Official thoughts and spoilers review of #onelasttime
The last venture to Middle-earth, friends. PJ either made it as bad as DoS or redeems himself. But hey, there wasn't much more to adapt and the Battle of the Fire Armies as the title suggests is about the battle which Tolkien didn't write too much about so of course PJ could embellish a whole lot more without it seeming like deviation.
More within the cut: [SPOILERS WITHIN]
[Spoiler (click to open)]
So i thought basically, it was a tight movie, with the right amount of action. The actors did very well. It did not drag, and we got to see key book moments basically intact.
Highlights:
Any Thorin scene was really good- his descent into madness because of the gold and his obsession to find the Arkenstone and to defend Erebor was acted upon very well.
ALL BILBO AND THORIN SCENES were the major highlights. They built upon this story arc very nicely because they had several key scenes that really enhanced their relationship. I don't think PJ does well with being inclusive of all the relationships that there are but to see these dialogues were really a highlight of my viewing. The death scene of Thorin was done very well and i'm glad to say they included a key line if people were to cherish good people and food beyond hoarded gold, the world will be a better place. (i'm paraphrasing since book is not in front of me. :)
BARD!!! Bard was done very well by Luke Evans- i liked all his scenes and close ups. I thought that he looked a bit like Boromir when he was defending Dale when he was charging through the ranks of orcs.
BILBO!!! Freeman is a master. He really is-- he is so hobbitish and did so very well with all facial expressions and lines that were delivered. I love that Gandalf and Bilbo dialogue about warning the dwarves even more in cinema. Also, Bilbo really proves himself as we know from the book and Freeman made him even more endearing. I really think he makes for one of the biggest hobbit heroes and his performance makes him seem even more hobbitish than the 4 heroes of MIddle-earth. I'm just saying his hobbit like character is very hobbitish in comparision. I dont know if i make sense but i just think he makes a PERFECT hobbit.
Galadriel- Dol Guldur was her place to shine and we realliy see how powerful she really is. I think it's a slight deviation (correct me if i'm wrong) that Galadriel has such a big one-on-one with Sauron. Because technically, if all Elven Rings are there present, wouldn't Sauron try to take them all away at that time? So it presents a danger to go so upfront with Sauron and have Elrond, Gandalf and Galadriel there. Nevertheless, i'm always fond of powerful female heroes and in that short scene, Galadriel did really well.
Bain, Bard's son-- i didn't mind his enhanced and made up role actually-- i liked his heroism a lot
Balin- Even though we do not see too much (or not enough in my opinion) every exchange he did have was precious! Balin and Bilbo are awesome together and also Balin and Thorin. Ken Stott is awesome and i want to see him in the EE!
Smaug's demise-- very quickly he is dispatched by Bard and how he dies (by what weapon) is a bit of deviation but at least he dies.... I also wanted Bilbo's role in this known but PJ didn't film it that way. (with the thrush telling Bard)
THE AUCTION!! they included it when Bilbo went back.... so glad! Lobelia and the spoons were left there as well.
Also, really liked Bilbo conveying to Thorin about the Arkenstone and that whole scene at the gate was very good because it adhered to the book.
The so-so/bad:
Too little Beorn (why they always cut him off? He is no Bombadil, he has huge role in the books and HE is the one who killed Bolg, NOT Legolas.......) (Don't we see a PJ favoritism towards the heavily fangirl favorite, Legolas?) :p
Still the Tauriel/Legolas/Kili romance was implied so heavily i was shaking my head and saying AU AU AU all throughout that.
Tauriel still bothers me because of the Kili romance... so dumb. speedyhobbit were like "AU, AU " the whole time.
Alfrid was good but he was a bit too prominent in my opinion. It was in expense of Bofur having like no lines and Bombur, Bifur, Gloin, and all the other dwarves just standing there basically. I dont know why they made Ryan Gage's character, an AU character, stand out so much.......
How the dwarves die are a deviation and it bothered me because it left out the heroism of Fili and Kili defending their uncle. I really wanted them to see in battle defending Thorin but we don't see it and it's a pity. Also a huge deviation is where they end up. Legolas ended up having a one on one with Bolg to kill him and really was trying to save Tauriel while Thorin has his one on one with Azog. But why did they have to isolate them in "Ravenhill" place that looks like a cross between an icy haunted mountain and just really flimsy blocks of stone that can fall in an instance. Isolating these major characters in this made up place was weird. Also, i know that Ravenhill is a reall place in Middle-earth but it's very far from Erebor. PJ always messes upon geography. :rollseyes:
All in all, it was pretty solid. The deaths of the three main characters were really sad. They could've done better with Fili's death with making it more dramatic and for the reaction to be so that all the dwarves are charging over to kill Azog and Bolb but of course the elves get more the action. ....
Again, BILBO really shined here... i don't think he was short shafted too much which is very key to me liking it.
"The Eagles are coming, the eagles are coming"
ALSO, Billy Boyd's song, OMG, i love his voice so fricken much. REALLY, it's such a fitting song for our "last goodbye" to Middle-earth PJ verse.... TEARS ...:***((((( :***)))))
Oh also, the end credits pictures were so amazing. I will post them up because i took a dozen.... :P
More within the cut: [SPOILERS WITHIN]
[Spoiler (click to open)]
So i thought basically, it was a tight movie, with the right amount of action. The actors did very well. It did not drag, and we got to see key book moments basically intact.
Highlights:
Any Thorin scene was really good- his descent into madness because of the gold and his obsession to find the Arkenstone and to defend Erebor was acted upon very well.
ALL BILBO AND THORIN SCENES were the major highlights. They built upon this story arc very nicely because they had several key scenes that really enhanced their relationship. I don't think PJ does well with being inclusive of all the relationships that there are but to see these dialogues were really a highlight of my viewing. The death scene of Thorin was done very well and i'm glad to say they included a key line if people were to cherish good people and food beyond hoarded gold, the world will be a better place. (i'm paraphrasing since book is not in front of me. :)
BARD!!! Bard was done very well by Luke Evans- i liked all his scenes and close ups. I thought that he looked a bit like Boromir when he was defending Dale when he was charging through the ranks of orcs.
BILBO!!! Freeman is a master. He really is-- he is so hobbitish and did so very well with all facial expressions and lines that were delivered. I love that Gandalf and Bilbo dialogue about warning the dwarves even more in cinema. Also, Bilbo really proves himself as we know from the book and Freeman made him even more endearing. I really think he makes for one of the biggest hobbit heroes and his performance makes him seem even more hobbitish than the 4 heroes of MIddle-earth. I'm just saying his hobbit like character is very hobbitish in comparision. I dont know if i make sense but i just think he makes a PERFECT hobbit.
Galadriel- Dol Guldur was her place to shine and we realliy see how powerful she really is. I think it's a slight deviation (correct me if i'm wrong) that Galadriel has such a big one-on-one with Sauron. Because technically, if all Elven Rings are there present, wouldn't Sauron try to take them all away at that time? So it presents a danger to go so upfront with Sauron and have Elrond, Gandalf and Galadriel there. Nevertheless, i'm always fond of powerful female heroes and in that short scene, Galadriel did really well.
Bain, Bard's son-- i didn't mind his enhanced and made up role actually-- i liked his heroism a lot
Balin- Even though we do not see too much (or not enough in my opinion) every exchange he did have was precious! Balin and Bilbo are awesome together and also Balin and Thorin. Ken Stott is awesome and i want to see him in the EE!
Smaug's demise-- very quickly he is dispatched by Bard and how he dies (by what weapon) is a bit of deviation but at least he dies.... I also wanted Bilbo's role in this known but PJ didn't film it that way. (with the thrush telling Bard)
THE AUCTION!! they included it when Bilbo went back.... so glad! Lobelia and the spoons were left there as well.
Also, really liked Bilbo conveying to Thorin about the Arkenstone and that whole scene at the gate was very good because it adhered to the book.
The so-so/bad:
Too little Beorn (why they always cut him off? He is no Bombadil, he has huge role in the books and HE is the one who killed Bolg, NOT Legolas.......) (Don't we see a PJ favoritism towards the heavily fangirl favorite, Legolas?) :p
Still the Tauriel/Legolas/Kili romance was implied so heavily i was shaking my head and saying AU AU AU all throughout that.
Tauriel still bothers me because of the Kili romance... so dumb. speedyhobbit were like "AU, AU " the whole time.
Alfrid was good but he was a bit too prominent in my opinion. It was in expense of Bofur having like no lines and Bombur, Bifur, Gloin, and all the other dwarves just standing there basically. I dont know why they made Ryan Gage's character, an AU character, stand out so much.......
How the dwarves die are a deviation and it bothered me because it left out the heroism of Fili and Kili defending their uncle. I really wanted them to see in battle defending Thorin but we don't see it and it's a pity. Also a huge deviation is where they end up. Legolas ended up having a one on one with Bolg to kill him and really was trying to save Tauriel while Thorin has his one on one with Azog. But why did they have to isolate them in "Ravenhill" place that looks like a cross between an icy haunted mountain and just really flimsy blocks of stone that can fall in an instance. Isolating these major characters in this made up place was weird. Also, i know that Ravenhill is a reall place in Middle-earth but it's very far from Erebor. PJ always messes upon geography. :rollseyes:
All in all, it was pretty solid. The deaths of the three main characters were really sad. They could've done better with Fili's death with making it more dramatic and for the reaction to be so that all the dwarves are charging over to kill Azog and Bolb but of course the elves get more the action. ....
Again, BILBO really shined here... i don't think he was short shafted too much which is very key to me liking it.
"The Eagles are coming, the eagles are coming"
ALSO, Billy Boyd's song, OMG, i love his voice so fricken much. REALLY, it's such a fitting song for our "last goodbye" to Middle-earth PJ verse.... TEARS ...:***((((( :***)))))
Oh also, the end credits pictures were so amazing. I will post them up because i took a dozen.... :P