Comments | grey_wonderer: The Desolation of Smaug

grey_wonderer

The Desolation of Smaug

Dec 14, 2013 13:00

It's taken me a while but here's what it think without spoilers. I love Martin Freeman. He is a wonderful Bilbo and his facial expressions are masterful. I had been looking forward to Stephen Fry as the Master of Laketown and he did not disappoint me. The dragon is awesome. The look, the voice, love everything about him. I adore this film's opening ( Read more... )

via ljapp

Comments 33

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periantari December 14 2013, 20:57:33 UTC

This is adapting from good source material and to add too many extraneous things to it that doesn't add value has no point.

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Thread 16

periantari December 14 2013, 20:53:45 UTC

I laughed at all you said regarding did Disney come in and take over- such bs on pjs part to include these stupid lines.
I'm so sad and in shock and past numb I think.

Aside from the romances and elf/dwarf issue, the *tone* of hobbit has changed so dramatically!!!

Again, this is "Middle earth reinvented" not our Hobbit *adaptation* that we expected.

The first part I would even argue against Peter Jackson is the title- why not name it "Elves save the day"??? There's not even any desolation. There's not even the title elements in the movie!!

Some people appreciate the Bilbo moments, Smaug, the spiders, Mirkwood.... And I do too!
But as you, me and Speedyhobbit thinks, the story became so convoluted to not be recognized as the book we all know and love.

Sorry I know how you feel and it will take me a while to recover.
I hope to rewatch within the week though.

I'll go spam ToRN in meantime.

grey_wonderer December 14 2013, 21:57:04 UTC

Lol. Elves save the day! That's a brilliant title for it. It really was.
I started getting that Disney feeling about the film after I had to to think about it. Tauriel is the new Disney Princess!
I don't think you or I or Speedy Hobbit will ever adjust. Lol

periantari December 15 2013, 03:39:14 UTC

i'm going to rewatch it. I may want to even do it tomorrow.
I can't stand being the minority.

I'm going to watch PJ's fanfiction for only one more time.

Expecting craziness and deviations galore.

May not change my opinion but perhaps from 2.5/5 stars to 3? :p

pippinfan1 December 14 2013, 22:31:17 UTC

I couldn't agree with you more!! Aidan Turner/Kili I can't deny is eye-candy for me, but I was *totally* disappointed by the Taurel/Kili/Legolas thing as well. Kili and his brother are supposed to die defending their would-be king, not be healed by some woodland elf. I want to write more, but it will have to wait until after my friend's party this evening. I owe you an email, too, so look for one -- and more DoS review in the next 24 hours or so. I need to get busy around this house, too. :-/

grey_wonderer December 16 2013, 02:38:21 UTC

Exactly! I was starting to think that it only mattered to Periantari, Speedyhobbit, and me. You seem to have enjoyed it more than we did but the romance bothered you too. Thanks for weighing in.

pippinfan1 December 16 2013, 03:03:57 UTC

Of course it bothered me; it pissed me off, really. Aidan may be easy on the eyes, but any self-respecting book lover would (or should) feel the same distaste for the Mary-Sue Tale. It leaves me wondering how far off the beaten track the writers are going to go for the ending, There And Back Again. They'd better not screw it up!

grey_wonderer December 16 2013, 03:25:50 UTC

I'm worried about the ending too. I guess I'll just have to either learn to like this or just go back and watch my extended versions of LOTR. that won't be too hard tho. I felt this way about TTT too the first time I saw it. Faramir taking Sam and Frodo to Osgilith and all. Maybe this movie will grow on me. Maybe...

semyaza December 14 2013, 22:53:19 UTC

In short, it is as I feared.

grey_wonderer December 16 2013, 02:38:58 UTC

Yes, your fears are justified.

semyaza December 16 2013, 03:19:48 UTC

I'll wait for the DVD. Then I can skip the dumber parts. I'm mainly interested in the visuals.

mumstheword54 December 14 2013, 23:17:42 UTC

Hi, Hi, HI!! I've missed you!

And now "Grey Wonderer saves the day!" with your review of the next Hobbit movie.

(Credit above post, "elves save the day.")

I'm SO glad you've posted your review because I haven't seen the movie yet. And I know for SURE that if I'd attended in a theatre, I'd have gotten thrown out for screaming at the screen (and maybe even throwing popcorn at the MarySueElfNinja) -- and you know that's uncharacteristic for "Mum's the Word," fer goodness' sake.

Truth be told, I'd been expecting to be disappointed in the first movie, and steadfastly refused to pay to see it in a theatre. But when Rosie got a copy of the DVD and we watched it at home, I was very favorably impressed.

Now ... now, I'm not sure I'll want to see even the DVD of the second Hobbit movie.

Unless we agree ahead of time to throw popcorn at the TV screen ...

Hmm, that actually might be fun ... ...

In any case, BIG HUGS and lotsa brownies to you, my friend! SOOO great to see you again!!

^And Salsa!

grey_wonderer December 16 2013, 02:44:50 UTC

Watch it, but watch it knowing that it jumps the shark as they say. You might enjoy it. Lots of the comments on this post alone are favorable. I couldn't get past the dwarf/elf/elf romantic triangle and was bothered by a few other things as well, but the things that set me off seem not to have bothered lots of other people. I am glad my review was of some help though. I've missed you, Mum. : )
Thank you for the brownies, salsa, and hugs. I need them all. Hugs to you also!