Inconsistencies in the book

[The 1,000 Reader]

Originally Posted by Raynor

Sauron didn't actually see Luthien in his tower, because he was "wrapped in black thought". Interestingly enough, Tolkien makes a passing refference in Myths Transformed, that evil begets stupidity

I know, but it still is highly pathetic. It had such an impact, I now get the feeling that a standard soldier could have beaten him in a one-on-one fight. Honestly, he seemed too pathetic to take seriously after that event. He just seemed like a fickle idiot.

Originally Posted by Raynor

Regarding Sauron in the movie, I found his depiction at the battle of the last alliance as distasteful. He was sweepping numenoreans and elves, when the books mention he was forced to fight himself. And to go from that to have his hand accidentally cut (not cut after being thrown down) is ridiculous.

Dude, the movie would lose a lot of impact if we saw the main, dangerous bad guy get taken out by two relatively minor characters just like that. A big part of the movies that made me interested was that the enemy seemed powerful. If it started out with the Dark Lord getting taken out and utterly defeated like the books, a lot of film-goers would say "So they can kill him just like that? All I see as a problem is the Ring!" If the villain is already demonstrated as defeatable and the armies soundly crushed, a large amount of the epic feel is lost. What works for books doesn't always work for movies.