Official 'The Hobbit' Thread - - Part 16

[Octoberist]

Star Wars is extremely fractured, especially when you consider there is a variation of fans of prequels, originals, cartoons, EU, etc. I've never been to The One Ring, but it's good to know someone out there is positive about Peter Jackson! I certainly am.

Although it certainly isn't fair to be attacked due to a difference of opinion. The majority here don't like these Hobbit films, but I certainty don't feel any dislike towards anyone in this thread. In fact many posters I quite like. Now Star Wars forums can be quite a scarier place!

With me, I'm cool with different opinions, but it just comes down to the person's attitude and lack of perspective. If they're being a difficult person or overly self-righteous, that's when I step in to call that person out, no matter what opinion they have.

For example, if someone likes the Hobbit or the Star Wars prequels that's fine with me.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I know right, that guy is a total Riddle to me.

A riddle wrapped inside and enigma.

Leaked image of the Battle of Five Armies:

CGI was cheaper.

 

[ThePhantasm]

Leaked image of the Battle of Five Armies:

CGI was cheaper.

Its "in the spirit of Tolkien"

 

[Jaspertian1105]

Jackson should have started with the Hobbit, it was one or 2 movies. After that he could have divided all LOTR in 6 films if he wanted to. I think business wise it would have been much better, WB could have milked out 2 extra movies out of the franchise. Im pretty sure they have enough money but im pretty sure they think about that scenario from time to time

 

[regwec]

As we have learned, however, PJ is hopeless at allotting time proportionally. Six LOTR movies probably would have resulted in a forty-minute sled chase down Caradhras, and no Ents.

 

[Boom]

As we have learned, however, PJ is hopeless at allotting time proportionally. Six LOTR movies probably would have resulted in a forty-minute sled chase down Caradhras, and no Ents.

It's just absurd at this point. Five years ago, nobody was more excited about this adaptation than me. I remember seeing a fake Hobbit trailer in 2006 made up of footage from FoTR and Dragonslayer and getting so pumped. Now? I'm seeing TV spots featuring the Battle of Five Armies, and I couldn't muster up half of a **** to give.

Nothing looks real anymore. CGI this. CGI that. Artificial light here. Green screen over there. Everyone was so happy that GDT left the project because his ideas were "too radical" and with Jackson we would at least get something "consistent with LoTR." Joke's on them. These films couldn't look farther apart from that trilogy. At least GDT wouldn't have shied away from practical effects. These films are basically Who Framed Roger Rabbit with a bigger budget. A couple of real actors thrust into wholly digitized backdrops. No tangibility or texture at all.

And by golly. To hell with Beorn going straight beastmode on goblins and wargs, and you can forget Dain being crowned king. Let's eat up over an hour of screentime with more Tauriel, Legolas, and other extraneous crap that adds nothing but bloat.

 

[regwec]

The only way this movie could be bearable is if we could all see it together. Drunk.

 

[terry78]

http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/re...the-battle-of-the-five-armies-review#/slide/1

Main page gives it 8/10.

 

[ThePhantasm]

That review on the main page confirms a lot of details in the "Dain is CGI" review that we just read.

 

[redhawk23]

 

[ThePhantasm]

The only way this movie could be bearable is if we could all see it together. Drunk.

 

[terry78]

It's true, I says.

 

[Boom]

The only way this movie could be bearable is if we could all see it together. Drunk.

**** it man. Let's get on organizing this ****.

 

[Marvolo]

Variety Review:
http://variety.com/2014/film/review...bit-the-battle-of-the-five-armies-1201367492/

Guardian Review:http://www.theguardian.com/film/201...-of-the-five-armies-review-film-peter-jackson

*goes off to read reviews...and probably be disappointed. *

Spoiler

 

[Quasimod0]

The Hollywood Reporter
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie/hobbit-battle-five-armies/review/752865?utm_source=twitter
"Third time's a charm for the mammoth screen version of Tolkien's little persons' odyssey."

Digital Spy
http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/re...dium=dsuk&utm_campaign=twdsuk#~oXeThZ9GIzcyck

4/5 stars

Slant
http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/the-hobbit-the-battle-of-the-five-armies
3/4 stars

 

[Marvolo]

Another of the myriad concurrent plot strands sees Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee and Hugo Weaving turn up like some kind of smocked-and-gowned superhero team to see off Sauron, with director Jackson indulging in unexpectedly trippy Doctor Who-ish visuals.

Anyone know what this might mean? Ive watched Who, but I dont have a clue about this quote.

 

[Quasimod0]

These reviews are better than I expected. The Variety one is quite positive as well.

 

[Marvolo]

This bit has me intrigued:

Other moments also captivate, most exuberantly a viscerally charged battle between the ring wraiths—which get much more play time in The Lord of the Rings—and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), who Jackson renders in the scene as a glowing, almost demonic force, the sequence far darker and weirder (shades of Ken Russell) than anything from the two earlier films.

 

[Quasimod0]

I have heard it mentioned a few times that this is the darkest of the Hobbit films. Thematically, and also with bleak cinematography. I'm interested to see how it all looks.

4/5 from Empire
http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=137273

At under two-and-a-half hours, there’s little flab on Five Armies. Jackson has been judicious with the edit, jettisoning anything not essential to the tale at hand.

Never thought I'd read those words.

 

[Boom]

So I made the mistake of reading some spoilers regarding Legolas.

Oh boy .

 

[regwec]

Look on the bright side: he shouldn't even be in the thing.

 

[Marvolo]

Well its true:

. A raging, elk-mounted Thranduil (Lee Pace) deals antler-assisted decapitation, while dwarven firebrand Dain (a bafflingly CG Billy Connolly) spouts expletives from the back of an armoured war pig. When Thorin (Richard Armitage) finally leads the charge from the gates of Erebor, the glorious rush of battle met is triumphant euphoria.

****ing hell, Jackson. Billy ****ing Connolly. Three hours of make up. Gone. Poof. Still holding out hope that he is only cgi while on his mount. I can understand the need for that, but if he is cgi while walking around and talking...well, I cant wait to hear that decision justified on the audio commentary.

 

[Marvolo]

Look on the bright side: he shouldn't even be in the thing.

Yes he should. If his father and his people go to war he would of course be there with them. The only reason he wasn't in the book is because Tolkien hadn't invented him yet.

 

[regwec]

Peter Jackson might as well replace himself with CGI. A computer would make equally lifeless and synthetic films.

 

[Silvermoon]

Did this clip get posted?


btw, would it be too much to ask to put plot related items from reviews in spoiler tags? I'd like to keep discussing the movie here, but I'm trying to avoid reviews and spoilers (don't know if anyone else is trying to do the same).

Just a thought.