I just want to start off and say that I have not read the books. Perhaps if I had I might of felt differently about this movie. I don't think this movie deserves all the harsh reviews however. If the movie did completely change the books than that was wrong of the screenwriter, but when you sign over the rights to your work these things can happen.
As a thing on to itself, Earthsea was a pretty good movie in my opinion. Yes, we have the Frodo/Luke/Harry character that is Ged, the Dumbledore/Gandalf/two Magnas (Danny Glover) and the Archmagnas and the Samwise like sidekick. Oh, and don't forget the Magic school- Hogwarts. But when watching a fantasy film don't you come to expect a certain story? The young wizard-hobbit whatever goes on an epic journey and is taught by a guide who must disappear for a while so the boy can go out on their own and find their own path. In essence, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia and all the others share the same messages and the same plot in many ways. Earthsea just taps into that.
Yes, the writing and effects could of used a little work. Kristin Kreuk as Tenar does an okay job, but she seemed too much like her Lana Lane from Smallville. -Basically just standing around and looking pretty. She didn't seem to take much effort with her acting. Shawn Ashmore I thought did a good job, give what he had to work with as well as Danny Glover though he was miscast and underused in the film. The rest didn't stand out too much with their cookie cutter roles. This film is not nearly as bad and many would have you to believe. It may not be the best movie on TV but it is nice to turn on and fall into Earthsea for a few hours.
Even if it's not the book.
As a thing on to itself, Earthsea was a pretty good movie in my opinion. Yes, we have the Frodo/Luke/Harry character that is Ged, the Dumbledore/Gandalf/two Magnas (Danny Glover) and the Archmagnas and the Samwise like sidekick. Oh, and don't forget the Magic school- Hogwarts. But when watching a fantasy film don't you come to expect a certain story? The young wizard-hobbit whatever goes on an epic journey and is taught by a guide who must disappear for a while so the boy can go out on their own and find their own path. In essence, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia and all the others share the same messages and the same plot in many ways. Earthsea just taps into that.
Yes, the writing and effects could of used a little work. Kristin Kreuk as Tenar does an okay job, but she seemed too much like her Lana Lane from Smallville. -Basically just standing around and looking pretty. She didn't seem to take much effort with her acting. Shawn Ashmore I thought did a good job, give what he had to work with as well as Danny Glover though he was miscast and underused in the film. The rest didn't stand out too much with their cookie cutter roles. This film is not nearly as bad and many would have you to believe. It may not be the best movie on TV but it is nice to turn on and fall into Earthsea for a few hours.
Even if it's not the book.