Reviews

It's wonderful how Eugene Green is able to give back a medieval atmosphere with no financial means. He uses the "Nouvelle Vague"'s technique of using the word in counterpoint of the image to give such an impression. The universe is completelt realistic and there is quasi no costume, no special effect, but, amazingly, the story tells of two knights who went fought an oger that kidnapped two children in the woods and keeps a young lady emprisonned. I know my pitch is quite confused, but trust me, go see that movie, if it's played in any theater, what is not so sure (I had the opportunity to see it in Cannes, and I really think it deseved the "Caméra d'Or"for this is a firrst movie) I hope it will be distributed soon.

First of all, I must say that I'm a log time fan of Peter Jackson and of Tolkien's trilogy (Oh, and by the way, excuse my English, I'm from Belgium). And I'm soooooo disappointed to see that such a master director (Braindead!!!!!!) has caught so few the spirit of the book. For me it's like the Bible. If you had to put it in film, you have to catch the essence, not to shoot every scene described. And that's the problem with Jackson's first two episodes of the Trilogy: it's a scene after scene movie, you don't have a leading line, unless you've read the books. Well, of course, the special effects are incredible (although I'm not as surprised as with "The Fellowship..."), and the universe showed is incredibly realistic... But don't you think that this is only some make up upon vacuum? And let's not talk about the camera points of view and moves, quasi never justified. (Except the 5 seconds during Aragorn and his horse get up after the fall during the embush of Saroumane's skirmisher Orcs, the camera is sort of shy, hesitating, interesting! Probably the best part of the Trilogy) Except the mono- dialogue of Smeagol/Gollum, which is stolen from the Pixar short which went out with Toy Story 2, the movie is very disappointing...