Those were my two problems exactly. Taking the hobbits to Osgiliath ruins the whole buildup of sheer dreariness and disgust that Sam and Frodo's journey had in the book, and it ruins the whole idea of Faramir being a throwback to the original Numenoreans. The Ents, also, would have chosen to go stomp Isengard without seeing a tiny little field of dead stumps. Also, what happened to the Huorns defeating most of the orcs? I remember Eomer's army being a minor factor. Oh, well.

Overall, though, the movie was BRILLIANT. I especially loved the Smeagol-Gollum stuff. The monologue at the very end was worthy of being put into the book. Arwen wasn't wandering around Helm's Deep. They caught Frodo's betrayal of Gollum JUST RIGHT. Also, the destruction of Isengard JUST RIGHT. Now, if only they'd stuck to the book more with Aragorn-Eowyn, the Elves helping out Helm's Deep instead of the Huorns, Frodo and Sam wandering across half of Middle Earth instead of heading toward Mordor...

I almost feel like this movie was made for standard battle-loving audiences and less for Tolkien freaks. I have a question for Leen or another horsey person. Was the horse playing Shadowfax a bit scrawny, or was I hallucinating?

Ar-very very hyper after seeeing that movie-gh.