[HCIsland]

Okay, I'm back.

Eowyn: Otto's Eowyn doesn't feel quite right to me. I'm one of the ones that thinks her relationship with Aragorn is being handled well, so I don't think that's it. There's this terrible sadness about Eowyn in the books, like she's walking around with invisible weights on her or a she's draped in a tarp that no one can see, least of all herself. In the movie she's coming across as some kind of midevil feminist. Of course the real test for this character is coming so we'll have to see.

Theoden: Here I go getting myself in trouble again. I like movie Theoden better. It always bothered me how in the book, right after he stops listening to everything Wormtongue says, he begins listening to everything Gandalf says. It just seems like he switched from one person telling him what to do to another. The film seemed to go through efforts to show him making decisions. Going to Helm's Deep was his idea and against the advice of Gandalf and Aragorn and once at Helm's Deep he shone as a commander of his forces. It wasn't just the Aragorn show. Hill's performance was great, especially at Theodred's burial mound and his "Where is the horse ..." soliloquy.

Wormtongue: It was mentioned earlier that Wormtongue was too slimy in the movie but I disagree. I've always pictured him as hunched over, pale and greasy and I liked his look in the movie. It's like he is also paying a physical cost for his manipulations of Theoden and his association with Saruman. I really loved all the moments that Grima was on screen. Then again it seemed all the best lines were either spoken by him or at him, so that may have been it. "I did not pass through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm." An amalgamation of Tolkien's words I know, but it works.

Faramir: Jackson's treatment of Faramir has become a major sore point for my wife that the kids and I sometime like to ride her about, but truth be told, if any of the character treatments deserve the word butchered, it's this one. My biggest problem with Jackson's Faramir (I'm refraining from saying Wenham's Faramir, putting blame where it belongs) is that his motivations for letting Frodo and company go never really come across. I never quite understood this character in the film. Reasons for keeping Frodo are obvious. Besides the pull of The Ring, there is simple mindless duty and certainly the vast majority of soldiers would simply pass the responsibility up the chain of command - in other words, take The Ring to Minas Tirith even if they felt no urge to take it for themselves. But ultimately Faramir lets them go. Why? In the book it is knowledge and wisdom (which are certainly not the same thing but powerful in combination) combined with an extrodinary ability to judge character that aid Faramir in his decision. In the movie, I don't know what it was about Sam's speech that got to Faramir. I have the feeling a piece of the puzzle is missing and I certainly hope the extended edition provides it.

Gollum: Technically the achievement is brilliant. The most fully realized digital character ever - by far. In his first schizophrenic conversation, I felt he edged too close to cute but overall I was very pleased with the treatment as Gollum bounced between threatening and lap-dog. I can't wait for Cirith Ungol.

I think that's it.

H.C.