Hall of Fire Reviews - Post Them Here! [SPOILERS!]

Sat Dec 15, 2012 9:24 pm

Here is my review:

Some of it I loved, and some of it I hated. The HFR was incredibly good.

Now I'm going to take a nap.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 9:29 pm

Hoping you will eventually elaborate that 16-word review into 32 words, Voronwë.

Seeing TH after a redeye flight would not make it seem shorter, that's for sure.

Nap well. I think I will too.

Post by **Elentári** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 9:57 pm

Well...I just went and saw it in 3D at 24fps, since I couldn't bear the thought of my first viewing being spoilt by the same experience others have had at 48fps.

And I'm pleased to report that pretty much all the stuff I was worried about, although on paper I didn't like, in terms of enjoying the film they didn't bother me...in other words, the changes didn't take me out of the story, or have me muttering under my breath - well maybe the fact that they never actually gave a coherent explanation of what exactly had happened to Thrain. It was rather glossed over in the brief mentions of him. (Maybe that got cut and will resurface in the EE?) Funnily enough, the one thing I really hated I wasn't expecting: when Jackson & co spend so much effort getting the language detail right, why do they give Ori a line such as "stick it up his jacksie!" ??

What PJ got right was, naturally, divine in the extreme, as before with LotR. Of course MF was brilliant, as others have rightly said, and I didn't find the pacing a problem. In fact a lot of it happened too fast in the action sequences to take in...or perhaps that's just me getting old?

The CGI was okay to me in close ups, but I really found it very obvious and distracting in the long shots of the company, and too videogame/cartoon-like in places. Not sure if that was compounded by the 3D or not...which I enjoyed, (once I became desensitized to the discomfort of the glasses,) but I'm looking forward more to watching the EE version in 2D.

In all honesty, I did come away feeling a little flat. Perhaps a better way of explaining it is to say I felt detached...the movie didn't draw me in as I thought it would, and certainly not as FotR did.

But at least now I can look forward to seeing the movie again and enjoying my kids' reaction to it on Tuesday at the intended HFR.

Post by **eborr** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 10:22 pm

First off saw it HFR -bmistake, what other folks say about it is true.

Beginning I liked it but I can imagine lots didn't loved the throwing of cutlery bit. Heard some beeb "critics" moaning about lack of diferentiation amongst the dwarves, I didn't get that sense at all, I thought there were plenty of nuances of character in what we saw. Liked Gandalf, Brit viewers will get this comment, has he modeled the character on Foggy in Last of the Summer Wine ?

Action stuff was good, wargs still not quite right, Vista's and long shots were stunning

what didn't I like, reversion to old stuff from LOTR - Thorin, aping Boromir/Aragorn poses/facials experessions - that struck me as very hackneyed

Gollum scene was outstanding, and Freeman has nailed Bilbo

Post by **Mrs.Underhill** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 10:49 pm

My first impression thoughts, before I head out to see the movie for the second time.

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! And I'm very ambivalent about LotR movies, and like RotK least of all.

The first hour spent with dwarves in Erebor and Bag End was an hour of bliss. Gollum riddle scene was sublime. Thorin angst was magnificent and swoon-worthy. Yes, we were hit with it over the head with a hammer in typical PJ fashion, but all I wanted was to be hit harder, it was a good kind of hurt.

I can't stop watching the Dwarf ballad segment, thanks to a kind person giving me a link to it:
http://www.kino-govno.com/comments/38407

It does a number on me in the same way it's done it on Bilbo. Who was that critic person who said "we had to sit through the Dwarf ballad". I... erm.. do things in that person general direction. The most beautiful piece of cinema it was - visually, musically and dramatically.

I loved perky and chipper Elrond, relaxed atmosphere of Rivendell - ah, to see the Elves in peaceful times. Loved quirky Radagast (just had to tell myself that bird poop was lichen, otherwise ugh).
Surprisingly loved the Goblin King!
Trolls being culinary experts a la Iron Chef cracked me up.

The only part I hated was the whole Azog plotline. I wouldn't mind it if it wasn't too much of him to the point it obscured the main Thorin plot - the pain of exile from Erebor.
I get it they want to set up Thorin with a big baddie to hit in the 3rd movie, but that's not the point! The main baddie he had to defeat was himself.
They all had to slay their inner Dragon, not just Thorin - Bilbo, Tranduil, people of Esgarot had to do it too.

Yes, there were usual PJ things where intellectually I would say: "Why?! Why change it, why ddo it in a such a stupid way" - like Bilbo's scene before his talk to Bofur. But then he talked to Bofur about home, and all was forgotten - because that scene was sublime.

And that's what happened practically everywhere - I just couldn't notice or concentrate on the negative because it either lead to or was obscured by beautiful things.

Like the last charge of Thorin, and Bilbo's part, and their final hug. It was corny, yes, but so moving and true to the characters! I genuinely teared up.

By the way, don't agree that last challenge was arrogant and wrong on Thorin's part - he thought they were done for anyway, he couldn't know about the Eagles. He just wanted to die fighting, to not flinch before his enemy.
Azog was a good foil in that episode - he annoyed me mostly because he showed up too early, his "canonical" part after Misty Mountains was rather good.

But the main things, the things I wanted to see - deep, strong-willed, angsty Thorin, Dwarves pain of exile and longing for their home in the Mountain, Bilbo's kindness, common sense and courage being a foil to the warrior culture, Dragon as an embodiment of greed (by golly they even made Thror's greed to kinda manifest in a Dragon!), complex political struggle of Dwarves and Elves - I felt like the movie read my mind and gave me what I wanted.

More please! I can't see how it can't get even better with this setup, as we'll be heading into meatier parts. And can't see how I can handle it - the heartbreak, the intensity, the beauty of the ending.
Can't help loving "Hobbit" book since the first time I read it, with the best part starting after Dragon's death. This is a dream movie to my vision of the book.

UPD: Saw it in simple 3D, it was great.
Now going for the 2D version just to compare.

Maybe will try HFR after that just out of curiosity.

Post by **tinwë** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 10:57 pm

Was I the only one who thought the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot scene in the Misty Mountains was, frankly, ridiculous?

Post by **Elentári** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:09 pm

eborr wrote:what didn't I like, reversion to old stuff from LOTR - Thorin, aping Boromir/Aragorn poses/facials experessions - that struck me as very hackneyed

Oh yes, you've just reminded me - one particularly bad example of this was Gandalf telling Thorin to leave all the talking to him as they approach Rivendell - completely recycling the same sequence from RotK with Gandalf and Pippin as they are about to meet Denethor. It was funny the first time...

Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:13 pm

tinwë wrote:Was I the only one who thought the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot scene in the Misty Mountains was, frankly, ridiculous?

That may well have been the worst part of the film for me.

Post by **Mrs.Underhill** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:36 pm

tinwë wrote:Was I the only one who thought the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot scene in the Misty Mountains was, frankly, ridiculous?

Ridiculous and painfully long, but it's mostly blanked in my memory now.

There was one second though, when we realized that the rocks dwarves hid on were parts of those stone giants who took no notice of dwarves. It was kinda neat as a metaphor of a big picture and small beings lost in it.

Post by **Elentári** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:42 pm

Voronwë the Faithful wrote:
tinwë wrote:Was I the only one who thought the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot scene in the Misty Mountains was, frankly, ridiculous?
That may well have been the worst part of the film for me.

I knew it was going to be bad, so I was kinda prepared. I've read other reviews, though, saying they were surprised by the brevity of the sequence...

Whatever, it was OTT.

Post by **Holbytla** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:03 am

Saw it today in 2D. Going to try to see it in 3D tomorrow.

I liked it overall. I thought it was a good movie.

There were some things that I really didn't like too much, but overall it was pretty good.

Except.....

Apparently Radagast never got the memo;

"To get back to the warning that I received. You may take it with however many grains of salt that you wish. That the brown mushroom acid that is circulating around us isn't too good. It is suggested that you stay away from that. Of course it's your own trip. So be my guest, but please be advised that there is a warning on that one, ok?"

Magic rabbits pulling a sleigh. Really? I can see it now at some theme park; Radagast's Rockin Rabbit Sled Ride.

Did his head really need to be covered in bird poop?

Why did he have to use Gandalf's pipe to get high? Surely he must have a bong or two in his luggage. I mean he is a mushroom addict after all.

About 3/4ths of good ol' Rad should have never left the editing room.

I would have been happy with about 20-30 seconds of the Giants.

I'll write a better review tomorrow after I see it again.

Post by **eborr** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:06 am

Elentári wrote:
Voronwë the Faithful wrote:
tinwë wrote:Was I the only one who thought the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot scene in the Misty Mountains was, frankly, ridiculous?
That may well have been the worst part of the film for me.
I knew it was going to be bad, so I was kinda prepared. I've read other reviews, though, saying they were surprised by the brevity of the sequence... Whatever, it was OTT.

I was just trying to think which bit don't I want to see again - this is the one- what was he thinking

Post by **Pearly Di** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:39 am

tinwë wrote:Was I the only one who thought the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot scene in the Misty Mountains was, frankly, ridiculous?

No more ridiculous than Legolas's daft shield and elephant surfing! Somehow this silliness was less offensive in The Hobbit, a lighter and more whimsical story, than some of PJ's dafter moments in the Trilogy.

Hobbituk's review over at TORC gave me a warm glow, as did Mrs Underhill's.

. I can't wait now to see it again.

.

Yeah, the Thorin/Azog faceoff at the end was pretty silly.

. As was Bilbo's brave but unlikely tackling of a big ol' Azog henchman. But you know what? I don't care. I forgive PJ because both Thorin and Bilbo's characterisations are just SO darned good.

:):)

I rather liked the stone giants.

. PJ took a line in the book and ... expanded on it.

. Where were these guys when the Fellowship went through the mountain passes 60 years later, eh?

(60 according to the movieverse.)M

Post by **ToshoftheWuffingas** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:52 am

Was I the only one who thought the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot scene in the Misty Mountains was, frankly, ridiculous?

Transformers: the Stone Age Years.
I didn't mind them too much apart from the predictable PJ placing of the party in the crevices of the giants constantly and unbelievably threatened with crushing. A distance shot would have worked just as well but would have been Soooo unPJ.

Post by **axordil** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 1:20 am

What would the point have been of a distant shot? If you're doing stone giants, the rule is almost by defintion: Go big or go home.

Post by **halplm** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 3:44 am

So, my question is... could you possibly edit the full (three film version) to only include the bits from the actual book... or are such bits inseparable from PJ's additions?

Post by **ToshoftheWuffingas** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 5:16 am

I think seeing figures in the middle distance the size of mountains sparring together would still have an impact - but not in the Jackson universe. It doesn't rule out some closer shots. But really I didn't mind the conception of the giants I saw apart from the predictable overplayed threats of crushing.

Post by **axordil** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 5:34 am

could you possibly edit the full (three film version) to only include the bits from the actual book... or are such bits inseparable from PJ's additions?

It wouldn't be that hard to get an edit of the first one at least that hewed awfully close to the first six chapters of the book. Much easier than for any of the LOTR movies, really.

I do kinda think even a purist edit needs the cold open with the destruction of Erebor, though, to have anything resembling the structure of a movie.

Otherwise, the following plot elements are all there, in order, and quite close to their source in the grand scheme of things (or easily made that way):

The Unexpected Party
The Departure from Hobbiton
The Encounter with the Trolls
The Rivendell scenes
Goblintown
Riddles in the Dark
Out of the Frying Pan (though this would require some trimming from the PJ version)

Post by **axordil** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 5:36 am

ToshoftheWuffingas wrote:I think seeing figures in the middle distance the size of mountains sparring together would still have an impact - but not in the Jackson universe. It doesn't rule out some closer shots. But really I didn't mind the conception of the giants I saw apart from the predictable overplayed threats of crushing.

I think the rock throwing would have been quite enough to convince the dwarves any cave would do, true.

Post by **yovargas** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 5:53 am

Just got back. My expectations going in were fairly low. My expectations were met. I really enjoyed riddles in the dark. Everything else was just.....meh.

As a side note, rock giants was the first time I've experienced something akin to purist anger. WTF.

I'd give it a C+.

eta - went back and re-read the thread and it seems I am in the minority in my opinion. I am surprised! I actually expected ya'lls to be harsher on it then me...