Sooo...my thoughts...

[ColBlair]

I thought it was 50/50 in my opinion, but maybe I'm also saying that cause how the performances are and how i read the book. To me, the original left out a few things that could of made it exciting. I don't know how I would of made LMI better in my opinion aside of the fact as I said before, make the movie a bit longer with Owen and Abby. Other than that, I was impressed with the film, aside of the the fact that they could of shown Abby's face at the end of the movie. Later on once I got the DVD, it was forgivable due to the fact that sound can make a big difference if done right. I myself, thought the original could of be a whole lot better and I thought LMI makes up for that.

I don't disagree, I think there are things about the original film that could have been improved on. I felt the lack of backstory of Hakan was a big thing that could be improved on, and I felt the lack of Eli's own backstory was something that could be improved on

And guess what, LMI didn't improve on either one of those factors. The two big factors I felt could have been improved on and they missed the boat completely. That's really the biggest unforgiveable sin about LMI for me.

That and I really don't find Abby interesting to be honest with you, you compare Abby to Eli as he/she is presented in the book alone and you'll see what I mean. I found Abby to be kind of boring and bland here. That was another aspect I felt could have been really exciting about LMI, to see a depiction of Eli that was maybe closer to the book. What we got though was kind of a bland, everyday vampire performance from Moretz

So I do agree that there were things I felt LMI could have improved on, and yet it never really did. I think the biggest thing it improved on was making the Bullies a little more savage. But other than that I wasn't really thrilled with the rest of it.

I agree with you 100% on the original film. I do feel like Hakan should of had a backstory and if you saw the film the first time without knowing anything, you're lost in the dark. One guy I read said he didn't know anything about the scar on Eli until he researched it. When I read the book, I got a full understanding how Eli became a vampire. I mean you go the backstory of Eli's life on how she (I can't say he for the life of me) became a vampire how who was responsible. In LTROI and LMI, you're not sure, but you had a feeling that they were once human. I did enjoy the book and there was a lot of stuff going on and the concepts were interesting on it's own merit.

[danielma]

I thought it was 50/50 in my opinion, but maybe I'm also saying that cause how the performances are and how i read the book. To me, the original left out a few things that could of made it exciting. I don't know how I would of made LMI better in my opinion aside of the fact as I said before, make the movie a bit longer with Owen and Abby. Other than that, I was impressed with the film, aside of the the fact that they could of shown Abby's face at the end of the movie. Later on once I got the DVD, it was forgivable due to the fact that sound can make a big difference if done right. I myself, thought the original could of be a whole lot better and I thought LMI makes up for that.

I don't disagree, I think there are things about the original film that could have been improved on. I felt the lack of backstory of Hakan was a big thing that could be improved on, and I felt the lack of Eli's own backstory was something that could be improved on

And guess what, LMI didn't improve on either one of those factors. The two big factors I felt could have been improved on and they missed the boat completely. That's really the biggest unforgiveable sin about LMI for me.

That and I really don't find Abby interesting to be honest with you, you compare Abby to Eli as he/she is presented in the book alone and you'll see what I mean. I found Abby to be kind of boring and bland here. That was another aspect I felt could have been really exciting about LMI, to see a depiction of Eli that was maybe closer to the book. What we got though was kind of a bland, everyday vampire performance from Moretz

So I do agree that there were things I felt LMI could have improved on, and yet it never really did. I think the biggest thing it improved on was making the Bullies a little more savage. But other than that I wasn't really thrilled with the rest of it.

I agree with you 100% on the original film. I do feel like Hakan should of had a backstory and if you saw the film the first time without knowing anything, you're lost in the dark. One guy I read said he didn't know anything about the scar on Eli until he researched it. When I read the book, I got a full understanding how Eli became a vampire. I mean you go the backstory of Eli's life on how she (I can't say he for the life of me) became a vampire how who was responsible. In LTROI and LMI, you're not sure, but you had a feeling that they were once human. I did enjoy the book and there was a lot of stuff going on and the concepts were interesting on it's own merit.

[mini-rant]

I for the love of god can't understand how people don't look at that shot and realize there is something terribly wrong with that picture...A vagina doesn't look like that people...it doesn't look completely flat and well for lack of better of words crack-less...I've never for the love of me understood just how people don't get that there was something horribly wrong downstairs with Eli...

Just i've never gotten that...surely people have seen a Vagina in health class (or in private if people are sexually active)...surely they must have looked at this and thought 'hey something ain't right with that shot'.

I'm not saying they should automatically understand that Eli was castrated, but surely people must have looked at that shot and realized something was incredibly wrong with it.

[/mini-rant]

On one hand I like the hinted mysterious back story of Hakan...but on the other, I so wish they had stregthened his back story a little more.

[rgh]

about the crotch scene rant:
I think the problem is that these people
1) didn't look at what was on screen...they instinctively reacted to what they thought was being shown and didn't really look (you know, I shouldn't look at that)
2) watched on a small screen at home

how many people do you think said, let me take another look at that.

[a_contemplative_life]

I think one of the reasons that Hakan's backstory is not covered in any depth is that TA did not want the story to get bogged down in concerns about pedophilia.

[drakkar]

I think one of the reasons that Hakan's backstory is not covered in any depth is that TA did not want the story to get bogged down in concerns about pedophilia.

Yes, he explicitely said so.
..and it's very confusing with you changing avatars all the time.

[ColBlair]

[mini-rant]

I for the love of god can't understand how people don't look at that shot and realize there is something terribly wrong with that picture...A vagina doesn't look like that people...it doesn't look completely flat and well for lack of better of words crack-less...I've never for the love of me understood just how people don't get that there was something horribly wrong downstairs with Eli...

Just i've never gotten that...surely people have seen a Vagina in health class (or in private if people are sexually active)...surely they must have looked at this and thought 'hey something ain't right with that shot'.

I'm not saying they should automatically understand that Eli was castrated, but surely people must have looked at that shot and realized something was incredibly wrong with it.

[/mini-rant]

On one hand I like the hinted mysterious back story of Hakan...but on the other, I so wish they had stregthened his back story a little more.

I think some people didn't understand how she got that scar. TA cut that out if I remember correctly cause he thought the scene would be too much for the viewers or something. He also wanted to use a live pig, didn't he?

For Hakan, I wanted to know a bit more about him as well.

As for the flashback scene for LMI, it was pretty good and Reeves wanted to have that in there, but before that, Owen asks what she was and he felt that Owen turned his back onto her again. I would of loved to see the full scene that would of showed how it lead up to the flashback, then I would of had a better understanding.

As for Thomas, in LMI, I thought there was a bit of mystery to him. I don't think that Abby chose Thomas to be the caretaker at all.

[DavidZahir]

I just so tired of people s*****g on something I love. Really, really tired of it. Wouldn't you be?

I hate football. Really. Loathe it. Wish it would just go away and fade from the memory of mankind. But I don't go to football forums and spew my hatred to fans of the game.

I think my posts show I'm willing to examine pluses and minuses with both these films. I have disagreed with comments about both, and been anything but shy about saying as much. But pure venom in a forum in theory devoted to fans (or at least civilized discussion) of the film--that seems worthy of complaint.

[Frogster]

There are things I like about both films. I saw LMI first and it was my first love, and I still favor it to LTROI but that is changing as I begin to understand the subtlety of LTROI. I think LMI is a darker film than LTROI. It's message is more bleak and the characters show a limited range of emotion compared to LTROI (which is not necessarily a bad thing.) Owen is weak, unhappy and lonely, Abby is unhappy and lonely which the centuries have dulled into apathy and vulnerability. The two form an undeniable connection. Unlike Eli, Abby's repressed emotions aren't stirred by Owen, she remains largely the same as she does at the beginning. Owen meanwhile lacks the "killer's nature" of Oscar, and finds himself leaving a bad home life to a life that can't be much better with Abby in the long run. Would he be happy killing people for her? Would he be happy as a vampire killing people with her? How does Abby help him improve personally? He fights back against the bullies, but without her, he would have been killed. By the end of the film he is still helpless. And yet the connection between the two is still there. Abby clearly shows affection for both Thomas and Owen.

I think people are miscalculating the role of the Cop plot. His role was plain and simple. You can't fool all of the people all of the time, and sooner or later the people will come knocking. His investigation wasn't supposed to captivating, it just showed the first of many to close in on Abby and Owen. He took up less time than Locke/Lacke.

LMI is the dark side of LTROI. I find LMI touching and moving, but in different places than LTROI. It's true there is no reason for LMI to exist, but I'm very glad it does.

[SPiN]

There are things I like about both films. I saw LMI first and it was my first love, and I still favor it to LTROI but that is changing as I begin to understand the subtlety of LTROI. I think LMI is a darker film than LTROI. It's message is more bleak and the characters show a limited range of emotion compared to LTROI (which is not necessarily a bad thing.) Owen is weak, unhappy and lonely, Abby is unhappy and lonely which the centuries have dulled into apathy and vulnerability. The two form an undeniable connection. Unlike Eli, Abby's repressed emotions aren't stirred by Owen, she remains largely the same as she does at the beginning. Owen meanwhile lacks the "killer's nature" of Oscar, and finds himself leaving a bad home life to a life that can't be much better with Abby in the long run. Would he be happy killing people for her? Would he be happy as a vampire killing people with her? How does Abby help him improve personally? He fights back against the bullies, but without her, he would have been killed. By the end of the film he is still helpless. And yet the connection between the two is still there. Abby clearly shows affection for both Thomas and Owen.

I think people are miscalculating the role of the Cop plot. His role was plain and simple. You can't fool all of the people all of the time, and sooner or later the people will come knocking. His investigation wasn't supposed to captivating, it just showed the first of many to close in on Abby and Owen. He took up less time than Locke/Lacke.

LMI is the dark side of LTROI. I find LMI touching and moving, but in different places than LTROI. It's true there is no reason for LMI to exist, but I'm very glad it does.

Mmmm. Frogster. I respect your comment. Love you got infected. But to say there is no reason for LMI to exist hurts
No LMI means no SPiN or Frogster. If LMI was the door to the wonderful world of LTROI, sweet. Two amazon stories!
I dont even compare the two. Its a lost cause. I enjoy LMI for what it is. Not what its not
You owe me and big Owen another LMI viewing tonight after the eagles/cowboys game

Team Abby

[SPiN]

I just so tired of people s*****g on something I love. Really, really tired of it. Wouldn't you be?

I hate football. Really. Loathe it. Wish it would just go away and fade from the memory of mankind. But I don't go to football forums and spew my hatred to fans of the game.

I think my posts show I'm willing to examine pluses and minuses with both these films. I have disagreed with comments about both, and been anything but shy about saying as much. But pure venom in a forum in theory devoted to fans (or at least civilized discussion) of the film--that seems worthy of complaint.

This would make a great bumper sticker. Sans the second paragraph.
I remember reading this comment before zahir and i 100 co-sign
It's not so much the hate, but the need to bring the original in for the sake of discussion
Everyone should be positive and appreciate the version they adore. Because the love for both films is thick
I've drawn my line in the sand.