(TTT) (SPOILER CAUTION) Could Treebeard have been better portrayed by PJ?

[Edena_of_Neith]

SPOILER CAUTION - If you have not read the book The Two Towers, please do not read this.

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SPOILER CAUTION

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SPOILER CAUTION

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In the book The Two Towers, Treebeard indicates initial horror and anger at Saruman and his doings, without any need for help from Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, or anyone else.
Long prior to Saruman's army marching, the Ents hold the Entmoot, called by Treebeard, to discuss what to do with Saruman.
The Ents decide on war.
The Huorns are summoned by the Ents.
The Ents and Huorns surround Isengard on three sides.
Isengard sends it's army out, to march to Helm's Deep.
The Ents attack. A very few defenders are quickly defeated, or flee to be killed by the Huorns (except for some of the Dunlenders.) Isengard is overrun.
The Ents dam the River Isen.
The Ents release the dam and flood Isengard (this occurring more than a day after the assault.)
The Huorns destroy Saruman's army at Helm's Deep.

The point above which I am trying to stress is that Treebeard made the decision to call the Entmoot, without input - input that concerned Saruman - from Merry or Pippin.
Treebeard was already outraged over Saruman's behavior. He was already determined to deal with Saruman.
Although Gandalf hints that Merry and Pippin play a crucial role in inciting the Ents to war, I do not see where - in the book - they say the crucial things that would have inspired Treebeard.

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In the film The Two Towers, Treebeard makes many references to Saruman. It is clear that Treebeard is disgusted and angry with Saruman, but war is a consideration only, not a done deal.
Merry, Pippin, and by default Treebeard, see the Army of Isengard march out against Helm's Deep.
Treebeard calls the Entmoot.
Treebeard and the Ents decide NOT to go to war, and disregard Merry and Pippin ... it would seem Treebeard thinks very poorly of the thinking of these two hobbits. (He most certainly does not listen to them.)

Pippin tricks Treebeard.
It would seem Pippin has an inspiration, that Treebeard will see something not so good, if he passes near Isengard ... and the inspiration proves true.
Treebeard discovers destruction which in the book he knew about already, and in outrage makes a hasty decision ... the decision to go to war.
The Ents assault a heavily defended Isengard. The Ents break the dam holding the River Isen. The Entish assault and the flood kill the defenders and destroy Isengard.

I felt it a bit weak, the storyline, in that the Entish assault which made so much of a difference, was the result of a trick played by Pippin.
Why did Treebeard not already know of the destruction? It was in his own forest, Fangorn, and in regions adjoining Fangorn.
Why did Treebeard make such a hasty decision (haste is anathema to Ents) after viewing the destruction?

I guess I am saying that in the book, Treebeard just ... well ... MADE the decision, to call the Entmoot, his outrage having built to a sufficient level, and this coincided with the hobbits showing up.
In the film, Treebeard did not know, and had to be tricked by someone he obviously looked down upon (thought he was stupid, it would actually seem) in order to driven into war, and then his decision was hasty.

I was wondering if Peter Jackson could have done it better?
I was wondering what you'all think?
If you have alternative ideas as to how Peter Jackson could have done it, I would be interested in hearing them (yeah, I know they are What Ifs, but I'd still like to hear your thinking.)

If the story is different in the Extended TTT film, I am interested in any changes.

I mean, when you consider the genius level of adapting the complicated and delicate Frodo-Gollum / Frodo-Sam / Sam-Gollum / Gollum-Smeagol situation to the screen (I thought it was that good an adaptation, at least), why couldn't Treebeard have been adapted better?
Surely, a trick by Pippin should not be the reason for the victory at Isengard ... or should it? Is that the strongest storyline that could have been presented?

 

[Umbran]

I'd have to agree with you that PJ did somewhat weaken the character of Treebeard, and I'd probably have preferred a version closer to the original story.

The crux of it is quite simply that PJ made Treebeard... stupid. Here's a critter matched in age and wisdom only by the elves, and his whole plan of action is changed on short notice by a cheap trick. That just doesn't sit right with me.

 

[Chauzu]

Maybe PJ wanted to give Pippin a time to be smart, or something? Anyways, it doesn't bug me much. I just miss the ents' marching song. Hopefully it'll be in the extended edition.

 

[Darius101]

I just saw it tonight again and I think that it seemed to me like the enitre Ents thing was in there cause it was in the book.
I liked it ....but it wasn't as clear as it should have been.
I hope in the extended version they clarify it more.

Your points above are well taken and well thought out.
My kids and my wife both thought that the wizard Treebeard takes them too at first was Sarumon not Gandolf....that I am sure will be better in the extended version of the film.

 

[Mouseferatu]

My kids and my wife both thought that the wizard Treebeard takes them too at first was Sarumon not Gandolf....that I am sure will be better in the extended version of the film.

Umm... You're supposed to think that, until Gandalf appears later and Treebeard reveals that it was to him, not Saruman, he took the hobbits...

 

[Welverin]

Umm... You're supposed to think that, until Gandalf appears later and Treebeard reveals that it was to him, not Saruman, he took the hobbits...

I suspect what Darius was getting at was that someone who isn't already familiar with LotR would think that, where as those of us who have read the book see it coming a mile away.

What I found odd about the sequence is TB took the hobs to see Gandalf to find out about them, but the ents still had to discuss whether they were orcs or not. You?d think Gandalf would have told him they weren?t orcs, thus saving a lot of time discussing the issue.

 

[demiurge1138]

My opinion is that, while PJ could have treated the Ents more faithfully, he instead used the Entmoot as an oppurtunity to allow Merry and Pippin to develop into mature characters from the childish buffoons they were in the first movie.So, although it was a departure from the books, it strengthened the movies as a whole.

Demiurge out.

 

[heggland]

Umm... You're supposed to think that, until Gandalf appears later and Treebeard reveals that it was to him, not Saruman, he took the hobbits...

And Treebeard taking the hobbits to Gandalf makes no sense at all. In the book, Gandalf doesn't meet neither the hobbits nor the ents until after the assault on Isengard. If Gandalf was hanging out with Treebeard, why didn't he try to convince him to attack Isengard? Why does he let Treebeard cart off the hobbits? To keep them from harm's way, or in the vain and unspoken hope that they will convince or trick the ents into helping? And why does Gandalf seem to recall his name only after speaking with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli? What did the hobbits call him? This ent business is possibly the weakest point in the whole movie. The ents look good, though.