Film: The Hobbit : Battle of the five armies (December 2014)

[malice]

Peter Jackson Must Be Stopped

J.R.R. Tolkien once said that “believable fairy-stories must be intensely practical. You must have a map, no matter how rough.” But in Peter Jackson’s new and final Hobbit film, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which opened Wednesday, there is no map. There’s not even a plan. We veer far not just from Middle-earth, but from all plausibility.

But you can’t blame Tolkien for this. Jackson got us here; he’s the one who must be stopped.

It’s not that I’m anti-Peter Jackson. I followed the Lord of the Rings trilogy through Middle-earth like a drooling orc-puppy. I like my fantasy to be exciting, and to take me places I have never been to, and for its protagonists to do cool, heroic stuff. Jackson’s first Tolkien threesome hit all these sweet spots, and made me care about his characters to boot; they were well-rounded people (and hobbits, and elves, and dwarves) whose exploits and feats were still believable.

That’s simply not the case with his Hobbit movies.

MORE: http://www.wired.com/2014/12/hobbit-pet ... be-stopped

[stip]

Everyone who writes a piece like this should be required to actually reread the hobbit, which is a boring book featuring 13 non (not even under) developed Jewish stereotypes bumbling attempts to win back their gold while bilbo 'batman' baggins saves them at every opportunity from their own incompetance. There are precisely two worthwhile passages in the entire book: the Gollum and smaug confrontations. Not surprisingly these have been the two best sequences in the movies, and both superior to the book. Tolkien is not a good writer, and not a particularly good storyteller. He was a exceptional world builder, and it is the bloated feel of the movies, where he takes you on a leisurely stroll through the world, or unpacks its history, that are actually the moments that are most faithful to Tolkien. Likewise, the criticism that we don't care about any of the characters is a problem with the source material that Jackson has (with mixed results) tried to address with his additions.

The first two films are shadows of LOTR, but lets not romanticize the source material here. Jackson went into this with a huge handicap to begin with

[stip]

Also, the much maligned radagast sequences are, without a doubt, faithful to the spirit of the hobbit book

[stip]

I would have given the first hobbit a b- and the second a b, for context. But they are both incredibly uneven.

[BurtReynolds]

I read the Hobbit recently. The plot is a mess, and its told in a frustrating, secondhand way (too many things are told and not shown), but the prose is worth every bit of praise it gets (which isn't translated at all), and the sheer impact of his world building can't be seriously argued against. I would say he deserves to be called a great writer, even though he's far from perfect.

Jackson handicapped himself when he made it three movies. And given that this last one is more his than Tolkien's, he should really stick to directing other people's stories.

[Jorge]

Tolkien is not a good writer

incompetance

[BurtReynolds]

Except for the goddamned eagles, the worst bits in these movies are purely Jackson's, and the third one doesn't have a Gollum or Smaug scene to make up for his Goblintown/River bullshit scenes. This movie is made up entirely of Goblintown/River bullshit scenes.

[dimejinky99]

Bloods about to boil
Jackson says he hates when directors use to much CGI
http://www.cinemablend.com/m/new/Wait-P ... 68760.html

[dimejinky99]

I wouldnt agree with Tolkien being a bad writer, or a not great writer.
The Hobbit was written in such a way that it was and remains very much of its time. Language was used differently(and possibly used to better effect) in the 20's and 30's.

LOTR is purposefully written in an arcane, highminded style, like his own version of the Norse sagas. It needs that and succeeds at pulling it off. That was his goal and he achieved it, I think. The story is compelling, every nuance of the world is fleshed out(though not so a lot of the characters oftentimes) and it's vast and intricate. All his main Elven characters have huge compelling intricate backstories (read children of hurin if you dont think he can write a good story.)

[dimejinky99]

[dimejinky99]

I'd love Stip to read this..it agrees with his opion, broadly, but it nails whats wrong with these films, completely.
http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/12/17/hobbi ... es-thorin/

[stip]

Let me wait until Monday when I see it.

[stip]

Really liked it. Will write more later. Have no idea why dime had issues. Totally reminded me why I love this world

[Alex]

it's okay, you don't have to write more

[BurtReynolds]

thats my cue to leave.

[dimejinky99]

I'm surprised to hear Stip liked it, but as always i look forward to reading his take on it.

[BurtReynolds]

I'm surprised to hear Stip liked it, but as always i look forward to reading his take on it.

How are you surprised?! There was never any doubt. It was written in the stars. The Mayans predicted it thousands of years ago. I would have bet my dog on it, and dogs are better than people.

[lennytheweedwhacker]

anybody seen this?

[epilogue]

Not one person.

[dimejinky99]

you guys are great