Re: 'An Unexpected Journey' in theatres | SPOILER THREAD

[Mrs Figg]

ok so the bits I didnt like.

The first half was very slow. It took ages before they got onto the journey.

Azog. was crap. very fake cgi.

The score was underwhelming and derivative, I thought it would be outstanding, but it was blah apart from the Misty Mountain song.

Frodo and Galadriel look much older.

Goblin Town blah, video game.

I am emotionally tired and cant really comment further, but I will see it again in 3D maybe Monday. Overall it was very good.

[Eldorion]

I actually agree with most of your points, Mrs Figg, though I think my overall conclusion differs. I enjoyed the score but it did feel rather repetitive. Most of the tracks were clearly variations on something from LOTR or on the Misty Mountains song (which is very good but eventually gets old). Shore is still great but I don't feel that this was his finest work.

[Eldorion]

I think I've said before that if they pull off "Riddles in the Dark" and "Inside Information" better than Rankin Bass did, that will be enough to keep me from walking out. It's sounding pretty promising for the Riddles scene, and I've got increasingly high hopes for the Information scene in DoS based on the reviews of Freeman as Bilbo and knowing how he and Cumberbatch work off each other. I also don't have any worries that Weta won't give us a cool Smaug, whatever the colour (personally I'm hoping for grey! )

Riddles in the Dark has been basically universally praised so I'm pretty sure it will live up to your expectations. I am a bit worried about Smaug though. The CGI in Erebor was jarring and surprisingly ugly. Maybe the 48 FPS will fix it though. I hope so.

[Mrs Figg]

I actually didnt notice ANY of the music apart from old LOTR music. I think Howard Shore dropped the ball on this one.

[Mrs Figg]

when can we see the EE version do you think? I have heard there is loads from Rivendell that they cut in the theatrical version.

[Eldorion]

I'm sure the Rivendell sequence will be greatly expanded. In the first trailer we saw Bilbo walking around Rivendell and visiting the Shards of Narsil. I'm sure that will be in the EE. If they're going to include young Aragorn that would also be the place to do it. I thought it was odd how Bilbo practically disappeared during the Rivendell sequence so this might be a worthwhile expansion.

I had really thought that the Barrow-downs or Bree would make an appearance but that seems unlikely now. If they had built the set for that I can't imagine they would have cut it from the theatrical film. I don't expect that in the EE.

The Goblin-town sequence seemed a bit rushed so there's probably more that they could add there. I wouldn't be surprised if they stretch out the prologue/flashbacks or the unexpected party as well, though I thought those were too long already.

[David H]

If I had to guess, I'd say they'll release the DVD of the current edit just before the release of DoS next year to build the buzz and give a gift idea for Xmas 2013. Then the 3 disk box set for Xmas 2014. Until they've thoroughly milked that cow we can't reasonably expect an EE. We might potentially expect the EE's for Xmas 2015.

[Mrs Figg]

Do you think the EE will come out in cinemas soon?
I thing there is a lot cut out. Theres the bit with Bilbo at the market in Hobbiton, probably some about the party, and lots more Rivendell and Dol Guldur seems shorter too. I didnt like the Necromancer shadow thing, it didnt seem at all scary, neither did the Nazgul thing. It seemed rushed.

[Eldorion]

Perhaps, although the EE of Fellowship was released in November 2002, shortly before The Two Towers hit theatres (the first Fellowship DVD was released a few months prior). Warner Bros. might try to replicate that strategy.

Do you think the EE will come out in cinemas soon?
I thing there is a lot cut out. Theres the bit with Bilbo at the market in Hobbiton, probably some about the party, and lots more Rivendell and Dol Guldur seems shorter too. I didnt like the Necromancer shadow thing, it didnt seem at all scary, neither did the Nazgul thing. It seemed rushed.

I don't expect the EEs to be in theatres unless it's just a one night or one week thing to build up hype before the next film is released.

I agree that it's weird how certain scenes seem rushed given how long the film was and how stretched out other scenes were.

[David H]

No they'd never put two competing edits out in the theaters. Besides, as soon as Christmas is over you can bet all the editing crew will be up to their necks in Smaug edits. They won't have time for EE's until after the last movie is released in theaters.

[Mrs Figg]

oh poo. I was looking forward to seeing the EE in cinemas soonish.

[Kafria]

Well I've seen it now and........

My best efforts at avoiding spoilers, not re-reading the book recently and just settling down to enjoy it could stop some of it jarring badly.

I suspect if you have no knowledge of the book, or came to this and the book via LOTR it sits reasonably well, (Squach enjoyed it and found the plot easy to follow), however personally I found to many bits that bumped me out of watching....shaking my head and biting the bottom of the bottle I was holding in frustration. It is the first time I have felt this way watching a film so I am putting the blame firmly at the door of this here forum and particularly Petty who argued my into an awareness of how the original trilogy were flawed.

That said there are parts that are brilliant, so in case it needs re saying - spoilers ahead.

I love Freeman and his Bilbo is everything I could have wished for from him. As already mentioned the good morning scene is there in large part, and no I didn't overly notice what was missing having not read it for a while. The riddles in the dark scene is great and I personally found the playing of the duality in keeping, as these are prequals. The pity of Bilbo in sparing gollum is well done too. He has some wonderful heartfelt scenes and a lot of the real emotion in the film comes with him.

But this film is not about him.....this film is the story of a prince of royal line who is robbed of his home an his family and is fighting to regain it. This is my biggest bugbear with the film, as I think it has led to all the other poor decisions, (Azog.....why? no more to say. Thorins churlishness, his overemphasised dislike of Bilbo, (to my mind he never disliked him, just found him a nuisance). The overplayed slow-mo fights.) This annoyed me in no small part as in other ways they seem to have got Thorin spot on, his relationship with Gandalf, snipping and arguing with him before accepting council, his slightly exaggerated self importance in light of his actual situation. There are glimpses of great moments that are then crushed by the arc of this film. And in my opinion it is Thorins tale, not Bilbos, or even Gandalfs.

There are other lovely moments, after the 'comedy' of the unexpected party I actually found 'chip the plates' good fun. The storm Giants are there and for the most part I like how they were dealt with. I could have sat through a lot more of the dwarves rendition of 'misty mountains cold'.

The white council part of in rivendell actually didn't annoy me too much, it gave a reason for galadriel to be there and taken as distracton to allow the dwarves to leave without hinderance it made sense. Even the idea of Gandalf being the one who is aware of the growing darkness, although irritaing wasn't overplayed, so it bothered me less than I thought it would.

The trollshaws, for the most part, played to the spirit of the book and I enjoyed it.

So it wasn't terrible, leaving the aforementioned azog mess aside, but it is far too aware of itself and its status of LOTR prequel, not just in the score, but also in the little nods that are littered through it.

So those are my thoughts...... I will wait till I hear what I believe is the inevitable crabbit explosion from north of the border.

[chris63]

[Kafria]

good on yer....

[chris63]

[Eldorion]

Good review Kafria. I think you're spot on about the (over)emphasis on Thorin. Hindsight is 20-20 but it seems almost inevitable now given that Aragorn was basically the main character of PJ's LOTR trilogy. I think that Richard Armitage did a pretty good job, fortunately, but I would have liked to see more of Bilbo. Hopefully we will in the second film now that we've gotten to the part of the story where he begins to come into his own.

I'm totally with you on Azog, too.

[Kafria]

My fear is that Azog still has to have his payoff and it may rumble on till film three, leading to other distortions.

[Mrs Figg]

Azog is the worst bit for me. He is rubbish cgi. it kind of lets everything down, its so obviously fake. The uruk hai in LOTR were 100 times scarier.

[David H]

My best efforts at avoiding spoilers, not re-reading the book recently and just settling down to enjoy it could stop some of it jarring badly.

I'm trying to do the same, Kafria, but I'm weak. I keep peeking! (Only with one eye though, so it doesn't count, right?)

[Eldorion]

Do you have any idea when you'll be able to see the film, Dave?

[Orwell]

Azog is the worst bit for me. He is rubbish cgi. it kind of lets everything down, its so obviously fake. The uruk hai in LOTR were 100 times scarier.

I probably should not have read this.... Oh well, I guess the films ruined for me now... And to think, I thought it would be Petty who did that to me...


{{{Just joshing Mrs Figg. I have an absolute lack of any sort of high expectation and plan to enjoy the movie come hell or high heaven - or at least, not weep too loudly so as to disturb anyone in the cinema who might actually be enjoying it. That's only good manners... }}}

[Norc]

stop. Azog's CGI was great.

[Mrs Figg]

well I enjoyed it a lot. theres nothing to worry about, its good old fashioned fun. and Riddles in the Dark is fantastic. its only Azog thats pants, the rest is excellent.

[Norc]

well I saw it, and I loved it.

I am sending you lots and lots of kisses cus I loved the movie too!! <3

[Orwell]

stop. Azog's CGI was great.