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Arwen is the JarJar Binks of LOTR
Jan. 10th, 2004 12:34 pmOkay, at risk of pissing off all three of my potential readers here, it's time I said my piece. I was pissed at the way Arwen was presented in "Fellowship of the Ring." First of all, Liv Tyler? To say she lacks the regality of an Elfen princess is an understatement. She looks more likely to drool on herself than to carry the wisdom of the ages. But apparently that's just me. Secondly, what the hell is she doing delivering Frodo to Rivendell when it was supposed to have been Legolas? Third -- it's about the One Ring, and the battle for Middle Earth, not about an elf and the maybe-one-day-if-we're-not-all-dead-or-in-thrall-to-Sauron-future-king getting their rocks off. Good vs. Evil, not Boy meets Girl. Get it?
I decided to withhold judgement until I had seen all three films. Well, last Sunday I saw ROTK, and my original irritation stands. Had I been editing the film, Arwen would have been left on the floor. And the film would have been the better for it, no doubt. The "romance" between Arwen and Aragorn did nothing to enrich or inform this story. Sure, she gets to speak some cool-sounding Elvish, but does that really help tell the story? Galadriel speaks way cool Elvish, and it's actually relevant.
In the book, Arwen's decision to stay and wed Aragorn was extremely moving and heartbreaking. Peter Jackson's handling of this was bathetic. I also didn't like the way he presented Eowyn, at least not when she was simpering over Aragorn. Methinks Peter Jackson doesn't like women too much.
The day when we can all present our own versions of movies to our friends isn't that far off. I could re-cut this series on my computer, burn new DVD's, and dish them up on my TV set for my own and my friends' enjoyment. The tough part is just finding the time and the inclination to watch a half dozen (or more) different cuts of the same movie(s).
ETA: Oops. Glorfindel delivers Frodo. I need to re-read my books.
I decided to withhold judgement until I had seen all three films. Well, last Sunday I saw ROTK, and my original irritation stands. Had I been editing the film, Arwen would have been left on the floor. And the film would have been the better for it, no doubt. The "romance" between Arwen and Aragorn did nothing to enrich or inform this story. Sure, she gets to speak some cool-sounding Elvish, but does that really help tell the story? Galadriel speaks way cool Elvish, and it's actually relevant.
In the book, Arwen's decision to stay and wed Aragorn was extremely moving and heartbreaking. Peter Jackson's handling of this was bathetic. I also didn't like the way he presented Eowyn, at least not when she was simpering over Aragorn. Methinks Peter Jackson doesn't like women too much.
The day when we can all present our own versions of movies to our friends isn't that far off. I could re-cut this series on my computer, burn new DVD's, and dish them up on my TV set for my own and my friends' enjoyment. The tough part is just finding the time and the inclination to watch a half dozen (or more) different cuts of the same movie(s).
ETA: Oops. Glorfindel delivers Frodo. I need to re-read my books.
