There was a great reason for Aragorn to fall off that cliff - it made sense for the MOVIE. It gave an excuse to use Liv Tyler in the film!!

"Book justification"?? People need to stop making comparisons between the book and the film. It is one thing to not like a film because the story in the movie doesn't work. It isn't fair to hold the director up to the author of the book. The director has to tell the story HIS or HER way and it is there responsibility to create a story that will hold the audience. Without items like Aragorn's fall the film would have been a series of battle scenes without a compelling story to hold a viewers attention.   What can be accomplished in an exciting manner in a book does not necessarily make it exciting on a screen. The director and writers did a great job in telling the basic tale.

The books are wonderful and they will be cherished forever.   The film speaks on a different level. I realize it is hard to separate something that is so close to so many, but it is important to give the director and screenwriters room to tell a story.   

Ron