Thanks for the succinct list, Halasian.
Let's take a look at each, from Ent's (current) thoughts about them...
It was not limited 'by its movie format' but 'by the period it by nature covers. This compares apples and oranges. LoTR us by nature 'historical' and limited to the short period of years which becomes the end of
the third age, with but references to 'things of yore.' LoTR has "no intent' much less 'no opportunity" to 'do better or differently' in this arena whatsoever. The comparison of 'doing better' is inapplicable.. so inapproopriate.
This may have some merit. The question is, is the 'diversity' shown upheld by the text of the works, and the difference in the Producers' intent to display
Tolkien rather than society? Or is the 'diversity' depicted done for reasons other than a faithful depiction of Tolkien's writings. We can let the reader decide this one. Much of it 'feels' to me like little but 'concessions due to social pressure' rather than 'accuracy in displaying Tolkien's work.' I do not call it 'better'. Just a choice one way or the other.
The final comment '
the more people that feel at home' in Middle-earth the better." This opinion does have it's place. But whether it's really ''better' is of course dependint on our definition and measuring stick for 'better'. It will almost certainly be true for those who are unfamiliar with Tolkien's writing...and those others who always judge the past by the present's perspective rather than what was at the time.
Here again, we must look to what Tolkien wrote in his works. We're dealing with just the remaining
elves at the end of the 3rd age in LoTR. Is this apples and oranges to the great variety seen in the earlier period? That is, are we seeing a Jackson decision to 'make elves perfect' (which they aren't depicted as being by the way) or Tolkien's work in LoTR with the elves he had at hand during that short period? Again, we have apples and oranges.
I will not speak to this one... no time to look it through. But as I recall,
Isildur has very little 'showing' in LoTR by nature... so I think I would find any comparison difficult, LoTR speaking to but people's memories of Isildur and what the
tales over the years have made it to be.
So... though the comparison itself above seems to suggest 'time and abilities/capabilities' are a factor in this, I don't doubt PJ could have done differently. (Though I don't think his
Orcs are by any means not 'good looking' for Orcs.) But one thing is clear: the Orcs (and general situations) of
RoP DO seem to feel a little more 'realistic' than in LoTR. I can't quite lay a twig on why that is, but well... it 'feels' different. Is it better? I'm not sure.
This I can agree with. Tolkien did not write his work as a slapstick comedy at points, or with characters making jokes of serious things at times, or superheros sledding down steps, doing acrobatics mounting
Oliphaunts and skiing off their trunks, or having 'number of kills' contests etc. He wrote serious
events, seriously. PJ made a mistake here (in my view) - one we've seen an absence of (so far) in RoP. But is it better? If I were among the parents of the 'young audiences' I may well prefer the slight light humor of LoTR to keep the kids involved, thus earning more at the box office. Though LoTR has some significantly 'scary' scenes with the Orcs etc., RoP is no doubt a bit 'darker' throughout so far, and possibly more 'unsuitable' for kids. (Though these days, what is 'suitable' and 'unsuitable' for kids is vastly different than it was just those couple decades or so ago, and parents are far less discriminating.)
Again this could well be 'oranges and apples'. (OK, vice versa for the puritan reader.)
Elrond is in a very different age now, having already lived through the first
war of the Ring, seen the 'failure of man' at its time for destruction, and been through many, many more
wars. People... yes, even those Elves, already said to have beend drawn 'less perfectly' in RoP... change.
Elrond's change is a part of that 'imperfection' the writer of the article says earlier he does not see. Seems a little inconsistent to me.
Does this make the depiction of Elrond 'better' in RoP than in LoTR? Not in the least. It shows the passage of time and its potential impact. (I note the writer doesn't mention at all, the difference in depiction of
Galadriel, as being 'better' in RoP than in LoTR... and this is a GOOD thing, as again there would be a 'speaking out of both sides of the mouth' on an issue.)
I've spoken to this briefly in a post above, and won't repeat it. The writer misses the reality of the existence of
Sauron in the two different times completely.
Ent's final judgment on (opinion of) of the article in the original post:
A complete miss, totally mistaking what's going on at almost every point in the fare offered.
The very effort of looking for 'better' rather than just 'different' on such grounds as these, is amiss entirely.
But again, we can anticipate more of this as time moves us inexorably toward the advent of RoP2. It's all about the hype, and keeping it in the foreground as the upcoming opportunity nears.
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