SpM, I see cinematographic reasons well - in action movie there would be action, and Legolas fills the bill well. It is logical to have his agility as a starting point, and there is not much inconsistency there. But it is the (harmful, I believe) shift of perspective that Legolas stunts bring about.
Indeed, Legolas is agile and nimble, for elves are closer to nature than humans are. But elven agility (as all their 'superior' skills) is not warlike:
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'Ah, alas!' cried Glóin. 'When will the day come of our revenge? But still there are the Three. What of the Three Rings of the Elves? Very mighty Rings, it is said. Do not the Elf-lords keep them? Yet they too were made by the Dark Lord long ago. Are they idle? I see Elf-lords here. Will they not say?'
The Elves returned no answer. `Did you not hear me, Glóin?' said Elrond. `The Three were not made by Sauron, nor did he ever touch them. But of them it is not permitted to speak. So much only in this hour of doubt I may now say. They are not idle. But they were not made as weapons of war or conquest: that is not their power.
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Maybe agility in snow and rope walking may bring advantage in combat, but that is 'not its power'. Likewise, bodybuilder may prove a bad match for a bar brawl, being trained and strong of body, but the
point of bodybuilding is beauty, not advantage in bar fights.
Oliphaunt stunt shifts another perspective. Pelennor fields is a World War, and all are involved:
Quote:
These three were unscathed, for such was their fortune and the skill and might of their arms, and few indeed had dared to abide them or look on their faces in the hour of their wrath. But many others were hurt or maimed or dead upon the field. The axes hewed Forlong as he fought alone and unhorsed; and both Duilin of Morthond and his brother were trampled to death when they assailed the mûmakil, leading their bowmen close to shoot at the eyes of the monsters. Neither Hirluin the fair would return to Pinnath Gelin, nor Grimbold to Grimslade, nor Halbarad to the Northlands, dour-handed Ranger. No few had fallen, renowned or nameless, captain or soldier; for it was a great battle and the full count of it no tale has told. So long afterward a maker in Rohan said in his song of the Mounds of Mundburg:
We heard of the horns in the hills ringing,
the swords shining in the South-kingdom.
Steeds went striding to the Stoningland
as wind in the morning. War was kindled.
There Théoden fell, Thengling mighty,
to his golden halls and green pastures
in the Northern fields never returning,
high lord of the host. Harding and Guthláf
Dúnhere and Déorwine, doughty Grimbold,
Herefara and Herubrand, Horn and Fastred,
fought and fell there in a far country:
in the Mounds of Mundburg under mould they lie
with their league-fellows, lords of Gondor.
Neither Hirluin the Fair to the hills by the sea,
nor Forlong the old to the flowering vales
ever, to Arnach, to his own country
returned in triumph; nor the tall bowmen,
Derufin and Duilin, to their dark waters,
meres of Morthond under mountain-shadows.
Death in the morning and at day’s ending
lords took and lowly. Long now they sleep
under grass in Gondor by the Great River.
Grey now as tears, gleaming silver,
red then it rolled, roaring water:
foam dyed with blood flamed at sunset;
as beacons mountains burned at evening;
red fell the dew in Rammas Echor.
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It is a victory of many, and many, great and small alike, fell. It is a sad victory, but it would have been grim defeat if
all would not fight unyielding against fear brought against them, and but for
all, deeds of single heroes would have been vain. Now (movie) Legolas, teamed up with Green Ghostly Stuff, reduces the whole Gondor army to mere crowd tinkering in the background while 'real stuff' goes on in front. Indeed, why bother? Summon couple of scores of Legolases out of Mirkwood and they'll do the job for you.
Troll stunt - spectacular, no doubt, but again, shift of a perspective. Book's 'we can not get out' is a sudden and piercing pain, almost despair for me, and parallel with dwarves long ago. Escape from Room of Mazarbul is a marvel, minor 'eucatastrophe' in its own right. In the movie, there is no such a sense at all, rather 'good, they will kick some *** and go on presently'. And an aside - the filming is even disrespectful - indeed, Gimli standing on Balin's tomb - do we treat tombs of our heroes in such a manner? Whilst in the book Gimli first goes for the
ork who dares to set foot on the tomb!
In the light of instances above, horse stunt seems innocent and least unnatural of all (Seeing also as all throughout Caucasus the skill of horse-riding was once spread (and now is preserved by circus troops mainly) when a rider would jump on and off, turn around and lean to the ground to pick up minor objects all in a full gallop)