10 Worst Changes Peter Jackson Made To The Lord Of The Rings

Although Faramir served a purpose in the films, he was more of plot device rather than a character of much significance. Peter Jackson only really used him to indicate just how desperate Gondor's situation had become. He essentially plays a weaker and less-capable version of his brother, Boromir.

In the film he's shown to meekly do the bidding of his father, without much success. He essentially botches the defence of Osgiliath and then makes an ill-advised and poorly executed attempt to take it back. It made for a dramatic and impactful scene, but showed Faramir in a pretty poor light.

In the book Faramir spends days doing battle in Osgiliath. The reader is told this from the perceptive of Pippin, who watches from the walls of Minas Tirith. He hears snippets of terrifying news from the wounded men trickling back to the city, and eventually learns that Faramir has remained to lead a rearguard to prevent a rout. This all happens at night, and the only indications of the battle are the thousands of orc torches in the dark and the cries of dying men. It's tense stuff.

Eventually Denethor allows a company of horsemen to charge from the city and help his son. But when Faramir returns it's revealed he's been gravely injured by a Nazgûl. One can't help imagine how much better the character would have been if Jackson had included these scenes.