Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Extended Edition) | MOVIE REACTION
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2023
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Outro Song:
Ellie's Song - Through the Valley
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#reaction #highlights #Movie - Zábava
Best reaction to Lotr i have seen yet good stuff man.
'Never trust a king that eats grapes during war.' My man out here spitting facts like a boss. xD
This was definitely a good one. Might use it later.
Man freezes frame on the perfect image of blood red dripping from the Steward's mouth -- to jam on film editing for a moment 🤣
Frodo leaving at the end is even more heartbreaking when you understand the context of what was happening and why. J.R.R. Tolkien was a veteran of the trenches of World War 1, and he included many of his own experiences as a shell-shocked veteran returning home when he wrote this series. When Frodo talks about how he's having trouble picking up the threads of his old life, he is echoing a sentiment millions of veterans from around the world express. When their experiences and their pain always seem to set them apart from the ordinary life around them, and so many of them don't know how to cope.
Then comes taking the ship to leave Middle Earth. In the lore, the place they are sailing to is known as the Undying Lands (among other names). It is basically Elf Heaven. So when Frodo says that the Shire was saved but not for him, he is saying that the trauma was too much and that he can't go back to the way things were before, so he is choosing to go on to Heaven instead. The whole thing is a metaphor for traumatized veterans committing suicide when they are unable to cope with life after war. Sam represents those who bear the scars of war, but manage to reach some semblance of peace with their experiences, who carry forward the memory of those who couldn't.
Great post. Sam actually ends up going to Valinor (The Undying Lands) too, which always made me so happy
"Then Legolas built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down Anduin and so over Sea; and with him, it is said, went Gimli the Dwarf. And when that ship passed an end was come in the Middle-earth of the Fellowship of the Ring."
The movie leaves out a lot of the Eowyn and Faramir story; They were recovering for months together.
Yeah the movie makes it seem like they recovered in a day or two.
@@nickyboy22071989 that too, they took months to get to the black gate
Yeah, just based on the movies I always felt she had better chemistry with Merry, but the books do a better job of showing how the relationship with Faramir developed.
My man, there is no shame in tearing up on the "My friends, you bow to noone!" part, just let it happen!
Right? I like how he was just talking about how cool it is to see heroes live to be appreciated. As soon as he said that, I was grinning because I knew he'd get that in the very next scene.
agreed. I've seen these films so many times now, and I still always tear up when it gets to this part. Too many emotional moments piling up to hold them back by this point
I’ve seen that scene countless times and it get’s me every time.
Gets me everytime
Everyone tears up at that scene
When Frodo gets on the boat, the color returns to his face to symbolize he can finally be healed from pains of the wound and the ring by sailing to the Undying Lands.
Eomyr (the horse dude) had that reaction to seeing Eowyn (blonde girl) because:
1) She wasn't even supposed to be there
2) She looked dead
She wasn't dead, but greatly injured and cursed by striking the Nazgul (remember when Merry stabbed his leg and it looked an sounded like his hand was burning? Same thing)
The only reason she survived was because Aragorn went to the healers after the battle and was helping treat everyone.
There is a legend of Gondor, which says, “The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known.”
Him helping an healing everyone went a long way to the people of Gondor accepting him.
And her arm got shattered from the mace
Also because she’s his sister and he loves her and they lost their cousin and uncle and she’s the future Queen of Rohan.
The Hobit is worth seeing. I usually tell people to watch that first. Because it was written first and chronologically takes place before LOTR. LOTR is so amazing it just overshadows The Hobit and then people criticize it because it pales in comparison. But it is a good series on its own and gives you some backstory to LOTR.
Also Eowyn is Eomers sister!
@@pfcampos7041 I'd advise to watch 1978 animated Hobbit or a good fan-edit of the Hobbit trilogy (not the entire three movies though).
I’ve been watching this movie and anything about it for 20 years and I have never picked up on the grape juice/blood and the connection between Denethor & the Orcs. Well done sir.
Right?! I've watched the special features front to back and watched many reactions, nothing
Interesting tidbit about elves: They don't need sleep. Legolas was keeping watch because he didn't need to rest. The elves were "born"/awakened under the stars and they love starlight most of all. So when Galadriel gave Frodo the light of Elendil, it was basically light of that star that she'd captured with magick.
No. Light of Eärendil. Elrond’s father who sailed the silmaril into the sky and became a warden of the heavens to keep watch over the world and the doors of night where Morgoth was being imprisoned.
And that light you speak of is actually the light of one of the three Silmarils which honestly was such a clever and wise and intelligent thing to do on her part. Am even purer version of the silmarils. Which is also why Shelob; the only surviving daughter of Ungoliant was afraid of it and was harmed by it
@@Makkaru112 What is the light of Eärendil Galadriel?
Phial of Galadriel - Tolkien Gateway
Galadriel explained that her phial contained the light of the Star of Eärendil as reflected in her Mirror. As Sam remembered to Frodo, the light of this star was the same Silmaril recovered by Beren, now hold by Eärendil. This made them part of the great tales of the past.
The lights were from the same source but the phial itself doesn't contain a silmaril.
@@maureenseel118 Good info. And if you want more family connections, Eärendil (now a star) was Elrond's father. And Eärendil's grandmother was Luthien, the elven princess who was also half-maia and who helped Beren recover the Silmaril and married him. That is part of what makes Elrond half-elven. Further, Galadriel happens to be Elrond's mother-in-law, making Arwen her granddaughter.
Aragorn is descended from Elrond's twin brother, Elros, so when he marries Arwen, she is his very distantly removed cousin on one side of the family.
frodo almost didnt want to take up sam's hand because he felt immense shame and loss of self worth for not being able to carry his duty on his own will. he was affected by the ring and its destruction was mere luck (atleast in the movies). in those last moments frodo may have even had suicidal thoughts given how much he failed throughout the journey. even in the scene where hes on the bed, he smiles when he sees everyone but loses it slightly when seeing sam, since it reminds him of his own failures. in the end he only gets over it when he boards the ship to valinor, he finally was able to get over those failures and genuinely smile again
I love the fact that you straight sat there for a few seconds after the movie ended, trying to digest and find the right way to express how you felt. Great reaction and welcome to the LoTR family.
Yes, "Kings made tombs more splendid than houses of the living, and counted old names in the rolls of their descent dearer than the names of sons" is from the book and it's actually Faramir speaking to Frodo and Sam but i think that the decision to let it be told by Gandalf fits perfectly for the scene
Also, in Tolkien's works, songs/poems are the most powerful magic. The world was created by songs sung by "gods" basically. This is why "words of power" and oaths are so powerful.
The reason Éowyn was near death was because she stabbed the Lord of The Nazgul, The Witch King. The Witch King himself is like a walking poison, anyone who dares to harm him will be infected with his curse. Mary was also wounded in this way, luckily Aragorn the King had the knowledge to counter this curse and heal them with King's Foil the same flower he used to once heal Frodo.
And also, the editing there is unclear and confusing because the scene of her almost dead is extended version only. A few of the extended scenes don't fit in perfectly with how the scenes around them were done
Plus the fact that the Witch King literally shattered her shield and probably the bones in her forearms and wrist. Ain't now way she was going to walk off the battle field with her arm destroyed like. She fore sure needed that elvish magic medicine and alot of muscle rehab
@@kgk6863 So very true-- as much as I love the Eowyn character, the direction and editing of her extended scenes just didn't work (for me). It felt like they rushed her parts that were in the extended editions.
@@acereporter73Which is probably why they were excluded. I always felt the extended version was for the book fans so they didn’t have to explain some things because the book fans know it. I watched them without reading and it wasn’t a huge deal I just looked things up. Great either way and I’d still say go extended for newcomers.. but maybe this is the film, I never liked Eowyn
That and the books stated “the true king has the hands of a healer” or something to that effect
“You bow to no one” will forever be the line that will make me sob no matter how many times I see it.
It’s just such a beautiful culmination of one of the themes in the series. Even the smallest person can change the fate of the world. And they did. 🥹 Mere hobbits, powerless in the conventional sense of the word. And yet…. More powerful than any other creature to face the ring.
They had to work hard to squeeze in time for Faramir and Eowyn. In the books, they had months together basically in rehab and they got to really know each other well and it took a lot to get her to open up to him. He also kissed the heck out of her in front of everyone! 😊
There was a Palantir (one of these seeing stones that Pippin looked into) in the tallest tower of Minas Tirith. Denethor used this to gather information but eventually strayed closer and closer to Mordor and his willpower was slowly but surely broken by Sauron. So his despair in the movie and in the book is heavily influenced by Sauron
I wouldn't say his willpower as that implies he was turned like Sarumon. He did fall into despair at the visions of the armies of mordor destroying gondor, but he could not be bent to Sauron's will.
@@Alex-dh2cx true! And a very important difference. Thank you friend
Denethor was actually a beast; the movie shades him some. Contended with the will of Sauron for years in defense of his country. Didn't turn like Saruman.
Arwyn's fate being tied to the ring just meant "If we don't destroy that ring, my daughter's going to die". The ring's fate determines the war & the war determined her fate because she chose to stay.👍
Well technically she IS going to die. Her Hrao will wither and her Fea will fade and diminish from the grief of losing Aragorn when he ultimately passes.
Yeah the movie really tries to make that out to be more than it is haha
As a long time reader and die hard fan of LOTR, all the extra Arwen stuff in this trilogy annoyed the hell out of me, tbh. She's a character in the books but NONE of this happened. She made a brief appearance in Rivendell before the Fellowship left on their journey, and she showed up at Minas Tirith after the war. The rest of her love story with Aragorn is in the appendix of the books. The only thing that annoyed me more is that they changed Merry's line from "Are you going to bury me?" to "Are you going to leave me?" When I was a little girl that "Are you going to bury me" made me cry every time. Also the Scouring of the Shire being omitted. Sorry for the passionate nerd-out. :)
@@Cerridwen7777 They wanted to add more for Aragorn, that's why she was made a much more important character. You're never going to get a 1:1 from the books, for any movie. Different mediums require different things :)
@@MrTickleTrunk they just wanted her to have a bigger part to sell the fucking movie she got paid millions for 30 minutes of screen times across the whole trilogy and elijah wood got paid 250k for working 18 hour days for 3 years straight as the main character. sex sells
Frodo left for the undying lands to be cared for by the elves. He basically had PTSD from all that he endured. Tolkien was a WWI vet and understood the effects of soldiers after war. He also lost several of his best friends in war which is why the story focuses so much on friendship.
You said that part about gollum being comparable to people in real life who do bad things, but with mitigating circumstances, and how its still not an excuse; and it was an instant follow from me. Great commentary
Frodo was scarred for life for being a Ringbearer, and his wound that the Witch-king gave him on Weathertop never fully healed and would hurt on every annerversary of the day he was stabbed. Tolkien was a soldier and in the book he basically wrote about the expirence of returning soldiers, many of whom sufdered from PTSD not being able to live a life they lived before the war. Frodo had to leave Middle-Earth because he had PTSD from carrying the Ring and would never be able to live a happy life anymore, just like soldiers from WW1, who could never fit back into society after seeing war. Leaving Middle-Earth on that ship pretty much means he sailed into 'heaven', where he can finally be free from his wounds.
More nerd notes: Sauron made it impossible for lesser beings to willingly drop the ring in the lava, hence why Gollum had to live.
Tolkien clarified that in Mount Doom, the ring's influence was so powerful that even Sauron himself would have trouble throwing it into the lava.
Ian Mckellan really smashed it out of the park as Gandalf. He being a classically trained actor means he had a lot of ways he could give inflections for his performance and really lean into his experience. Same with Patrick Steward who was also trained in the same way.
Did you ever have a chance to see Hamlet with Patrick Stewart and David Tennant? Amazing! All actors should have to do Shakespeare it gives them so much more depth
He suits such a role so well. The writing and dialogue of Gandalf needs a Shakespearean actor to do it justice.
Fun fact, Christopher Lee is a LOTR meganerd. He met Tolkien and got his benediction to play as Gandalf if a movie was ever made, that was his dream. But I think Peter Jackson made the right choice with him as Saruman and McKellen as Gandalf.
@raistmajere7477 funny thing is with Christopher Lee, with his acting style and voice you'd expect him to be a classically trained Shakespearean actor like Mckellen and Stewart (both of whom started as Shakesperean stage actors before moving to TV and film), but he made almost his entire career in horror, B movies and franchise films. He only ever did Shakespeare once and he was a background character with no lines!
Amd yes, Eowen and Faramir "trauma bond" while both healing from their near-fatal injuries. They fall in love and unite the countries of Rohan and Gondor all over again.
But that wasn't her father that died, that was her uncle, Theoden (whose son died in the 2nd movie). Her brother Eomer becomes King of Rohan.
Awesome how Eowen stated "no longer do I desire to be a Queen", yet recieved the title Princess of Ithilien after Aragorn appointed Faramir the Prince of Ithilien.
And a cute detail in the genealogies that Tolkien provides in the Appendices and elsewhere is that Theoden's mother (and Eowyn's grandmother) was originally from Gondor, not Rohan. So there was already a blood connection with Gondor in Eowyn's family history before she weds Faramir. And after her brother, Eomer, becomes King of Rohan, he marries a Gondorian woman, Lothiriel, a princess of Dol Amroth and Faramir's cousin on his mother's side, creating a further connection between the kingdoms.
@@vincestapels2022 and after that he tought her how to cook.
My 2 cents about the Hobbit movies is that they are fun as their own thing. They don't hold a candle to LOTR, but absolutely worth watching!
Expect "Adventure Fantasy", not "LOTR or Tolkien"
I'd describe The Hobbit movie trilogy the same way Bilbo described how he felt before he left The Shire for Rivendell - "thin - like butter that's been spread over too much bread". There just wasn't enough source material for 3 movies, so they made stuff up, and those parts don't really match Tolkiei's style or intent.
They took one short book and tried to stretch it out to three movies. I think if they had stuck with The Hobbit, maybe added in some of the stuff from the LOTR appendixes, it would have been a really good, one, movie.
@@telynns8490 Nah, I think it needed 2 movies
@@billholder1330 Mind you Tolkien didn't write The Hobbit in the same manner as LOTR, he wrote it as a bedtime story for his kids so it has a decidedly lighter tone than LOTR.
Arwen was so beautiful that people have thought that the beauty of Luthien was reborn in her. And Luthien is the elven lady of whom Aragorn sings in "the Fellowship" at their camp.
Eowen took serious Death Magic (Necrotic) damage (Tolkein doesn't call it that, but hey) fighting the Witch King - he struck her left arm and smashed the bones right through the shield, and she took even more serious damage through her right arm when she thrust her sword into his face. Note that her non-magical sword could not have penetrated the Witch King's magic - that's what happened when Merry stabbed him in the back of the knee - that was an ancient Arnorian blade, made for the original war against Angmar thousands of years ago (Second Age). It took out the Witch King's magical defenses, allowing Eownen's stab thrust to the face to get through... So yeah some backstory from the books that the movie doesn't tell you...
Also that they unkowingly exploited the loophole in the prophecy that the Witch-King "couldn't be killed by a Man", it was a Woman and a Hobbit the ones to bring him down.
@@nalublackwater9729 yes definitely a warning about the perils of interpreting prophecy. He thought it meant he was invulnerable, when in reality, it was the recipe for bringing hom down. Prophecy is a tricky business lol.
@@nalublackwater9729 And ironically he was slain by two men and yet none. Eowyn is a Man who is not a man. Merry is a man who is not a Man.
That look Frodo gives Gandalf when he wakes up at the end, hits so hard. The last time he saw Gandalf he was falling off the Bridge of Khazad-dum to his death. For him to wake up and see Gandalf alive in front of him must've been literally as good a feeling as destroying the ring lol
Or he thought he might be dead and in heaven...
Great reaction! Interesting note; the actor who played Pippin composed the song he sang during the scene with Denethor eating (composed the melody, I mean, with Tolkien's lyrics from the book). Cheers! :)
At 1:05:00, Denethor's actions are the actions of despair. It doesn't matter whether Faramir is alive or dead; Denethor has decided that all is lost, and he would rather burn himself and his son on a pyre than perish at the hands of Sauron's forces. Hope is one of the principal themes of LOTR, and Denethor has lost all Hope.
It really is telling that the Ring affected Smeagol so quickly, when Bilbo had it for sixty years with little problem. The difference is that Bilbo is a good, kind, and generous person, and it took a long time for the Ring to work its corruption into him. Smeagol, by contrast, was already a black-hearted, petty wretch. After murdering his only friend in order to take the Ring for himself, Smeagol used the Ring to spy on and steal from his family and neighbors. Recall, too, what Gandalf told Frodo in Moria back in _Fellowship_ about Bilbo having the chance to kill Gollum but instead taking pity: Smeagol made the opposite choice with Deagol.
I've seen this trilogy st least a 100 times lol, I cry every time. Like I know what's going to happen, I say the line with them and still cry and I hope I never stop crying lol. Love your commentary dude, had me laughing
When youve seen it enough you can just listen to the reaction in the background
The more you watch, the harder the tears. It just gets better every time.
The phrase Eowyn speaks to Aragorn at the celebration in the beginning isn't elvish, it's Rohirric - the native tongue of Rohan. Aragorn also used some Rohirric mixed with elvish in TTT, when calming Brego down after Theodred's death traumatized the poor horse. In the books and movies Rohirric is translated as Old English, the way the Common Tongue (Westron) is translated as modern English.
It’s funny you should mention how seeing people exchange news about Frodo makes you feel a certain kinda way - Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, when Lord of the Rings was first gaining popularity in underground and hippy culture, it was common to see graffiti saying simply “Frodo Lives!”. Whether Frodo was alive or not was kind of a cliffhanger in between the releases of the 2nd and 3rd books (the Shelob attack happened at the end of the 2nd) and anyone who knew after reading the 3rd felt the need to share the news any way they could.
Thank you for your service. From a son, nephew, and grandson of combat vets. Glad you enjoyed this. Now go read the books. Even better!
Edit. Tolkien was a WWI vet. He wrote most of the Hobbit in the trenches, by hand. He knew all about heroes that died.
Wasn’t the Hobbit the bedtime story he made up for his kids? Cause they helped him to write it by remembering it and correcting him. I thought Lord of the Rings was based on his time in WWI and the death of one of his best friends in said war
@@Catherine.Dorian. the Hobbit was written as a bed time story. My brother had an anniversary edition that had excerpts of the handwritten pages. All of it though was originally based off an imaginary language he and his sister developed as children. He became a professor of linguistics eventually. Language requires history so the stories were tied in that way too. England had lost most of their legends due to the Roman occupation. He decided to invent a new mythology for the British Isles.
@@jima6545 I thought so! Thank you so much, I didn’t know all of that! I love how much there is still to discover with Tolkien
He'd never admit it, but you can tell so much of Tolkein's experiences surviving WWI shaped LotR.
Thank you for your reactions, for us old fans it's a pleasure to see young people connecting with this story.
In the book, Denethor was a lot easier to like. The part the movie left out was the years of Denethor trying to spy on Sauron with a palantir, one of the seeing stones similar to the one Pippin took from Saruman. Sauron used that to break him down mentally and give him false information that would lead to his demise
Wasnt really a war, sauron was controlling him through it by giving him false insight and making him despair.
@@Corvin_ Denethor was trying to use Saurons own weapon against him, and it's the same shortsightedness that caused him to want to use the ring against sauron. I did word that really bad though so I'm gonna go back and change it
Denethor's book dialogue is amazing. Especially when He and Gandalf conversed. Gandalf always had the greater wisdom, but Denethor could gather information from Gandalf by "reading his thoughts". He was truly a worthy man to endure the encounter of Sauron even once. Tragic character.
@@Corvin_ I don't think control is the right word necessarily. Denethor actually uses a palatir and avoids control which is a pretty wild feat. It was really seeing Frodo captured (which he was) and the corsairs warpath that sent him into despair.
But did he treat Faramir like shit before that
"it is but a shadow and a thought that you love... I cannot give you what you seek" Godamn, the man knows how to lay out a rejection and still keep it classy.
Faramir and Eowin are both children of nobles who were overlooked. They both fought they both lost loved ones and watched their father/uncle fall into dispair. They both proved themselves and overcame great hardship. The moment they met each other they wanted comfort and support and its not impossible to think they would not have heard of each other at some point. The children of two ancient kingdoms with a long history together. They felt a connection because they both had so much in common
Faramir's mother was Findualas, a daughter of the Prince of Dol Amroth. The Riders of Rohan probably had relations with many kingdoms including Dol Amroth. Oh, in the book, Faramir was wounded as he and a small group of warriors guarded the rear of the soldiers retreating from the Osgiliath. Just like Boromir, he fought to the very end of his strength.
I’ve read somewhere that in the books, Sam slept longer than Frodo because he was finally able to rest after a year of putting Frodo first as much as possible, as he carried the burden of being the ring-bearer. His quiet, steadfast, and selfless actions are a beautiful form of heroism in itself.
"My friends! You bow... to no one."
Reminds me of the first time I returned from war (Baghdad), and causes me to cry. Every. Time.
And when the four Hobbits are in the pub after returning, we veterans know that feeling all too well. Looking around, watching everyone go on with their lives, oblivious to the horrors of war. Something I would never wish on anyone.
I pray my children will never have to endure such.
Arwen's life tied to the defeat of Sauron was invented for the movies. Most of her scenes in the movies were invented to give her more face time and a story so you would feel something at the end. In the books, she gets very little "screen time." She did not rescue Frodo at the fords, that was Glorfindel. Eowyn did fall in love with Aragorn, but his belonging to Arwen was never in question. But Elrond would not have his daughter wed anything less than the King of Men. Aragorn HAD to win. Frodo HAD to succeed.
Anduril: In the books, Narsil was reforged in Rivendell before they left. Arwen had nothing to do with it. What she DID do in the books, is make Aragorn's royal banner with jewels and Mithril. And rather than Elrond showing up with the sword, his sons Elladan and Elrohir came with a group of Rangers, bringing the banner. That banner was unfurled aboard the Corsair ships, when Theoden fell, and it seemed that Rohan would be engulfed. All was lost with the Corsairs arriving for Sauron, but... Lo and behold! The banner of the Kings of Numenor! Eomer and Aragorn met at last, and they sang as they slew.
Well said!
Gosh the books are just so fucking good. I know the movies are my favorite and incredible, but just the writing and the moments and deeper character development of the books is something else entirely. There is a great audio book version edited as a sound scape with the films spectacular score, and background sounds (like people in the pubs, or horses, and clattering of swords etc) it is quite an experience that blends the beauty of the music from the film and the emotion that brings, with the wonderful writing and depth of the book. Phil dragash i think is who made it. Worth a look and listen.
Just a small nit to pick... Glorfindel didn't save Frodo at the ford... Frodo rode to the ford on his own. Glorfindel, Aragorn and the hobbits did chase the remaining Riders into the river after it flooded, but Frodo was on his own.
@@gregall2178 I will raise you an Ackshyually... Asfaloth, Glorfindel's horse saved Frodo. Glorfindel just stuck him on his back and told him to run.
@@klaptongroovemaster There ya go 😀
It's okay. You're allowed to cry during LOTR
Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam all sailed to the Undying Lands of Valinor to be with the Valar (angelic powers / god pantheon). This was so they could finally be fully healed before they pass away. The movie tried to show you how sick Frodo was, but didn't really do it. There were several days every year that Frodo was bed-ridden, having feverish nightmares.
Sam too eventually went. In the books, the rescue of Frodo from the Orc Tower was much longer, and Sam used the Ring during that time. And he WAS tempted by it, but overcame it with "Hobbit sense." But even that brief time of bearing that Evil left him scarred as well.
It is also said that Gimli sailed to Valinor with Legolas in the boat he built for them, after many years of traveling together.
Tol Eresea. Right next to Valinor. Those who set foot onto Valinor for too long actually due to how the bodies known as the Hröa and the Fëa (spirit) goes out of balance. GirlNextGondor covered this in recent videos. Somewhere in the how magic works in middle earth video titled Necromancy
I grew up with the books, and later the movies. It's so nice to see a younger generation appreciating them.
This is definitely my favorite movie of the middle-earth universe. Love your reactions, your energy, your insightful appreciation for the amazing dialogue and story. Been waiting for this reaction for weeks and it did not disappoint. Thank you!!
much love!
Denethor is a lot like my mother. She would always say she wishes me dead and that kind of stuff, I have never seen her smile when alone with her. I think it's depicted very well in these movies, although it makes them hard to watch, but I still love them. In particular, I think the actor who played Faramir did a great job, you can see the pain on his face.
It's a true lord of the rings fan to cry at the end
Look man I gotta say it, you the goat. I've watched a ton of reactions to these movies in the past couple weeks and you have by far been my favorite to watch. I don't know how many times in the 1st movie you correctly picked up on what was happening and called out what was going to happen next and it just kept going through all 3. You hella smart dog, you hella funny too and I see the effort with editing. You gonna pop off hella dude keep putting in that work no matter what you decide to do on youtube you gonna do great I believe.
much appreciated and much love🤝🤝
Hands down the best reactor I’ve ever seen. I’ve never seen someone so charismatic, and so wonderfully personable on here before.
I appreciate that 🙏
Return of the King won 11 oscars and did not lost in any category ;)
You correctly identified the 'Gandalf speaking Tolkien' bit. That was from the books. You are also really good at pinpointing the spots where the filmmakers thought they would 'improve' on the books by supplementing, altering or inventing odd bits and bops - which mostly don't work and should make any thinking and honest watcher, like you, go 'what?' or 'hang on, that's silly'. I suspect you might enjoy the books and as a taster I'd recommend reading the chapter 'The Uruk-Hai' from 'The Two Towers'. It gives you a really good sense of Tolkien's style, and being caught up in Merry and Pippin's awful time in the company of a roving band of orcs is just darn entertaining.
Ohhh nooooo, Sam you might have to drop kick Frodo in hahahahahaha
Also I’m glad you showed you watching the credits and hearing that AMAZING final song “into the west” sung by Annie Lenox.
The grey havens is probably my favorite soundtrack score out of the three movies.
I get teared up each and every time I hear "Into the West". That mental imprint of experiencing it in the theatre prolly lasts for my entire lifetime. One of the few cases where I just had to stay all the way through the credits.
Yep, an impressive amount of the dialogue in these films (and all the most beautiful samples) is pulled right from the pages of Tolkien. Some of the lines are given to different characters in the films, but as they tend to be the ones that exposit on the state of the world, it still works.
It's one of the things that Tolkien fans really appreciate about this trilogy of films; that they very much did NOT try to "make it their own", but simply to bring Tolkien to the screen as unchanged as possible. (Something that cannot be said for any other adaptations of the franchise, really.)
Elrond says Arwen is dying because she chose a mortal life. There's no direct connection between her and the ring, but since she chose to stay in middle-earth she's gonna face the same fate as all the other mortals in middle-earth, whether the ring gets destroyed or not. That's why Elrond says her life is tied to the fate of the ring
Quite a decision, given that she was one of the only elf able to make that choice.
That was a detail I wish they had not added. So many of the reactors that I have watched are confused by Elrond saying that.
@@blitz3391 i mean, i think her brothers could, and her father already picked elf.
It makes a lot of sense from a certain perspective. When you are yourself immortal, then anybody who will die eventually is kinda dying, when compared to yourself.
i see this all scene as a reference to aragorn's mother which is dead of despair due to to the growing up influence of the evil . And when she died she said "I gave Hope to the Dúnedain, I have kept no hope for myself"
The in-universe reason for Frodo leaving to Valinor at the end is two-fold: his stab wound from the Witch King on Weathertop never heals fully, always paining him on the anniversary of its receipt, and the evil of the Ring left a shadow on his soul even after it was destroyed. The Undying Lands are the only place he can live free of these pains. (This is why Bilbo also, as a former Ring-bearer is allowed to go as well.)
But yes, these do seem to be Tolkien's recognition of the never-healing wounds of war that followed countless soldiers home, both physical and otherwise.
So, about Denethor, he's a kinda weird guy. Believe it or not he was actually a good steward for a while. The thing you have to know about Gondor/Minas Tirith is that they haven't had a king for generations, so basically the Steward WAS the king. In fact, Aaragorn shouldn't even be king. Long story short, there used to be two kingdoms, Gondor and Arnor, and the same family ruled both. Arnor fell (actually to the witch-king the Nazgul that Eowen kills), and then some time later Gondor lost its king. Aragorn is descended from the Arnor bloodline, so his family was royalty, which kinda-sorta makes him the next in line for the throne.
You also have to remember that Minas Tirath is right on the doorstep of Mordor, so Denathor has been fighting to keep Mordor from invading his entire life. When he was younger Gandal would show up and try to advise him, but also talk about getting the king back to Gondor, which Gandalf legit thought would be a step toward saving Middle-Earth, but Denathor just thought Gandalf was trying to steal his throne.
Also, of his two sons, Boramir was the 'warrior.' He was brave and tactical and practical. Kinda a 'we must use all tools in our toolbox to defeat Mordor.' kinda mentality even if it meant dishonor or cheating or whatever. That's why he wants the ring, he thought it would be another tool in his toolbox. Faramir, while also good with a sword, was much more of a dreamer and more ethically-minded. Faramir also liked Gandalf, which drove a wedge between Faramir and his father. Also, Faramir's line about 'slayng dragons' as a boy was talking about fantasy . . . While Boromir studied military tactics as a child, preparing to fight Mordor and take over the throne, Faramir was running about the castle playing make-beleive dragon slayer, which Denathor didn't like.
Anyway, now, at the end, all seems lost, and so Denethor decides to take the 'easy way out,' and commit suicide (terrible thing, trigger warning) because he thinks that Mordor is going to run over Minas Tirath and win. After all, in his mind the only two hopes (the ring and his brilliant tactician son, Boromir) are lost and so he thinks its over.
"I can't throw it in for you, but I can throw you!" 😂
Frodo and Sam are reunited in Valinor when Roses dies and his kids are grown. Merry and Pippin spent most of their time with King Aragorn. Gimli was allowed into Valinor with him and Legolas sailing there together. So many happy endings.
Don’t dismiss watching The Hobbit, it isn’t as bad as people say. Yes compared to TLotR it’s not as epic, but it does have an amazing cast.
I only wish that reactors would watch it first, before watching the latter then the comparison would be more balanced and fair.
Give it a go, I really think you will like it.
No, it really is as bad as people say, and watching that first would spoil the trilogy that's actually worth watching.
I understand there are fan edits that cut out all the crappy filler, pointless video game action sequences and forced dwarf/elf romances and actually cut the movies down to just the good parts. Imo, you should just read The Hobbit. It's a short little children's book, you can read it in less time than it would take you to watch the crappy, bloated mess of a fake trilogy.
compared to lotr it is bad, not gonna lie my expectations were through the roof when I went to the cinema so maybe the problem was me, lotr is my favourite trilogy of all time so I expected miracles from the hobbit and I didn’t get it😢
Something I wish the film conveyed better is the prophesy that Eowin fullfilled by killing the witch king. Also in the book, She actually announces her true identity before they fight, and it causes the witch king to pause in a moment of hesitation because he also knows about the prophesy that not by a mans hand shall he be slain.
Regarding the Hobbit Trilogy, in case no one has mentioned these points yet, The Hobbit was originally a bedtime story for J. R. R. Tolkien's son, so there are a number of more joke-y elements in that Trilogy that can be jarring to anyone coming from this trilogy expecting more of the same. That being said, there are definitely times when Peter Jackson tried incorporating more serious facets into the Hobbit Trilogy, which many will tell you can be a bit confusing in regards to how you're expected to feel in any given moment, especially if you're not expecting that.
Other than that, The Hobbit is far shorter of a book than the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, but the Hobbit Trilogy has a comparable runtime to that of the Lord of the Rings cinematic Trilogy. This is mostly because of Elements of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy not included in the movies that got shot and inserted into points throughout the Hobbit Trilogy, but does also include characters not originally in The Hobbit having arcs in the Hobbit Trilogy, which a number of fans disliked.
I'd definitely suggest watching it yourself (if only to understand what everyone else is taking about), and I know I'd love to see your reaction to it!
(I think that pretty much covers any controversy around reception to the Hobbit Trilogy without wading too much into spoiler territory)
No. It’s become an acquired taste and we love The Hobbit. We hate the vile abomination that emerges from the dumpster fire called ROP
@@Makkaru112 who is "we"? You certainly don't speak on my behalf. Regarding The Hobbit Movies, while I disliked the shift from real to CGI in a number of cases, I otherwise loved the movies from the moment I saw them, no "acquiring" of taste needed. Regarding Rings of Power, what specifically did you dislike about it? The way you've phrased your comment makes it seem as if you're trying to take what you believe is the safe, "popular" opinion, whilst providing no reasoning for your views.
At 1:15:00, the Witch-King's mace broke Eowyn's shield-arm, but you don't stab the Lord of the Nazgul without consequences. The shock of stabbing him was nearly fatal. In fairness, Peter Jackson & Co. tried to have it both ways: to include Miranda Otto's wonderful scene with Bernard Hill and also to include Karl Urban's equally wonderful reaction on finding Otto's apparently lifeless body. The result is confusing, as you found out.
56:42 The production team had cameos as the pirates. Director Peter Jackson is the man shot with the arrow.
Reasons on why Frodo left Middle Earth "There are some things that time cannot mend, some hurts that go too deep." This is what Frodo says in Return of the King when he is finishing up his memoir, and it is both literal and metaphorical. Frodo actually did receive some injuries that scarred him too deeply and too terribly, and those wounds never fully healed. It is said that Frodo experiences pain from his injuries on every anniversary since he received them. Metaphorically speaking, Frodo says this because he feels he can never truly get over the events of The Lord of the Rings and move on with his life. The pain from his injuries hurts him because of his vivid memory, sort of like a post-traumatic stress disorder.
Because of this, Frodo believes that if he leaves Middle Earth and sails to the Undying Lands (a place only immortal beings and Ring bearers are able to enter) that he will finally find peace and be able to live out the rest of his life free of physical and mental pain. Since Frodo saved all of Middle Earth, he is granted access on the last ship to leave Middle Earth in place of Arwen, never to return. This shocks his friends, especially Sam who has developed an unbreakable bond of love and friendship with Frodo due to the events of the trilogy. From the moment Frodo leaves the Shire till the Ring is destroyed, it is about one year. Frodo will still grow old and eventually die in the undying lands or Tol Eressa. Him sailing over there does not make him immoral, only free of pain and torment.
Boromir's brother, Faramir was in Ithilien when he met Frodo. That's the land above the river and near Mordor. In the battle against the orcs that came in boats he and his men have entered Osgiliath, a city built in the middle of the river that used to be the capitol of Gondor. It has been destroyed by Sauron's army and is just ruins now, but is about the last defensible place that keeps the orcs out of Minas Tirith, which is now the capitol. About Arwen 'dying': They just wanted to make her part more than it was in the books. If you're confused, it's because Tolkien didn't write any such crap as that. The 'poem' Legolas recited was a prophecy by Malbeth the seer about a thousand years before. They didn't do a good job of telling that anyone very near the Nazgul fall under the 'black breath' which is poisonous. Having actually 'touched' the Witch King by stabbing him both Merry and Eowyn very nearly died.
the explanations are very much appreciated🙏
The Hobbit movies aren't so much bad as just not on the level of these. The main problem they suffer from is that it was originally supposed to be two movies, and they found out in the middle of the second one that they were making three, and some of the filler they chose to add was pretty meh. But definitely worth watching.
Really loved your reaction. I think you will enjoy the Hobbit, even though it won't reach the heights of this series. Still, it will be a fun ride and will tie many threads together for you.
I'd suggest reacting to, or at least watching, the behind the scenes of how they made the films. You will find lots of interesting and mind blowing things when you see how they created certain scenes and other things. Also how the music creates the atmosphere of the films and makes you feel certain ways when watching them. Howard Shore is an absolute 'G' when it comes to the LOTR music. As soon as you hear it, you know it's from these films. There are no exceptions or imitations.
Watching Howard Shore is an absolute treat!!! 🎉🎉🎉
Yes. The whole complete passion project documentary film made by the cast and crew who all loved and honoured Tolkien their entire life.
I choose not to ever watch "Behind The Scenes on any films that i enjoy because it takes away from the reality in truly enjoying and watching the movies. I dont want to lose that thought of going on a journey with the portrayed characters. Its like a kid who believes in the Tooth Fairy or Santa and once you know the real truth growing up you are no longer interested and far gone from that reality 😀
The one time something wasn't described as "that's fire," was when the beacon of Amon Din was lit! lol. I was waiting for there to be a pun!
I think one of the biggest reasons Pippin and Gandalf were kinda weird is because Gandalf died in Moria. Had Pippin not attracted attention to themselves they might have passed through Moria unseen and Gandalf would have never died. He might feel guilty but also curious about the pelantir and why Gandalf wouldn't let him see it.
After the ring was destroyed:
Frodo left Middle Earth, so that he may be fully healed. He was still able to feel the wound on his arm from the sword at the beginning, plus for being the ring-bearer and it nearly consuming him like it did Gollum.
Aragorn returned Gondor to it's former glory, and ruled happily with Arwen for 120 years. He had one son and two daughters. When his time drew near, he chose to take command of his own end. We laid in the House of the Kings in Minas Tirith with Gondor's past rulers and drifted into eternal sleep.
Arwen passed one year later.
Gimli became the Lord of the Glittering Caves under Helm's Deep, as it was rich with Mithril. He kept his word to Galadriel, and encased the strands of hair within glass and treasured it.
Legolas restored the woodlands of Middle-Earth that were ravaged by the war, along with adventuring with Gimli. After Aragorn's death, Legolas made a ship of his own in Ithilien, and left Middle-Earth to cross the sea to reunite with the rest of the elves in the Undying Lands. Gimli crossed the sea with Legolas, due to his close friendship with the elf, and was the only dwarf that was offered that honor.
Samwise married Rosie and had 13 children. He was also elected Mayor of the Shire for seven consecutive seven-year terms (49 years.) Afterwards, Sam was given passage to the Undying Lands to reunite with Frodo, as Samwise was also a Ring-Bearer, even for a short time.
Pippin became the 32nd Thane of the Shire, and held that position for 50 years. He had one son named Faramir Took I, who later married Sam's daughter. After he retired as Thane, he left with Rohan and Gondor with Merry. He remained there for the rest of his life, and was entombed in the Hall of the Kings, and later moved to be laid to rest alongside Aragorn.
Merry was knighted by King Eomer and become Master of Buckland. He married, and wrote a book. He had at least one son. At 102, he returned to Rohan and Gondor with Pippin, dying around the same time as Pippin. He was laid to rest in Gondor with Pippin, and later moved alongside Aragorn.
GROND! GROND! GROND! GRO- wait what am I doing? 😂😂
The spider in the movie was called Shelob and that's what Gollem meant when he said 'She could do it' in the end of part 2. And the creatures that the Nazgul wer're riding on were creatures from an older world whose kind, still lingering in forgotten mountains cold under the moon, outlived it's time and there in a hideous eagle's nest hatched this last untimely brood, bent on evil. And Sauron took it and raised it on wild flesh until it was greater than all other things that fly, and he gave it to his servant to serve as his steed.
What I so love about The Lord of the Rings, is that the people who were integral to saving Middle Earth, the Fellowship, were a disparate group of individuals. They came from a variety of backgrounds, held differing opinions, and had preconceived notions and biases against each other (see: Legolas and Gimli). And yet, they were able to put all of those things aside, and work together to defeat Sauron. Without each one of them doing their part, the quest would have failed. They are all heroes!
The charge of the Rohirrim is possibly the coolest moment of any movie ever
OMG I loved your reaction! Thank you for being so true and giving us honest reactions. Got yourself a new follower ☺️
much appreciated!
Nothing like watching a Legenbarry reaction on the weekends! Your energy just never gets old
I am sorry - but his reaction when Eomyr grabbed Eowyn was so great that I laughed. "She died!!!"
Frodo never fully healed from his wounds, which means he could never stay happy in Middle-Earth. He, Gandalf, Bilbo, and the rest are going to the undying lands (Elf heaven essentially), where mortal beings usually aren't allowed. An exception is made for Frodo and Bilbo because they were ring bearers. In the appendices we learn that Sam becomes mayor of the Shire and lives a long and happy life. After his wife dies, he also sails west to the undying lands because he was briefly a ring bearer. So Frodo and Sam do meet again. Merry and Pippin spend their days with Aragorn in Gondor, and when they die they are buried next to Aragorn's grave. Legolas and Gimli remain friends, and their friendship heals the rift between Dwarf and Elf. When they reach their end, they also sail to the undying lands together. It's a massive honor for Gimli, being a dwarf, and never a ring bearer. Once they leave, the fellowship is gone from Middle Earth forever.
Great commentary, I'm so happy you bought into this whole story it's really such a unique work. I wanted to add that I really think you should try to watch The Hobbit. It's not the same as LOTR, 1) Peter Jackson kind of got it at the last minute and didn't have the time to prepare it the way he did with LOTR. 2) He was definitely pressured into making it a trilogy by the studio when I think it would have been better just as two movies. Also CGI had developed much more by the time they filmed it, sometimes to good effect but maybe a bit overused. 3) The Hobbit was written by Tolkien for his children even though he was already working on LOTR, so the story is much more whimsical overall and not as serious as LOTR. That said it's a great take and really an essential backstory about how Bilbo found The Ring in the first place and also a wonderful expansion about the lives of the Dwarves. Martin Freeman does a wonderful job playing a 40 something year old Bilbo which is really nice. Gandalf the Grey does a reprieve of his role which is great and a couple of other familiar faces have some cameos which is nice and definitely bring you back to Middle Earth which I found very enjoyable overall. The music was quite fun also in my opinion. Just keep your expectations in check and I think could enjoy it immensely I know I did. Cheers.
The Hobbit should be considered more of a kids tale to this story, but I think that you would enjoy them. If not then you would know where you stand on them, and they do explain back story.
They are kind of like the prequels to Star Wars, but as a fellow veteran who was a LOR Virgin, until the movies, I like them all, but yea, this is probably the Opus Magnum of them.
Also the supposed death of Lady Eowyn was just a poorly edited thing. Trust me people in the theaters were screaming their asses off about it.
Denethor's role is great in the movie but it was very twisted from original charachter. He was not as mad, not as greedy for power, not as horrible for Faramir, and he did not eat grapes while he ordered rationed food for all others. In the book Denethor eats the same as others, and only those wounded and sick can have more than one meal a day.
Fun Fact:
Miranda Otto, who played Eowyn, never saw the Maze before this actual shot when The Witch King stood against her. So she was genuinly freaked out. 😆
She also plays the amazing role of Gargoyle Queen in “I, Frankenstein”
Maze? Lol I think you mean mace. Actually no, the Witch King has a flail.
Historical use of Beacon Fires vary from age and place, but generally they were an easy-to-maintain way of providing (unlike the Red Phone system in the movies) early warning system against invaders along all of their existence. Around where I am, the earliest remains of beacon fires/pyres date all the way back to mid/late bronze age - to the age when "civilization" started to take root around here.
They used wood and "green/wet" materials to create huge plumes of smoke that were easy to notice from far and wide, calling people around to rally up and make for a fort hill or other preferred defensible location with the livestock.
While the effectiveness of these early pyres are questionable, later on in the Viking Age there are records of Viking Raids being pushed back and/or even totally decimated by communities rallied by these Beacon Fires/pyres if some of the Viking runestones and sagas are to be believed.
In LOTR, the actual "Red Phone System" was the more traditional Arrow Courier thing. Gondor had managed to send some couriers to call aid from Rohan but only one (I believe) ever made it through the pre-siege of Minas Tirith and reached Theodens' court. Beacons were a backup and more of a way to rally the fiefdoms to the South and West by the time of the movies take place.
For fans of Horatio Hornblower, the semaphore signal stations on the French coast were the more modern version of fire beacons.
I still don’t know how you’re reactions be so long and don’t get cut. I am here for it!!!!!! ❤❤❤❤
Life words --- "Not all tears are an evil."
Let'm flow, bro.
I believe the best poster I have ever seen for this movie back in 2003, was Sam looking up the mountain holding Frodo. Before entering the movie, you just knew, it's going to be an incredible movie. And it was, I watched it 3 time in theaters before assigned seating. It was always packed. Well deserved awards.
Idk if anyone has answered your question about why Frodo went to Valinor, but I'll try to give you a short rundown. Valinor or 'the West' was a blessed realm. It was where Tolkien's angelic beings the Valar dwelt, and only immortals could live there. The Elves had to leave Middle-earth because long story VERY short their kingdoms and magic were fading, hastened by the destruction of the One Ring. Ring-bearers, like Frodo and Bilbo, were also permitted in Valinor because bearing a ring of power was considered a great deed. Living in Valinor healed one's spiritual and emotional wounds in an almost heaven-like way. Frodo's journey, the evils and hardships he endured, left him so broken that he found little joy in Hobbiton anymore. So he left both because he was permitted to do so and to heal his wounds. JRR Tolkien as a WWI veteran had seen many horrible things and lost close friends. He did not write about war and evil lightly. Frodo's journey west is basically a very good commentary on PTSD before people really knew what that was (books were published in the 50s). Anyway. FANTASTIC reaction series. I loved every moment.
I just realize watching this, and even though I've read the books a few times a long time ago, I had a new thought. What if Eowyn and Aragorn WOULD have been together if Arwen didn't turn around! Holy crap. Never thought of that before!
That was Tolkien's original plan. He changed his mind, but it's why I don't at all mind the movies playing up the Aragorn/Eowyn possibility.
All I have to say is, excellent attention to detail, sir. And I think you might be the first reactor I've seen to predict Sam carrying Frodo up the mountain.
I absolutely LOVE that you appreciate the writing! Because it is, in fact, perfection
Don't know if anyone mentioned what happens to everyone after the end of the books, but Sam goes on to have 13 kids. Their names are: Elanor, Frodo, Rose, Merry, Pippin, Goldilocks, Hamfast, Daisy, Primrose, Bilbo, Ruby, Robin, and Tolman. He's also elected Mayor of the Shire, and serves for 49 years. After his kids were all grown up and he was an old man he also leaves Middle Earth to be reunited with Frodo.
Legolas and Gimli also leave after going on several adventures together.
Aragorn dies of old age after serving as king of Gondor for 122 years, and is buried next to Mary and Pippin, who died around 58 years before him. Arwen dies not long after Aragorn does. Aragorn's son, Eldarion, ascends to the throne after that. Tolkien had planned on writing another story that takes place during Eldarion's reign, but decided it was too dark a subject and it was best to leave it be. It would've been called The New Shadow. He said this about it:
"I did begin a story placed about 100 years after the Downfall, but it proved both sinister and depressing. Since we are dealing with Men it is inevitable that we should be concerned with the most regrettable feature of their nature: their quick satiety with good. So that the people of Gondor in times of peace, justice and prosperity, would become discontented and restless - while the dynasts descended from Aragorn would become just kings and governors - like Denethor or worse. I found that even so early there was an outcrop of revolutionary plots, about a centre of secret Satanistic religion; while Gondorian boys were playing at being Orcs and going around doing damage. I could have written a 'thriller' about the plot and its discovery and overthrow - but it would have been just that. Not worth doing."
I wish he had written it, personally. It would've been very unique among his works, and I think he underestimated just how much people would be craving every little piece of his writing. Oh well.
1:17:30 (or so) note the Frodo never did get healed of the Nasgul Morgul blade on Weathertop, it was still bothering him until he left for Valinor 5 years or so later. So yeah, Eowyn got a double dose of that "bad magic" ("necrotic damage" in D&D terms) from the smashing mace wound on her left arm, and on the right arm when she stabbed Angmar in the face - watch closely, watch how her sword just FLIES backwards out of her hand after the strike completes... there was definitely some bad magic going on there. Nearly killed her, she passed out right after Theoden dies in her arms...
Not all tears are an evil, my dood. Let'em flow.
You will never find a movie better than these. And that wont change.
Fun fact about Christopher Lee (the actor who played Sarumon): He was a war veteran. When they were filming Sarumon's death scene, the film makers were trying to tell him what noises he should make. And eventually, he just casually told them "Have you any idea what kind of noise happens when somebody's stabbed in the back? Because I do."
Naturally, they backed off after that lol
“Have you ever killed a man Peter?” - Christopher Lee
@@Makkaru112 "...Understandable, have a good day, sir." - Peter Jackson
Choose between Arwen and Eowyn? I would slay every Elf in Alqualonde just to have a 1 in 100 chance to even smell Arwen 😆😆
Eowyn almost died because her flesh was pierced by a Morgul weapon, even from a non-lethal wound --- like Frodo getting stabbed on weathertop.
I first read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings when I was in my teens. I’m now 66. My name appears in the fan credits of all 3 LOTR extended movies and I’ve read the complete history of Middle Earth. I tell you this so you know where I’m coming from. If you’re a die-hard Tolkien purist, you will not like The Hobbit movies. But if you’re just looking for more Middle Earth entertainment, I’d suggest watching them whether you choose to review them or not. Since the studio had such great success with LOTR, they insisted on making 3 movies for The Hobbit as well. Guillermo Del Toro was originally slated to write the script and direct, but due to delays, he had to back out and they convinced Peter Jackson and the original company to take over. So PJ inherited a work that was partially begun and he chose to honor his predecessor and left most of the work intact. Considering he had to fill 3 movies using the content from one small book, he brought in Azog the Defiler and some back stories from the appendices. He also created Tauriel to use as a love interest. All of that said, the spirit of Tolkien is retained and the movies contain most of the same elements as LOTR. Personally, to see Smaug alone is worth the price of admission!