10 Movie Mentors Who Were Actually Complete Morons
2. Gandalf - The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
Gandalf's entire logic of having a hobbit bare the One Ring to Mordor is that they are naturally resilient to magic. So far, so good: hobbits are naturally distrustful of the wizards craft so it stands to reason that they might be able to shake off minor spells. But this isn't a minor spell - this is the will of Sauron, nigh-on irrepressible and capable of even worrying wizards. Witness how easily he bends Saruman - at that point widely acknowledged as the most powerful known magical being- in the world - to his will to the extent that he tears up his own home and begins creating mud-monsters.
What hope do a couple of xenophobic midgets have against that sort of power? None, that's what. The way we come round to Gandalf's thinking is that we see what the Ring does to men, or more accurately, Isildur and Boromir. Yes, Sean Bean throws a strop about it, but this hardly seems like a good case study. After all, Boromir's hardly the most stable bloke, and he's been briefed by his nutso father to carry out his wishes. Isildur just seemed like a basket case from the start. What if Gandalf had given the ring to an elf? Elrond seemed to have his head on a swivel when it came to these matters, and so did Legolas. Unlike every other member of the Fellowship - save maybe Aragorn - he never does anything stupid when it comes to the Ring, is a dab hand in a fight and as a Wood Elf, is a master of camouflage. Why not have him carry it? It's surely far better than watching Elijah Wood go all emotional for 5-and-a-half hours, and almost balls up the whole quest if it wasn't for his gardner.
Also, he does seem remarkably blasé when he realises Frodos been separated from the group. He knows he doesn't know the way to Mordor; he'd probably still be lost in Emyn Muil if he hadn't stumbled across Gollum, which was itself a matter of chance yet doesn't even bother sending the Eagles to give him directions. If you look at it, it's not good mentoring at all - it's neglect, pure and simple.