Laketown.
- Dwarves. The only one I liked much this time was Balin. Also: holy shit, Bombur can run.
- Wizards! I liked them inasfar as they were there. They didn't do much, but at least they didn't get messed up either, which was my immediate reaction and huge gripe last year.
- I haven't read any commentary on the film yet, but Laketown has me wondering if the far right is accusing Bard of being a Socialist. I like it. Thumbs up. I also really like that whatsamajig crossbow thing on the roof, and the black arrow being a badass crossbow bolt instead. That makes more sense to me.
- Smaug is scary. I loved the scene where he confronts Bilbo, slowly stirring and waking and gold sliding ominously. I also thought there were wonderful shades of Glaurung in the way he tried to psych Bilbo out about Thorin. Things went downhill quickly with Smaug though; he reminded me of a very large, fiery stormtrooper, in that he can't seem to hit the things he's aiming at even when they're right in front of him. These shenannigans went on for what felt like a good half hour. Now I was prepared to accept over-the-top action sequences, but this was just ridiculous. If they wanted the Dwarves to have dramatic interactions with Smuag before he flies off to incinerate Laketown, that's understandable, but--all that? Unfortunately, that interminable sequence just left me relieved when the movie ended.
- And I'm leaving this for last just because: Necromancer! The dark, shadowy presence is pretty good compared to what I was anticipating (an Eye or Slenderman). I will need to see it a second time, but the confrontation with Gandalf--! On the one hand I was irked because I see the confrontation with the Balrog as one of Gandalf's defining moments and I do kind of feel like putting stuff like this in does an injustice to that, but it was really quite interesting (and also set a crack!dialogue a-brewing in my head). Shape-shifting Necromancer gave me a scare there for a moment. My internal monologue was like: Oh no don't do it don't turn into an eyeball oh god--oh wait, you're turning into--what the crap is that? Boy am I glad I'm not seeing this in 3D--OMG you've turned into fiery demonic nesting dolls!
Now I'm off to finally read everyone's reactions!
I can't figure out if I liked the film as a whole. There were moments I loved and moments I was bored out of my mind and moments I was embarrassed for everyone involved. I'll probably see it again next month, but this is the stuff that left an impression on me:
- The politicization of the plot. It's made very explicit that the Orcs of Moria are allied to Dol Guldur, that Beorn has good reason to hate the Orcs of the Misty Mountains, that Gandalf wants Smaug disposed of before the Necromancer can use the dragon to terrible effect, that the sylvan Elves debate over how much involvement they owe the outside world, etc. (And Laketown, but we'll get back to that). I think I liked most of the changes resulting from this, not least because it involved more focus on the darker forces of Middle-earth, but that being said it also resulted in:
- An almost unabating darker tone. Don't get me wrong: I like darker. But there is a quaintness to The Hobbit (novel) that was almost completely lacking here--along those lines, I was most disappointed that we didn't get the goofy scene where Gandalf introduces the Dwarves to Beorn.
- I still like Azog even though he looks way too much like a CGI video game character. Did you see that dude getting pissy with the Necrofuckingmancer and not even batting an eye?
- The suggestions, as early as the edge of Mirkwood, that the Ring is having an effect on Bilbo. The Ring was used well in the film overall, tying it into the darker themes of LotR.
- Wood-elves. Thranduil is entertaining if nothing else, a total drama queen who also appears to have some kind of illusory skin graft. Legolas has more dimension here than in the LotR films, and I do like Tauriel. I found the thing with Kili "cute" in the cells, but rather maudlin as it seeped over into Laketown.
- Dwarves. The only one I liked much this time was Balin. Also: holy shit, Bombur can run.
- Wizards! I liked them inasfar as they were there. They didn't do much, but at least they didn't get messed up either, which was my immediate reaction and huge gripe last year.
- I haven't read any commentary on the film yet, but Laketown has me wondering if the far right is accusing Bard of being a Socialist. I like it. Thumbs up. I also really like that whatsamajig crossbow thing on the roof, and the black arrow being a badass crossbow bolt instead. That makes more sense to me.
- Smaug is scary. I loved the scene where he confronts Bilbo, slowly stirring and waking and gold sliding ominously. I also thought there were wonderful shades of Glaurung in the way he tried to psych Bilbo out about Thorin. Things went downhill quickly with Smaug though; he reminded me of a very large, fiery stormtrooper, in that he can't seem to hit the things he's aiming at even when they're right in front of him. These shenannigans went on for what felt like a good half hour. Now I was prepared to accept over-the-top action sequences, but this was just ridiculous. If they wanted the Dwarves to have dramatic interactions with Smuag before he flies off to incinerate Laketown, that's understandable, but--all that? Unfortunately, that interminable sequence just left me relieved when the movie ended.
- And I'm leaving this for last just because: Necromancer! The dark, shadowy presence is pretty good compared to what I was anticipating (an Eye or Slenderman). I will need to see it a second time, but the confrontation with Gandalf--! On the one hand I was irked because I see the confrontation with the Balrog as one of Gandalf's defining moments and I do kind of feel like putting stuff like this in does an injustice to that, but it was really quite interesting (and also set a crack!dialogue a-brewing in my head). Shape-shifting Necromancer gave me a scare there for a moment. My internal monologue was like: Oh no don't do it don't turn into an eyeball oh god--oh wait, you're turning into--what the crap is that? Boy am I glad I'm not seeing this in 3D--OMG you've turned into fiery demonic nesting dolls!
Now I'm off to finally read everyone's reactions!