The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

[Passdagas the Brown]

The worst bits for me in that review are:

1. Alfrid is apparently heavily featured, and provides significant and unconvincing comic relief throughout.
2. The main character deaths are merely "suitable."
3. The funeral has been cut (perhaps to make room for more Alfrid).

There's something very dispiriting about this news. I have a sinking feeling that this may be the worst film of the bunch.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Oh, for heaven's sake. Maybe it will be, but to make that judgment based on that information strikes me as ... hasty.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Empire's January issue subscriber's cover:



And the Cineplex cover:

[Beutlin]

Meanwhile, Empire's January issue subscriber's cover:

Now that is a Dwarven King!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I know, right? Even the short beard doesn't seem to matter in that picture.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Agreed. My favorite picture of Thorin yet. But then again, I'm a real sucker for dwaaaaarven armor.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Oh, for heaven's sake. Maybe it will be, but to make that judgment based on that information strikes me as ... hasty.

Didn't make a judgment. Just said that I have a sinking feeling about it, based on a range of information I've absorbed over the past year (not just the recent review). But like everyone else, I will reserve final judgment until I see the darned thing!

[Frelga]

Agreed. My favorite picture of Thorin yet. But then again, I'm a real sucker for dwaaaaarven armor.

Dat armor! Although I see that the Curse of the Main Character continues and Thorin doesn't actually get a helmet. But if there was an Oscar for armor design, these movies would win them all.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Well, he at least gets a crown...

But yeah. One of my pet peeves is the silly Hollywood-driven notion that main characters can't wear helmets, even though they absolutely should be wearing helmets. If you want to distinguish them from the rabble, just give them some really distinctive helmets!

[Frelga]

As crowns go, this one is a very impressive and warriorlike crown

[Elentári]

Well, he at least gets a crown...

But yeah. One of my pet peeves is the silly Hollywood-driven notion that main characters can't wear helmets, even though they absolutely should be wearing helmets. If you want to distinguish them from the rabble, just give them some really distinctive helmets!

They managed it with Théoden and Éomer, I believe, but then, as you say, TH has been following Hollywood-driven convention far more closely than LotR for the most part.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

This is a pretty cool behind the scenes pic:

[Elentári]

Can anyone else see something "odd" about that photo? It looks to me like Thorin has been pasted on to it!

[Dave_LF]

It looks like almost everyone has been pasted into it (to me). That may be an effect of the atypical lighting environment they'd no doubt set up.

But Thorin and his victim in particular do contrast sharply with their background, with practically no blur zone. Which is of course by design.

[Passdagas the Brown]

I wonder who that character with the grey, spotted spandex outfit and neon green weapon is. Don't remember a creature like that described in the book.

[Elentári]

[In reply to Dave]
Still confused.... so this is not actually a photographic "still" but a digitally generated by computer?

[sauronsfinger]

[In reply to Dave]
Still confused.... so this is not actually a photographic "still" but a digitally generated by computer?

If you are talking about the fighting Thorin pic on the set - It looks to me like Thorin is right there.

[Dave_LF]

[In reply to Dave]
Still confused.... so this is not actually a photographic "still" but a digitally generated by computer?

Well; I don't know. But I just meant that because they're filming a scene that's going to eventually have all sorts of CG work done it, they've deliberately installed a high-contrast background and set up extra-bright, multidirectional lighting in a way that creates almost no shadows, and thus looks very unnatural to our eyes (this may be why Thorin in particular looks off; he's in the air, but where is his shadow?). That may be all it is.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Dave's probably right. And of course, the scene is likely to look unnatural in the film too.

[Elentári]

Well, the guys in the foreground look okay, but Thorin and the guy in the mo-cap suit he's fighting with just kind of pop out of the picture to me...as you say, there is no blur or shadow, and looking at the folds and drape of Thorin's garments they just look unnatural and digitally painted to my eyes...

ETA: This is obviously why I have problems with HFR...