I really liked the movie, and the time with Smaug seemed to rush by for me. But I'm a big fan of action movies, car races, and other 'inappropriately' female activities. I like 'guy' films and 'chick-flicks' usually bore me to tears.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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;
( ... )
Yeah, the fight sequence was just too much for me, even when I went in believing I was fully prepared to accept, forgive, and overlook PJ-esque action hijinks.
I was also struck by the politicization of the plot. If AUJ was largely about Bilbo leaving the Shire, then DoS was about interacting with various people who neither like nor trust you, with all the effects of long-term cultural isolationism and stubbornness. It was also about material possessions and economics, from Thorin's troubling prioritization of the Arkenstone over Bilbo's wellbeing (and his team's morale and better judgment), to Bard's (possibly Marxist?) clash with authority, to Smaug...well...sleeping under a literal giant-ass pile of gold. In Laketown, Thorin's in no position to make an Aragorn or Theoden-style Saint Crispin's Day speech; the best he can do is appeal to the citizens' (understandable) desire for economic prosperity, and, unsurprisingly, it works
( ... )
Awesome analysis of the politico-econmonic aspects. I hadn't gotten so far as to look at individual characters in relation to the broader situation, but I think you may be right that only a few of the characters "get" it.
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.
Comments 10
Reply
Reply
Yeah - Necromancer = good. Very good.
Glad you were finally able to see it :-)
- Erulisse (one L)
Reply
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.
Reply
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.
Reply
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.
Reply
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; ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Reply
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.
Reply
Leave a comment