BotFA professional reviews

[Dave_LF]

My local paper - The Detroit Free Press - the largest newspaper in Michigan - gave it four stars - their highest rating. They also did the same eleven years ago for ROTK.

http://www.freep.com/story/entertainmen ... /20482783/

It is the kind of review that a film studio would be happy to pay for as it is one glorious positive bit of praise followed by another.

"totally ridiculous"
-Detroit Free Press

I think I'm ready for the big leagues.

But seriously, this is good to read after all the rottenness of yesterday.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I haven't read most of the reviews but what are the common negatives from them?

Oh, the usual stuff. HFR is terrible, the 3 film split shows that Jackson was greedy, the film just seems like the third act, not a full film. Other than that great Christianity Today review that I posted to (and which was eventually added as rotten), I haven't seen much in the negative reviews that has impressed me.

It has, at least for now gotten back to being fresh at 60%, at least temporarily.

[Passdagas the Brown]

The film really doesn't feel complete, much more so than DOS or AUJ. It comes across as a 2 hour trailer...So I think the critics are spot on there.

In part, I think the lack of a prologue to give the film a true beginning and end may be responsible, but I'm not sure...An opening flashback to Thorin's meeting with the seven dwarf families, and Dain's refusal to join due to Thorin's non-possession of the Arkenstone, may have made a lot of sense, and put the Arkenstone business in its proper context (as was done in DOS). Would not have been canon, but may have been good storytelling for the film.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

PtB, if you haven't done so, you should read that Christianity Today review; I think you would appreciate it.

Speaking from a position of ignorance (having not seen it yet), I would think that the EE would help fix the sense of incompleteness.

[Necromancer Rising]

3 new fresh reviews were added in RT.

1)Gary Thompson from Philadelphia Daily News: http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainm ... oject.html

2)Andrew Urban and Louisa Keller: http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/vi ... &s=Reviews

Current Score 60%

[Necromancer Rising]

2 new fresh reviews were just added
1)Lyle's Movie Reviews 8/10 : http://lylesmoviefiles.com/...ttle-of-five-armies/

2)Jim Judy from Screen It http://www.screenit.com/...the_five_armies.html

61%

[Passdagas the Brown]

PtB, if you haven't done so, you should read that Christianity Today review; I think you would appreciate it.

Speaking from a position of ignorance (having not seen it yet), I would think that the EE would help fix the sense of incompleteness.

It's a good review, and sums up some of my feelings (though I disagree strongly with the assertion that when myth goes from the page to the screen, it becomes "fact," and that this automatically diminishes it - there are excellent filmmakers out there, IMO, who are able to maintain the flavor and essence of myth, without degrading it to the degree that PJ has). After all, by her argument, one could conclude that the "written" myth is also a degraded and more "factualized" form of the "oral" myths of our ancestors. And while one could make a case for that, I don't think it's a strong one. I also disagree with her objections to the many plots left unresolved, as I didn't have a problem with that. But generally, she makes some important points.

Look, BOFA is certainly not a brainless film. But that's due to primarily to Tolkien, IMO, and has only a small amount to do with PJ's interpretation. Except for the end, and a few moments here and there, PJ turned fine wine into grape Koolaid.

But again, ignore me until later tonight.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Hopefully its rotten days are over, although it could easily have a bunch more rotten reviews added and drop it right back down.

I hope it ends up finishing above AUJ, at least, although I doubt it will.

NR, how many of the old reviews that you tracked are we still missing?

[Passdagas the Brown]

Frankly, now that I've seen it, I'm surprised it's even in the 60s. My feelings aside, I had difficulty imagining any professional critics enjoying the film.

[Beutlin]

Frankly, now that I've seen it, I'm surprised it's even in the 60s. My feelings aside, I had difficulty imagining any professional critics enjoying the film.

PtB, maybe instead of recommending everyone to ignore your posts until the evening you should not write anything until the evening.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

And yet many of the best, most respected critics (like Richard Corliss of Time) loved it.

Again cross-posted with Beutlin.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Please, continue to ignore me.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Never!

[Necromancer Rising]

V,these are the older reviews that are missing so far:

1)Mike Reyes from Cinemablend 4/5
2) Nick Levien from NME.com 8/10
3)Joe Walsh from Cinevue 3.5/5
4) Dom Corry from NZ Herald 4/5
5)Brian Viner from Daily Mail 4/5
6)Drew McWeeny from Hitfix 4/5
7)Kenji Lloyd from Final Reel 4/5
8)Graham Fuller from the Artdesk 3/5
9)Kristian Harloff 3.8/5
10)Mark Ellis 3.7/5
11) Rob Daniel from Electric Shadows 4/5
12)Chris Stuckman B+
13)Paul Greenwood from Electric Shadows 3.5/5
14)Jordan Farley (Raving Twitter Reaction)
15)Birmingham Mail Graham Young 3/5

[Voronwë the Faithful]

There is also the Chicago Tribune, correct?

Edit: No, the Sun-Times is what I meant, which was added to metacritic a couple of days ago

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[Necromancer Rising]

Yes. And the 3/4 from Oregonian as well that was added in metacritic.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Meanwhile, back down to 60% with 3 of 4 new ones rotten.

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[Voronwë the Faithful]

V,these are the older reviews that are missing so far:

1)Mike Reyes from Cinemablend 4/5
2) Nick Levien from NME.com 8/10
3)Joe Walsh from Cinevue 3.5/5
4) Dom Corry from NZ Herald 4/5
5)Brian Viner from Daily Mail 4/5
6)Drew McWeeny from Hitfix 4/5
7)Kenji Lloyd from Final Reel 4/5
8)Graham Fuller from the Artdesk 3/5
9)Kristian Harloff 3.8/5
10)Mark Ellis 3.7/5
11) Rob Daniel from Electric Shadows 4/5
12)Chris Stuckman B+
13)Paul Greenwood from Electric Shadows 3.5/5
14)Jordan Farley (Raving Twitter Reaction)
15)Birmingham Mail Graham Young 3/5

A few of those don't actually appear to be tomatometer approved critics. I wrote to them myself with a list all of the ones that I could confirm were on their list.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

The McWeeny and Viner reviews were added, along with a fresh review from Chris Nashawaty of Entertainment Weekly, plus a rotten review from AP's Jake Coyle. Still at 60%, but inching back upward (at least for now).

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I got the same response from Flixster that you did, NR. From "Jose".