Movie Reviews!

Being in a mind for a movie this past week rather than the usual PBS Mystery selection, I had Earthsea in my Netflix que. It wasn't the scifi movie I wanted, but it was next best thing.

Somehow, though, I had initially overlooked that this movie was 3 hours long. Yikes! That would mean having to set aside a bit of extra time, make sure the dogs were exercised (otherwise we make multiple trips to the door because Ben wants out, Ben wants in, Kia wants out, Ben wants out, Kia wants in...you get the idea.)

Earthsea is a trilogy by Ursula LeGuin, which I've read ages and ages ago. This description from Amazon.com works pretty well for the movie:

Originally broadcast as Legend of Earthsea in December 2004, the Sci-Fi Channel's four-hour miniseries of Earthsea rides the coattails of the Lord of the Rings trilogy with its quest-driven story of humble blacksmith Ged (Shawn Ashmore), a wizard-to-be who is mentored by the magical Ogion (Danny Glover) as he seeks to preserve the realm of Earthsea from the evil King Tygath (Sebastian Roché). Ged's adventures lead him to the priestess Tenar (Kristen Kreuk, from Smallville) and with secrets shared by High Priestess Thar (Isabella Rossellini), they gain the power to prevail over Tygath. [This] skeletal rendering of Earthsea boasts a wealth of digital effects and semi-lavish set design, but Ashmore's lack of charisma hampers a production already fraught with problems. It provoked the wrath of fantasy fans and a firm rejection by author Ursula K. Le Guin, who had watched helplessly (she wasn't involved or consulted) as her classic novels A Wizard of Earthsea and The Tombs of Atuan were racially "whitewashed" (in Le Guin's words) nearly beyond recognition. As TV fantasy goes, Earthsea is admirably ambitious, but best enjoyed by those with no awareness of the classic books it is very loosely based on.

I certainly don't know about the "wrath of fantasy fans", but was more dismayed when I realized I had already seen the movie!! I must have borrowed it from someone in my book group. Oh well, it was in and playing, might as well finish it.

As with any fantasy book that is made into a movie, there are going to be notable differences between book and film. No exception. I treated this just like I treated LOTR, it's meant to be enjoyed. So if your a purist, then don't watch the movies. If you like to see a different artists interpretation of a book (like a different artists interpretation of a song) then sit back and enjoy the movie. Just don't get to worked up about some of the mediocre acting.