Which book?

Rating: 8/10 (20 December 2002)

***SLIGHT SPOILERS*** The film is amazing. The special effects and action scenes are breathtaking. The computer generated Gollum steals the show - eligible for an oscar? This is certainly a cinematic triumph. But I was increasingly asking myself which book it was about. I confess to being an Lord Of the Rings fan and have read the books several times over the last 30 years. The storyline wasn't merely adapted for effect but completely re-written in places.

In the book Treebeard is thoughtful and wise. The Ents are stirred into action against Saruman. Here he comes over comes as reluctant to fight and only goes to war when Pippin tricks him. Would the real Treebeard be tricked by anyone let alone a Hobbit.
The book contrasts Faramir with Boromir. He is not like his brother. He sees the danger of using the ring against the evil one. In the film he is just the same as Boromir and only agrees to help Frodo after Sam's speech. Since when did Frodo come face to face with a Nazgul within spitting distance of Mordor? (Isn't it supposed to be a secret? Wouldn't Sauron's faithful servant tell him?)Since when did an army of elves turn up at Helm's deep and all apparently die. Since when did Eomer come to the rescue. And so it goes on.
I agree that there has to be some adaptation of the book to translate it from page to screen. But Peter Jackson seems to have simply changed too much. Was Tolkein's version not good enough. Why film it then?