Fantasy films - 2012
2012 saw a return to Middle-Earth, new life in a classic fairy tale, and the fall of the Olympian gods...
| The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | Snow White and the Huntsman | The Wrath of the Titans |
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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is visually stunning, as one would expect from Peter Jackson after seeing the three previous films comprising the Lord of the Rings trilogy. People who were already fans of Jackson's Tolkien movies will inevitably feel pleasantly nostalgic returning to the Shire and watching Sir Ian McKellan reprise his role as Gandalf. However, as a far shorter book than The Lord of the Rings, it seems pretty obvious that The Hobbit did not have to be made into three movies, an observation that can be felt watching this first film, which is a little slow-paced at times and even includes some scenes specifically invented and added to the film to connect it to the LOTR movies, providing cameo opportunities for actors from that trilogy, including Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, and Christopher Lee. The liberty taken to expand on the source material and keep audiences in the theaters for three whole movies seems a bit self-indulgent, but fans of the first films will likely find themselves willing to allow it in exchange for a few more hours in the theater with beloved actors and a beautiful rendering of Middle-Earth, complete with score by Howard Shore, who returns for this project.
Although the film does spend an inordinate amount of time on Gandalf and the dwarves convincing Bilbo to leave the Shire for a great adventure, audiences are rewarded for their patience with the return of Gollum in a suspenseful and entertaining "Riddles in the Dark" scene, a few run-ins with comically grotesque orcs and trolls, and a glimpse of what promises to be a visually impressive Smaug the Dragon in the two later films.
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It's always interesting when one finds oneself liking a movie more than one expected. Snow White and the Huntsman is such a film. Even though the story is based on an old Grimm's fairy tale and everyone knows the classic Disney animated classic, this film is able to update the tale for our times.
The single most impressive thing about this movie is how it looks. The medieval costuming and sets are convincing. The cgi for the creatures, the Queen's mirror, and her rejuvenation are at once otherworldly and real-looking. Turning normal-sized actors into dwarves was a nice trick as well.
Kristen Stewart offers us a brave and selfless Snow White, a nice update making her a heroine, not just a damsel in distress. I also appreciated how her affinity with nature - birds and other creatures - was explained as part of the bond between the nobility and the enchanted land. Charlize Theron's evil queen is both awful, but occasionally sympathetic as someone who was once damaged and has resolved to never let it happen again.
The one element I came to question was the greatly expanded role of the Huntsman. Chris Hemsworth is always good in the hunky hero role and his presence probably does help sell the movie. I was curious about his place in the story however. Is he Snow White's mentor, comic relief, or a potential love interest? All or none of these? One could have written him out of the story and had his contributions made by Snow White, William, or the dwarves. Did the producers just think they needed a roguish medieval Han Solo?
There is to be a sequel to this film and I will be curious to see where the story progresses from here.
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Wrath of the Titans reintroduces us to Perseus, the half-mortal son of Zeus, 10 years after the events of Clash of the Titans (2010). For a reason which was never clear to me, Hades and Ares conspire to bring the other gods down and to essentially devastate the world by bringing back the titan Cronus, father of the gods, a giant apparently made of stone and fire. Though this may have been their way of seeking revenge for imagined slights from the past, it doesn't seem like a plan that will offer them much comfort in the long run.
There are many impressive effects: the deadly maze of Tartarus; the final battle of the remaining men and gods versus Cronus and his minions; Pegasus the winged steed.
Watch for a few brief comic turns. Bill Nighy gives an eccentric take on Hephaestus, the builder of the gods. He also has a "companion" who is, as far as I know, the only character to have appeared in all three "Titans" films.
Unfortunately, like many special effects-laden tales, attention to the characters either wound up on the cutting room floor or was simply never there. And the plot, to the extent it was logical, was pretty thin. It was nice seeing the gang back together, but the way the film was ended, it's fairly clear that even the makers consider this storyline done.