Among Tolkien adaptations, only Peter Jackson's first trilogy is unanimously acclaimed. The Hobbit is divisive, and Jackson himself is less than satisfied with it. The rest? Often clumsy, even forgettable. And even if the worst adaptation remains the first animated film The Hobbit from 1967 (12 minutes of suffering, available on YouTube for the most curious/masochistic among you), there is also a recent and forgotten live-action adaptation of Tolkien's universe, which stands out for its absurd mediocrity.
A journey to Middle-earth quickly forgotten
In 2014,Warner Bros. Games is about to release one of the best games adapted from Tolkien's universe, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor. To be completely honest, the game is primarily designed to fit, at least aesthetically, into the lore as reimagined by Peter Jackson and his teams. However, the game also shows itself to be extremely respectful of Tolkien's universe and takes the gamble of exploring certain gray areas to create interesting plots, which are regularly discussed at Hitek (like here, for example). Undoubtedly aware of its strong connection to the world of films, Warner Bros. Games commissioned a live-action trailer, an official one, to accompany the game's release.
The idea, on paper, was rather enticing:call on the talented videographers of Corridor Digital on YouTube, known for their ingenious short films packed with special effects, to bring the game's universe to life. Moreover, at the time, the specialist press was strangely enthusiastic about the result. Several sites praise the direction, special effects, and even humor of the film. The short film is relayed as a successful PR stunt and a film faithful to the gameplay, particularly through the staging of the hero's spectral powers. But when you really take the time to watch these 7 minutes and 42 seconds of video, the varnish cracks severely. Very severely, even.
Tolkien and Furious
Let's be clear, Shadow of Mordor - Live Action Trailer is not a fan film or a simple project of a videographer doing their best with a volunteer team. Even if, on screen, everything seems to indicate the opposite, we are here facing an official (!) and professional short film, bringing together qualified technicians and, above all, produced (!) by Warner Bros Games. And even if we suspect that the budget of this publicity stunt is not that of a feature film, we must still recognize that the result leaves one perplexed.
Presented at the time as a fun and epic trailer, this video actually looks like an unintentional parody, shot in a hurry. The set, the costumes, the staging, everything gives the impression of an improvised shoot, without artistic direction or real respect for Tolkien's lore. Besides, without the title of the video, it would be impossible to guess that it is the same universe as that explored by The Fellowship of the Ring. Tolkien's mythological richness? Why do that, when you can film 7 minutes 42 minutes of orcs "fighting"?
Toupee Ranger vs. Plastic Orcs
The fights in question seem to come straight out of a direct-to-video with Steven Seagal, or at best a CW series.The orcs, designed to evoke those in Jackson's trilogy, sport colorful garish and unconvincing prosthetics, poorly lit and never really highlighted by non-existent calibration. The result: creatures with a plastic appearance, whose oversized costumes are more reminiscent of those from a funfair haunted house than an official production.
As for the main character, Talion, the dark and relentless prowler of the game, here becomes an extra wearing a synthetic wig (which was on the heads of two other human extras at the beginning of the film, true...) and dressed in a costume that you obviously have to bring back clean to the store to get your deposit back. In fact, badly encrusted digital blood spurts with every sword strike, like in a bad episode of Spartacus, low-cost version.
However, and despite everything, one cannot deny the obvious passion and involvement of certain members of the team at Corridor Digital. But faced with a universe as rich as Tolkien's, and with the support of a studio like Warner, the final result remains frankly incomprehensible. Fortunately, Warner Bros game would later rectify the situation, on the occasion of the release of Shadow of War, with a new live-action video, much more successful and ambitious, which really made you want to dive into the game.
Are you interested in the history of the big flops? Discover our files on The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Tomorrowland: The Quick and the Dead by Sam Raimi or even 6 fantasy films that flopped at the box office, to see urgently!
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