Review of extended scenes in Two Towers (spoilers)

[Farland]

Thanks to good ole' Walmart, I got my version a day early and watched it last night. I always thought the Two Towers movie was not as good as Fellowship, and I give the new scenes a B+. It almost had an A, but let me tell you why it gets a B+ (scroll down)
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All scenes were great until Faramir and the rangers of Ithilien. It shows them "roughing up" Gollum, in a VERY brutal fashion. Even Faramir later joins in. That really takes away from his character, which they were starting to do a good job of building up. He's not Tony Soprano.

The scene in Gondor was ALL wrong. Osgiliath falling because of Faramir and won back by Boromir? I don't think so. Plus how would "rumors that the ring of power has been found reach GOndor"? Ummm, no.

Finally, please do away with all the stupid anachronisms. Gimli says, "my axe is embedded in his nervous system"!!!!

But the scenes with the orcs were great, the extended battles were great, and Burnam Wood coming to Dunsinane was great.

What did you guys think?

 

[frankthedm]

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All scenes were great until Faramir and the rangers of Ithilien. It shows them "roughing up" Gollum, in a VERY brutal fashion. Even Faramir later joins in. That really takes away from his character, which they were starting to do a good job of building up. He's not Tony Soprano.

I think you are a bit too squeemish.

 

[Farland]

No, Frank, you're missing the point. It is not the violence that bothered me, it is the character implications. Why would Faramir order his rangers to basically torture a helpless opponent? Plus he later does more of the same to Gollum. Faramir is meant to be more noble than his brother, and this scene alone makes him far less noble. It is a mafia tactic. Jackson didn't need it as motivation for Gollum's betrayal, as evinced by three points: it was not in the movie version, the Ring is motivation enough, and TOlkien of course didn't feel it was necessary. It is simply gratuitous cruelty fit for orcs, not noble rangers.

 

[Numion]

Actually, I think that the additional scenes made Faramirs character much better. He seemed odd in the regular version.

Whats so bad about roughing an odd fellow who was already supposed to be killed by Gondors laws? I admit though that I was annoyed by gollum in TTT, so it was fun to see him beaten up

It also made more sense why he would betray them later. As it was in the normal version, gollums betrayal seemed a bit extreme, he wasn't harmed much.

 

[Numion]

Plus how would "rumors that the ring of power has been found reach GOndor"? Ummm, no.

Uh, Gandalf did visit that place when seeking info on Isildurs Bane. Plus Denethor does have a Palantir.

 

[Farland]

It also made more sense why he would betray them later. As it was in the normal version, gollums betrayal seemed a bit extreme, he wasn't harmed much.

*Sigh* Seriously?

And what is so bad about "roughing up" Gollum? Don't you see that makes Faramir as bad as the enemy?

Lastly, do you really think that Gandalf would have bragged it around that the Ring of Power was found? In Gondor, knowing full well that they would want it, and that the spies of Sauron would hear of it if word got out in Gondor? The palantir would also not be able to see the ring of power. At least it didn't help in the book, but who knows with a Peter Jackson palantir?

 

[KenM]

Why would Faramir order his rangers to basically torture a helpless opponent? Plus he later does more of the same to Gollum.

I did not get the impression that Faramir ordered them to beat Gollum, to me it was something that the soldiers did, and Faramir told them to stop it. If "more of the same", you mean Faramir choking Gollum when He showed them the tunnel that lead outside the city, He wanted to make sure that Frodo and Sam would be safe, and had to make sure Gollum got the point.

 

[LoneWolf23]

Also, you have to get into the context that Faramir and his Rangers are actually living inside Enemy territory, and are dealing with Orcs and Orclike creatures on a daily basis. I'd expect them to be rather harsh with captive orclike creatures like Gollum.

And while Gandalf wouldn't have blabbed about The Ring, no doubt some would've become suspicious about his reading up on Isildur's Bane, and the theory of The Ring's reappearance would've been a strong possible rumor.

 

[Ranger REG]

"Noble rangers"???

These men are feared ever since Strider came onto the scene in FOTR. That bartender in Bree who answered Frodo's question, is not too happy nor proud to have a ranger in his establishment.

As for rumors, well, they tends to travel much faster than the actual truth. Of course, it didn't helped when those ringwraiths are roaming around looking for the supposed ring of power without much subtlety. Or many news from travelers of goblins and orcs moving and gathering at the Two Towers.

 

[Farland]

"Noble rangers"???

These men are feared ever since Strider came onto the scene in FOTR. That bartender in Bree who answered Frodo's question, is not too happy nor proud to have a ranger in his establishment.

As for rumors, well, they tends to travel much faster than the actual truth. Of course, it didn't helped when those ringwraiths are roaming around looking for the supposed ring of power without much subtlety. Or many news from travelers of goblins and orcs moving and gathering at the Two Towers.

Yes, noble rangers. Barliman Butterbur was out-and-out wrong on his characterization of the rangers.

And the Ringwraithis were looking for Baggins, not the ring. They most assuredly would NOT have mentioned the ring to anyone in their search. And the goblins and orcs also did not know that they were searching for the Ring of Power (except for the occasional high-up exception, and they would not dare speak of it). Sauron feared that someone like Gandalf or Galadriel might find the ring first, use it to dethrone him, and set themselves up in his place. The finding of the ring and the search for it was secret.