[Fingolas]

Birdland,<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>As a matter of fact I thought the whole crumbling bridge scene was a bit much, and kind of downplayed the more important scene with the Balrog that was coming up. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Yea, me too. That particular part of the scene, while nicely done, sure had a Spielberg feel to it didn’t it. It reminded me of the scene in Jurassic Park where the Rover is stuck in the tree and the paleontologist is trying to save the boy while the vehicle keeps sliding down toward them. Fun to watch but also unbelievable. In the case of FOTR, the idea that this column of stone that weighs several hundred thousand tons could be so precariously balanced that a couple of characters that weigh around 300 pounds could make it lean one way or the other is stretching credulity a bit. That’s also why I’m not particularly concerned with the expansion of Arwens role, as long as it is not overdone. It could add to character development and help the audience empathize with Aragorns character. I could see Tolkien doing this. It’s also why I am NOT looking forward to Legolas shield surfing at Helms Deep! Can you picture Tolkien doing that?<BR> Boy! It sure seems like I’ve been criticizing things a lot lately. I really do think that PJ did a masterful job and I truly loved this movie. It’s just that these little things kept popping up throughout the film and every time they did they served to jerk me back into the present day and out of Middle Earth. And I suppose that is what really bothered me about them. The wonderful thing about Tolkiens writings is that there was none of that. Once you entered ME, he kept you there, and he did nothing to break the spell. Cheers!