Radagast in The Hobbit Film (SPOILERS)

[Elf_NFB]

Originally Posted by Gothbogg the Ripper

I am glad they showed Radagast as the cowardly simpleton he was.
His apathy during the War of the Ring has always been absolutely indefensible to me so it was nice to see both Gandalf talking down to him like a child and Saruman ranting about the guy and his poor personal hygiene.

One of Tolkien's most intriguing characters and perhaps one I hate the most. A villain is expected to do evil things, a hero is expected to act with virtue, but someone so completely indifferent is just infuriating to me.
It suggests cowardice, something untrustworthy and rotten.

Don't be mean. Never be mean. Just because we don't KNOW what Radagast was doing doesn't mean he was being a coward. It just means that Tolkien didn't tell us. In the books, he carried a message to Gandalf and set his animal friends to help. Perhaps he was organizing an animal revolt in Mirkwood? Perhaps he was making a nice cup of tea and feeding the rabbits? We don't know. Any speculation tells more about the speculator than the subject. I prefer to think he was doing his part to help save the small animal populace returning to Mirkwood and by his efforts, the Greenwood made a more rapid return to prominence than otherwise would have been possible.

[Morsul the Dark]

Honestly thought Radagast was great I saw no humor in the bird's nest on his head, what Isaw instead was a wizard so devoted to protecting the animals he scooped up the nest and put it on his head. the rabbit sled sounded silly but was used to good effect in my opinion. We already had two tall standing competent wizards glad to see radagast bend the archetype somewhat.

[Sarumian]

I was pleasantly surprised by Radagast in the movie. He was not such as I imagined him, however, I am ready to accept this version of the character for movie purposes.

First of all, he is a part of a wide picture of Middle Earth. If in LoTR films they had to cut chunks of the original story and attempt to reduce this picture to filmable size, in The Hobbit they can present more characters and history. Thus Gandalf introduces wizards in a nicely way, beginning with a weather talk and even tolerating Bilbo asking if other wizards are really worthy or just like Gandalf himself.

Our first impression of Radagast is that this is a silly wizard (I love Silly Wizard ) who is unable to control the course of events when they go grim. It looks as if he is incapable of saving his friend (Sebastian is probably not very typically ME name) and seems to be in danger himself, with something like Nazgul about to break in. However he remains totally concentrated on his task and suddenly comes up with such a powerful spell that the hedgehog starts breathing and opens his eyes; and whatever it was outside has gone. This silly wizard is indeed a Maia.

Going to check Dol Gudur after finding out the malice of its new inhabitants, Radagast proves he is a valiant wizard. There he manages to defeat and disarm a Nazgul (probably Witch King), and comes under the direct attack of Sauron himself. That leaves him shattered but he was still able to take the Morgul blade and present it to Gandalf.

Races on the rabbit sledge look a bit silly and unnecessary but do not ruin the movie. In the end a little bit of silliness suites The Hobbit.

Checking Dol Gudur, taking the blade as a trophy and meeting Sauron face to face - all this plays a very important role in the story: Gandalf obtains a confirmation that his attempt to regain the Lonely Mountain is a right move. This also can explain why Radagast would be reluctant to fight openly: he was one of the few who faced Sauron's direct assault.

The bottom line is that people who seem silly and weird should not be overlooked. They sometimes can be worthy and contribute a lot.

[Glorthelion]

Radagast was sort of a fan fiction character in the movie. What I mean is that Peter Jackson is making up stuff about Radagast like his bunny sled and lodgings. I was entertained by the bunny chase scene though. The bird **** on his hair made him look like an imbecile though. I'm not saying the inclusion of Radagast is a bad thing though.

[Gothbogg the Ripper]

Originally Posted by Glorthelion

Radagast was sort of a fan fiction character in the movie. What I mean is that Peter Jackson is making up stuff about Radagast like his bunny sled and lodgings. I was entertained by the bunny chase scene though. The bird **** on his hair made him look like an imbecile though. I'm not saying the inclusion of Radagast is a bad thing though.

Radagast is an imbecile. And a criminally apathetic one at that.

[cellurdur]

I hated Radagast in the film (though I supported his appearance). He was just not what a member of the Istari should have been. There is one thing loving animals, but it is another having no dignity. If anything in the books he comes across as slightly snobbish with the way he looks down at the Shire. Having bird drops on his head was not only disgusting but beneath a Maia. I will not even mention the use of mushrooms as a psychedelic drug. Was very disappointed with him in the film.

[Hookbill the Goomba]

I liked Radagast's portrayal - though I'm not too keen on the bird-dropping hair. The scene with the hedgehog was something I found very interesting and showed something fundamental about him.
He's an Istari, an Ainur, a powerful wizard with the skill to subdue the spiders and remove the dark curse. However, he chose to channel his powers into the tiny, helpless hedgehog. You may call this petty and a waste of his powers, but no doubt this is how Saruman saw Gandalf. Why waste time on halflings and Dwarves? Why bother with pipeweed and simple things when there is great power and doom going on?
Radagast would probably get on well with the Ents, I imagine.

I didn't like the bunny sled when it was leading the Orcs on a merry chase. In the forest it seemed okay as it was mostly hidden and could be overlooked easily. It just struck me as something popped in to entertain the younger audiences and possibly for some future merchandise.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by cellurdur

I hated Radagast in the film (though I supported his appearance). He was just not what a member of the Istari should have been. There is one thing loving animals, but it is another having no dignity. If anything in the books he comes across as slightly snobbish with the way he looks down at the Shire. Having bird drops on his head was not only disgusting but beneath a Maia. I will not even mention the use of mushrooms as a psychedelic drug. Was very disappointed with him in the film.

Do wizards need such a pathetic thing as dignity? I say 'pathetic' because surely a wizard, in Tolkien's creation or indeed in any other writer's, is an inherently powerful being, much more so than a mere Man. 'Dignity' is something we humans need to set ourselves above or apart from the common herd and wizards by their nature have no need of that.

McCoy's portrayal of Radagast is not unlike a lot of figures in folklore - eccentric, unfathomable, even a bit disgusting.

As for him being 'silly', it puzzles me that when Jackson chose to excise the 'silly' things from the essentially very serious Lord of the Rings text, such as Tom Bombadil, he was praised. Yet when he chooses to echo the incredibe silliness of the text of The Hobbit, he is lambasted.

I wasn't keen on a hedgehog being named 'Sebastian' as the name was a bit jarring (I associate it with Brideshead Revisited and posh people's children), though I have my suspicions that might be McCoy's idea or an in-joke somewhere along the line.