The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

[Xenoburger_]

That's pretty much exactly how I felt about them. I got a "Ninja Gaiden" feel about them. Why would a wraith, a ghosts, appearance change from the LOTR to The Hobbit is beyond me.

Well, I've got no issue with the armor. There's so much worse in the film, and I actually liked those designs, so I can't be bothered with criticizing them for not being hooded or how they looked in LotR when Frodo wore the ring.

I just thought some of their movements, the two specific ones I mentioned, were hilariously goofy. I'm not sure what "Ninja Gaiden" is, but ninja is the exact word I'd use to describe a few of their movements. Those movements just didn't look like something that belonged in live-action, and much less Middle Earth.

Overall though I liked the fight. I thought it was choreographed very well (except for the goofy ninja movements), especially Elrond and Saruman's attacks.

Actually here's a clip of the exact scene I'm referring to. Right at 1:14 when they hop/float in front of Saruman. That just looks so weird and ridiculous.

 

[The Ween]

I don't understand why that looks so weird to you. Maybe I'm missing something?

 

[Khev]

Witch King battle was one of the coolest scenes out of all six movies. Awesome in every way. Criticizing that is like saying "ROTJ was okay, the only part I didn't like was the music when Luke went off on Vader at the end."

 

[JAWS]

Witch King battle was one of the coolest scenes out of all six movies. Awesome in every way. Criticizing that is like saying "ROTJ was okay, the only part I didn't like was the music when Luke went off on Vader at the end."

I did not care for the wraith scene in BOTFA either... Thought it looked like a video game in terms of how the action was done... Wraiths Surrounding Sauron was awful IMO... Scene felt rushed and thrown together without much thought IMO... Worst overall scene in the whole series to me...

Did not care for Legolas on troll back with blade in trolls head controlling him by stirring the blade in the direction he wanted the troll to go... another very video game moment.

 

[Jokes & Bats]

Did not care for Legolas on troll back with blade in trolls head controlling him by stirring the blade in the direction he wanted the troll to go... another very video game moment.

I remember something like that happening in the Batman Arkham series - you had to jump on the back of a giant thug and control him.

 

[Morgul Matt]

I was 6 when my mom took me to The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and needless to say it was the most awesome thing ever BUT one scene that completely blew my mind was the Dagobah cave sequence. I was all "What?? Darth Vader?? He's here? And BEHEADED?? And his face looks like some random dude?" (not realizing that it was supposed to be Luke) Obviously I realized that he was alive and well for the rest of the movie but I was utterly confused about what I saw on Dagobah.

Well I took my 5 year old son (named Luke ) to BOTFA and he thought it was awesome but as we were driving home he commented that "there was a dragon swimming under the gold floor??" Ha ha. I explained the whole dream sequence but it cracked me up that he had his own "Dagobah cave" moment.

Awesome, Khev! I was 5 when my parents took me to see The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 & that Dagobah cave scene completely freaked me out, too.
Great memories.

I should be seeing TBotFA within the next week.

 

[Xenoburger_]

I don't understand why that looks so weird to you. Maybe I'm missing something?

Maybe it's just me then.

Idunno, the way they turn around, hop up in the air and slowly float down just looks so...anime, or something.

 

[Khev]

I should be seeing TBotFA within the next week.

Right on.

 

[furystorm]

I saw this again today...

That's all I have to add.

 

[Morgul Matt]

I just thought that I'd post this as I thought it was pretty funny & I'm not sure in which countries Saturday Night Live is show outside of the US. Martin Freeman is a really good sport.

 

[cmiller99]

I thought the ninja scene was a little out of place personally.

 

[Irvy]

Really hoping the EE redeems this one a bit

 

[Darth Snoopy]

Finally got a chance to see this tonight...Loved it!

 

[Khev]

Finally got a chance to see this tonight...Loved it!

 

[Darth Snoopy]

 

[Khev]

I watched The Two Towers tonight for the first time in about two years. Like FOTR there are a good number of ways that I feel that the Hobbit films connect with this one and make it even better.

Even little things like Legolas being a more humanitarian elf in this trilogy but when he gets pushed past a certain point (like when Eomer threatens Gimli or he becomes upset at their odds in Helm's Deep) the old **** from Mirkwood can't help but come out a little bit.

I really like how the Elrond/Galadriel discussion plays about whether they should leave men to be "alone" and suffer their fate and how their old ally Saruman is now a puppet of Sauron after seeing them face down Sauron together in BOTFA. I know back in 2002 some people didn't like PJ adding elves to Helm's Deep but that plays even better after BOTFA. I thought a good number of other things in the Hobbit films were cool links, even indirectly. Like Eowen saying that the women of Rohan learned long ago that women without swords can still die on them which reminded me of the ever so slight parallel of the women in Dale taking up arms for the first time 60 years prior. Just those subtle evolutionary links that aren't direct references but that still just flow ever so nicely from one trilogy to the next.

I will say that the LOTR, even TTT, is just on a different level than The Hobbit. They are just so good, to me nothing in all of cinema touches them. But I'll never write off the Hobbit films because they are different or "less" or whatever. No way. They are incredibly entertaining in their own right and actually enhance the LOTR films. I'll always link them together. Hell BOTFA might end up being my fourth favorite film of all time when all is said and done. Can't wait for the EE.

 

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Well I finally made it to a theater and watched the last Hobbit film. I think had I not read the book and grew up on the animated film ( watched it twice today) I might have enjoyed much more than I did. Knowing what wasn't in it, what deviated, and what was grossly inflated I have to settle for a 3 out of 5. I actually liked the first film a lot is wa a 5/5 or at least a 4.5/5..but for some reason we go down hill a lot in the second film...just after they enter the forest ( Beorn's bit was great) it went on too long..and from about the time the elves appear and save them from the spiders whereas Bilbo was only supposed to ..I think things were diminished. The story became less and less about Bilbo and how he affected all this change in himself and the world he inhabits..the whole reason he's the main character. Additional scenes and added characters just dominated the 2nd ( his talk with Smaug was everywhere..made it hard to focus. Why did they eliminate the Thrush and Bilbo's discovery of the bald patch on Smaug? To build the character of Bard up? Wouldn't have had to do that if he had been left as Bard the Bowman, Capt of the guard...he's an honorable man and that's all we needed to know. sorry to pick on Bard, it could have easily been Legolas, Taurial, Bolg, Azog, ect.. all character we didn't need gumming up the works) and certainly the final film where he was almost reduced to an observer it removes the main point of the story I think.

Watched the first half of LofR:FotR today..it played out much like the first Hobbit film..nice easy build up, great scenery, ect. Somewhere in part 2/Desolation someone decided " this is going to be our last Middle Earth film, lets toss in everything we can." Not that 2 and 3 didn't have fun and exciting parts..but really, too much of a good thing.

 

[OSCORP]

Just saw it 7.5/10 just like all the others.

 

[Darth Snoopy]

I watched The Two Towers tonight for the first time in about two years. Like FOTR there are a good number of ways that I feel that the Hobbit films connect with this one and make it even better.

Even little things like Legolas being a more humanitarian elf in this trilogy but when he gets pushed past a certain point (like when Eomer threatens Gimli or he becomes upset at their odds in Helm's Deep) the old **** from Mirkwood can't help but come out a little bit.

I really like how the Elrond/Galadriel discussion plays about whether they should leave men to be "alone" and suffer their fate and how their old ally Saruman is now a puppet of Sauron after seeing them face down Sauron together in BOTFA. I know back in 2002 some people didn't like PJ adding elves to Helm's Deep but that plays even better after BOTFA. I thought a good number of other things in the Hobbit films were cool links, even indirectly. Like Eowen saying that the women of Rohan learned long ago that women without swords can still die on them which reminded me of the ever so slight parallel of the women in Dale taking up arms for the first time 60 years prior. Just those subtle evolutionary links that aren't direct references but that still just flow ever so nicely from one trilogy to the next.

I will say that the LOTR, even TTT, is just on a different level than The Hobbit. They are just so good, to me nothing in all of cinema touches them. But I'll never write off the Hobbit films because they are different or "less" or whatever. No way. They are incredibly entertaining in their own right and actually enhance the LOTR films. I'll always link them together. Hell BOTFA might end up being my fourth favorite film of all time when all is said and done. Can't wait for the EE.

The points you make about the subtle links is spot on IMO.

 

[Khev]

The points you make about the subtle links is spot on IMO.

Theoden is so awesome. I like the parallel between him and the Master of Lake-town and Grima/Alfrid. You see what a truly regal and noble leader does when a town needs to be evacuated compared to how things were handled in Lake-town. Eomer asked Grima if Saruman promised him a "share of the treasure" but even Grima chose Eowen over riches. Obviously that comment also implies that Theoden has a treasury of sorts but they "take only the provisions you can carry, leave your treasures behind" when moving to Helm's Deep. So different than the people and leaders willing to die for gold 60 years prior. Lots of great contrasts to the Hobbit trilogy that really gives the impression of an organically evolving story and that enhances already great films.

Also when they are in the Fire Marshes and Frodo asks Gollum who he is Gollum dodges the conversation by speaking in rhymes. I had to smile at the ongoing thread of riddles and rhymes for the character that now begins in AUJ's "Riddles in the Dark."

Even though we'll always know how the LOTR films turn out with them being old movies that we are familiar with there still just seems to be a new air of dread over the story after watching Thorin, Kili and Fili die. There is a true theme of ending bloodlines in these films and old creatures/old ways passing away. So suddenly these movies feel like Aragorn is a bit of a marked man, and when he and Theoden charge out of Helm's Deep at the end I couldn't help but be reminded of Thorin and Co. doing the same, to the death for some of them.

I can't believe we have six awesome Middle-Earth movies now. I'm really blown away.