Tolkien Forums

Worst parts?
Legolas' reduction into skateboarding eye-candy.
Gimli's reduction into gross comic relief, for example burping at Théoden, "ripe meat off the bone", etc. ... and the "natural sprinters" line when in fact Dwarves were known for their endurance and strength.
Frodo's "wimpifying", always tripping, always needing to be saved by other people.
Aragorn's "angstifying".
Galadriel becoming a green glowing figure of DOOM, with no emphasis on her personal test and victory.
Some of the abysmal pronunciation of names by characters within the films.
THE PORTRAYAL OF SAURON AS A FLOATING EYE!
Théoden's possession by Saruman, and his undignified end in the movies as opposed to dying after having killed many of the enemy (including a leader) as in the books.
Faramir's decision to seize Frodo and the Ring and bring them to Osgiliath.
Treebeard and the Ents initially deciding not to go to Isengard.
Some of the "Elvish" translations used within the film.
The pointless and boring Aragorn-falls-off-the-cliff scene in TTT.
Denethor being reduced to stubborn insanity.
Gandalf hitting Denethor with his staff and seizing control!
Denethor refusing to light the Beacons.
Denethor flambé.... he didn't have to run all the way off the thing (and probably couldn't have MADE it that entire way!)
The addition of the Elves at Helm's Deep... made the sacrifice by the Men who lost their lives seem less noble.
Frodo and Gollum actually fighting for the Ring at Sammath Naur.
Cutting of the Scouring of the Shire (I mean, it's _essential_ to the theme!)
Cutting of the Voice of Saruman
No explanation of WHY Frodo was going into the West, i.e. that he had failed, and had been finally corrupted by the Ring, and his physical (i.e. Shelob and the Witch-king) and spiritual wounds were too grave to be healed in Middle-earth
And so on, and so forth. I could go on all day, but I haven't seen the movies or read the books for ages, so I'm going from memory here of _only_ the things that I can remember.

Edit: How could I forget the "Scrubbing Bubbles" fluorescent green ghosts? They shouldn't have looked like that, and more importantly, their ownly weapon was fear, and they shouldn't have shown up at Pelennor but only at Pelargir; once again, they served as a deus ex machina that undermined the importance of the nobility and bravery of the sacrifices that _men_ had made at that battle, i.e. giving their lives.

And Gandalf's sudden lack of power before the Witch-king, staff-breaking and all, was simply irritating. I suspect I'll come up with more ideas as time goes on.

-- Edited by Tyrhael at 03:15, 2006-12-29

Alot of things there Tyrhael. Some are justly spoken some are not.

For example even in the book Denethor was quite mad and stubborn nearer the end. Pippin even says 'Denethor has lost his mind...'

As for the Elves at helm's deep. Thats up to personal taste. I prefered it to the battle of the Hornburg in the book becuase Elves being there seemed to make the whole affair seem 'a bigger deal'. However it could have been done more realistically. You get the immpression that the Elves are sent from Rivendell the same time the Uruks leave Isengard, and somehow the Elves arrive first???

As to the Ents. I can only suppose that PJ wanted to show the audience first that the Ents, like the Eagles, were a sort of 'last resort' and could only be used at the end of need. Thus is why it takes Treebeard seeing the dead burnt tree feild to really enrage him.

As to gandalf losing against the Witchking I agree it was completely inaccurate but I know why it was done:

Th Balrog was defeated and everyone knew that Sauron would not actually truelly come back so there was no one left who could surpass Gandalf's power. So instead of making it seem as though the goodies had the best guy he thought he would give the Witchking more power to defeat him, so the audience went once again 'Oh no Gandalf will die!'.

Tyrhael: I recommend seeing This Thread about the Eye of Sauron.

Forgive me, but I didn't see it as Arwen saving Aragorn from drowning. I see it as Aragorn was about to fall, and Arwen brought him back from the brink.

Well, at least they didn't have XenArwen at Helm's Deep or Sauron appearing at the Black Gate (and Aragorn stabbing him just as the Ring was destroyed, further taking the 'credit' away from Frodo), like they were planning to.

Tyrhael - are you from the plaza? You seem to have a very 'Elenhir' point of view about many things.
Tell me do you think Morgoth was dead after he was cast into The Void?