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huinare[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!
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no subject
Date: 2013-12-23 04:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-23 04:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-23 01:18 pm (UTC)Yeah - Necromancer = good. Very good.
Glad you were finally able to see it :-)
- Erulisse (one L)
no subject
Date: 2013-12-27 02:08 am (UTC)I tend to like neither "guy films" nor "chick flicks," which probably explains my responses to both the Smaug action sequence and the romance going down in Laketown.
Will need to see the film once more eventually to figure out what I think of it overall.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-23 09:22 pm (UTC)YES! So I am not the only one who liked that change, regardless of whether it was probable or not. I attribute the influence of my recent reading of "Stubb Kills a Whale" in Moby Dick. Likewise, I appreciated the vision of Laketown and its denizens and also the emphasis on the effects of the Ring on Bilbo.
Not wild about Necromancer-as-LOST's-Smoke_Monster and especially not wild about the Necromancer's voice. Benedict Cumberbatch's dark, smooth, sinister-dulcet tones were utterly wiped out in the modifications.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-27 02:12 am (UTC)To me, the black arrow as crossbow bolt is actually more feasible than this guy who happens to have a lucky black arrow, the trush, etc.
Re: Necromancer. It probably helped in my case that I live in my little pop culture cave and have never seen Lost, so I didn't have those connotations. It wasn't the best possible rendition, but for me it was a step up from the indignity of Evil Lighthouse and Slenderman.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-23 11:36 pm (UTC)I wouldn't doubt it, given everything they manage to twist into politics. But I'm not looking. I, too, think the crossbow bolt works, especially for a movie.
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.
Yes! Knowing the book, knowing that Laketown was coming-- that fight sequence had me figuratively tapping my feet waiting for it to end. (Plus, the whole wheelbarrow molten gold surfing? Talk about breaking my suspension of disbelief; Thorin would've burned to a crisp.)
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!
Demonic nesting dolls! That's it!
no subject
Date: 2013-12-27 02:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-24 02:10 am (UTC)The only characters in the movie who seem to really "get" it are Gandalf (because he's Gandalf), Tauriel, who understands that she's part of a wider, interconnected world, and, at the end, Bilbo with his wonderful, horrified closing line. I tend to think that it makes for a darker picture than even the bleakest moments of LotR and (some of the Silm), if only because, at bottom, the quest is not really remotely about saving the world, but about Getting Our Stuff Back. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
I like Tauriel, too. I'm calling it right now that she dies in the Battle of the Five Armies trying to save either Kili or Legolas. Speaking of female characters, I also appreciate that they gave Bard two daughters as well as his canonical son, even if they didn't get to do much.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-27 02:18 am (UTC)And yes, I love the closing line. It is really quite horrific that the Dwarven party inadvertently sicced a dragon on a whole population, and I'm glad the film does focus on that.