The Good and The Bad - a Quick Look at the Movies

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by MatthewM

You're talking about appearance, right? Because in the book, Boromir is quite handsome and Aragorn is, although not ugly, not the best looking of the bunch. Boromir is described when we first meet him as having a "fair and noble face" whereas from the Hobbit's prospective Aragorn looked foul and felt fair when they first met him at Bree. I remember on a few occassions Tolkien cited Boromir as being good looking. I actually think, coming from a guy, Bean was a step back from that...(I know, all the Bean fan-girls/boys are going to get me for that one)

I think the slight altering of Boromir's character (his humanization, if you will) was the only success Boyens and Jackson had while meddling with Tolkien's original characterizations. Aragorn is weak and vacillating -- a friendless and morose loner who does not know what he wants. Faramir? My god, what a travesty for such a noble character (even David Wenham was upset when he read what they did to his character). Denethor? A crass nutjob with no redeeming values (not even table etiquette). Elrond? Sorry, I've never read anywhere that elves whine. I cringe everytime I hear him say 't-h-i-i-i-n'.

So, I would definitely put Boromir's characterization as a positive.

[Nerwen]

Just chiming in with MatthewM– what is all this about PJ "glamourising" Boromir's appearance? Really, I don't think Sean Bean's all that good-looking.

Also, I found the book version to be an interesting and quite sympathetic character... I guess it all comes down to people reacting differently.

That said, I'd certainly list Movie-Boromir as one of the positives. I don't find the fact that he looks different to be an issue at all.

[MatthewM]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Also, I found the book version to be an interesting and quite sympathetic character... I guess it all comes down to people reacting differently.

Thank you! I also think Book Boromir to be quite sympathetic and caring. It's all about how people read him, I suppose, but I definitely see a helping and caring Boromir in the book, and I know I'm quite out numbered here, but I don't like what Jackson did to Boromir's character and I don't think he "humanized" him because (in my opinion) book Boromir is already humanized. In fact, I would say Boromir is the most human out of all Tolkien's characters.

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

I think the slight altering of Boromir's character (his humanization, if you will) was the only success Boyens and Jackson had while meddling with Tolkien's original characterizations. Aragorn is weak and vacillating -- a friendless and morose loner who does not know what he wants. Faramir? My god, what a travesty for such a noble character (even David Wenham was upset when he read what they did to his character). Denethor? A crass nutjob with no redeeming values (not even table etiquette). Elrond? Sorry, I've never read anywhere that elves whine. I cringe everytime I hear him say 't-h-i-i-i-n'.

So, I would definitely put Boromir's characterization as a positive.

Ahh, preach it.