I liked it for the most part. Gollum's scene was definitely the best; it was both hilarious and very tense. (I've always though Gollum was the best thing about the movies in general; they did such a good job with him.)

However, it really felt padded at parts. They could've done it in two films.
 
Not perfect, but still a beautiful telling. The first 45 minutes felt like reading straight-up Tolkien; it was amazing! I'm going to see it again before I give it a rating... but I highly recommend!

I found I could actually quote parts because they were from the books. My dad said he elbowed me once to get me to stop because I was ALREADY quoting the movie the first time I'd seen it, but I was too entranced to notice.:p
 
Spoilers Ahead

**Spoilers Ahead **

OK, let me say: I loved it! Totally loved it! But I am a Hobbit/LOTR geek. My husband and step-daughter both seemed to think it was too long, and there were too many battles. I agreed with them about the battles, but otherwise I thought it was superb.

Loved the dwarves, especially Thorin. I can totally see him as the proud and determined Thorin from the book. We did not get to see a lot of the others' personalities developed, but neither do we in the book. Fili and Kili are cute, and Bombur was nice and fat, so I was happy.

Loved the counsel of the elves and wizards; I expect we will see Gandalf fight the Necromancer in the next film, and I can't wait! I love how PJ is weaving in events and themes that really you only find in the appendixes/history at the end of LOTR (or it may be in the Silmarillion, too? Long time since I read that)

But back story with Azog and Thrain and Thror, that was excellent, the back story about Dale and Smaug's destruction of it, all of that was really good, If PJ wanted to make 3 films, he needed that stuff, and I think he is doing a good job with it so far. Azog isn't the antagonist in the book that he is in the film; he is dead in the book, isn't he? At least, when that part is told at the end of LOTR, as I recall -- but I don't mind it, it gives some added excitement to the journey and they need that if they're going to do 3 films on this one story. I think where PJ adds things, they're usually OK.

Gollum was wonderful, loved his scene and the riddles. The goblins were wonderful, even the little song they sang about beating and biting and crushing, etc down into Goblin Town, loved that. The trolls also were very nicely done! I didn't like Bilbo's getting snot on him, and that scene seemed to go on a bit long, but still it was good, and similar to how it happened in the book.

Loved Radagast! Just how I imagined him, simple woul. That was a great way to introduce the Necromancer, by having Radagast encounter him and bring the news to Gandalf; as soon as that happened, then it made sense that Gandalf would leave the dwarves and go on his own business -- it's not explained in the book what he is doing, but if this is how it plays out, that he is going to fight the Necromancer, than that's good. I like how they made Saruman already kind of obstinate and willing to turn a blind eye in the belief that Sauron/Morgoth are defeated.

I loved the whole beginning of the film, from the back story about Dale and the dragon to the dwarves at Bilbo's house, and I loved the dwarves; singing -- when they were cleaning up the dishes, and when they were singing by the fire. I wish they had let Thorin sing the whole song; it is longer in the book, isn't it? That was all so much like the book, it was lovely.

OK, so that is my review: if you are a book fan or an LOTR fan, I think you will love it. If not, you will probably think it is too long and there are too many battles. I want to see it again, though. :D
 
I saw it yesterday and loved it! After thinking about it for a little bit, that is. There were things that bugged me originally, but the more I think about the movie, the more I like the movie. I now love it!!

*SPOILER ALERT*

My favorite thing was the characters! They were identical to the way they were in the book! MY favorites were Bilbo, Thorin, Fili, and Kili, Balin, and Gandalf. They were all so well done!!! :D

The only thing I didn't like was the weird sidestory with the pale orc.. I didn't like that addition and the changes it made to the things that happened in the books. :rolleyes:

I loved the White Council! Elrond and Galadriel were awesome! They were different then the way they were in the Lord of the Rings, which I liked, it suited The Hobbit better. Elrond especially was super awesome!

I also loved the beginning sequence with the story of what happened, how Smaug came, the glimse we got of inside the mountain, and the Elves of Mirkwood. :D Seeing the Elves of Mirkwood leave the Dwarves and not help them when Smaug came got me to thinking. I wonder what Legolas's thoughts were about that after he and Gimli became friends. I'm sure he had no regrets earlier, but after he and Gimli became friends, I wonder if he regretted it at all. But anyways..

All in all, it was AMAZING!!! :D Cannot wait to see it again next week!
 
Spoilers

continue;

there still

are spoilers.

So don't

look if

you hate

spoilers!



Yes, Thranduil bailing out is a shame that his son Legolas might feel.

Yes, the original book DOES reveal something to the effect that Gandalf left Thorin's party because of the Necromancer situation. And "Lord of the Rings" makes it clear that the Necromancer IS SAURON HIMSELF.

Yes, Azog WAS ALREADY DEAD before the action of the original "The Hobbit" began; and he had been killed single-handedly by Thorin. Which is why it is GROSSLY WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, if having Azog alive as a continuity villain, that Thorin should be made so completely, pitifully ineffectual against him. That's the only error in the Hobbit movie that I'm positively angry about. There was NO NEED to humiliate Thorin so gratuitously. They could have let him kill the big Warg, and then get hit from behind by Azog; that would still have permitted Bilbo to intervene, WITHOUT making Thorin look weak and useless. Just as with Eowyn in "Return of the King": she was unable to beat the Nazgul-King without help, but getting to slay the Fell Beast by herself was enough to give her dignity.

We should be grateful that there were so FEW blunders. God be praised that Andrew Adamson didn't get his vandalous hands on "The Hobbit"!
 
Spoilers Ahead!

CF said:
Yes, Azog WAS ALREADY DEAD before the action of the original "The Hobbit" began; and he had been killed single-handedly by Thorin. Which is why it is GROSSLY WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, if having Azog alive as a continuity villain, that Thorin should be made so completely, pitifully ineffectual against him. That's the only error in the Hobbit movie that I'm positively angry about. There was NO NEED to humiliate Thorin so gratuitously. They could have let him kill the big Warg, and then get hit from behind by Azog; that would still have permitted Bilbo to intervene, WITHOUT making Thorin look weak and useless. Just as with Eowyn in "Return of the King": she was unable to beat the Nazgul-King without help, but getting to slay the Fell Beast by herself was enough to give her dignity.
Agreed with all of this -- it is too bad they made Thorin look useless against Azog, but good that this was among the few things that were twisted in the film. Good point.
 
Still *Spoliers*


Yes, Azog WAS ALREADY DEAD before the action of the original "The Hobbit" began; and he had been killed single-handedly by Thorin. Which is why it is GROSSLY WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, if having Azog alive as a continuity villain, that Thorin should be made so completely, pitifully ineffectual against him. That's the only error in the Hobbit movie that I'm positively angry about. There was NO NEED to humiliate Thorin so gratuitously. They could have let him kill the big Warg, and then get hit from behind by Azog; that would still have permitted Bilbo to intervene, WITHOUT making Thorin look weak and useless. Just as with Eowyn in "Return of the King": she was unable to beat the Nazgul-King without help, but getting to slay the Fell Beast by herself was enough to give her dignity.

I wrote an alternate ending to that scene with that being what happens instead of what occurred in the movie. I remember thinking during that scene, "Thorin is the LEADER for goodness sake and he defeated this guy before, he has GOT to be better than this."
 
Personally, I don't see the point of having Azog at all. I think that just using Bolg would have been good enough. Think of how awesome it would have been for Bolg to be after Thorin, wanting to kill him as vengeance for his father's death.
 
I saw the movie twice already. While it was good and entertaining and had many parts straight out of the book (like the game of riddles for example) it was not that great in my opinion. I think they could have done it better if they had condensed the story to maybe just 2 films as opposed to 3. There was just too much unnecessary stuff in this first one!
 
I saw the movie twice already. While it was good and entertaining and had many parts straight out of the book (like the game of riddles for example) it was not that great in my opinion. I think they could have done it better if they had condensed the story to maybe just 2 films as opposed to 3. There was just too much unnecessary stuff in this first one!
I know a lot of people think that, but a good deal of it is history and context from the appendix of LOTR which sets the story ... I liked it.
 
The problem, I believe, is that they changed the history. Azog was supposed to die. His son is the villain at the Battle of Five Armies in the book. Azog's body should be back in Moria.
 
I know a lot of people think that, but a good deal of it is history and context from the appendix of LOTR which sets the story ... I liked it.

I agree. When I saw it for the first time, I liked all of the parts straight from the book, but some of the added parts I thought were unnecessary. Today, I saw it again and I thought the added parts really helped to explain the story better.
 
I approved of most of the "inserted history."

I wrote an alternate ending to that scene with that being what happens instead of what occurred in the movie. I remember thinking during that scene, "Thorin is the LEADER for goodness sake, and he defeated this guy before, he has GOT to be better than this."

Will we get to see that? I would like to "overwrite" that one ruined scene in my mind with your version. I declare, movie directors don't seem to be able to find true happiness in life unless they can ruin SOMETHING in a story.
 
Will we get to see that? I would like to "overwrite" that one ruined scene in my mind with your version. I declare, movie directors don't seem to be able to find true happiness in life unless they can ruin SOMETHING in a story.

Sure!:D


The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey- Thorin’s fight with Azog alternate ending

By: Mewsie
(Details before the part I changed may differ from the film because my memory is a little fuzzy. Apologies.)


The dwarves were cornered, hanging onto a burning tree laying over the edge of a cliff. Azog knew he had his nemesis trapped this time and finally he would have his revenge for the defeat of his army and the loss of his hand.
Then, suddenly, a strange light leapt into Thorin’s eyes. The dwarf climbed onto the trunk of the tree and began walking carefully down it through the burning branches towards the white orc.
Azog stared as the dwarf advanced on him, sword drawn. As Thorin stepped off the end of the log he picked up a fallen branch to use as a shield as he had done many years before. Azog’s eyes narrowed and he drew his own weapon, preparing to fight the dwarf once more.
The two of them- Azog seated on his white warg and Thorin on foot- circled each other for a moment then Thorin lunged forward. Azog quickly parried and then the two of them engaged in a brief, but vicious battle. Near the end it seemed that Azog was gaining the upper hand, but at the last moment Thorin dodged the orc’s last blow and ducked down, aiming his sword at the throat of the great white warg. The sword penetrated the monster’s flesh and with a last howl of fury the creature collapsed.
As Thorin’s attention was distracted by dodging the warg’s flailing body Azog dealt him a vicious blow to the back of his head. The dwarf tumbled to the ground, barely conscious save by the strength of his own will.
Azog smiled triumphantly and gestured to one of his lieutenants, “Bring me his head.” The white orc growled.
The lieutenant stepped forward obligingly to finish the job. Thorin watched as he measured the distance and lifted the sword then brought it swinging down towards his neck…
Then, at the last moment, there was a flash of movement and out of nowhere Bilbo, the little hobbit leapt onto the orc’s side, knocking the creature to the ground. Raising his little sword, Bilbo brought it down on the orc’s chest, killing him. Then he sprang up and ran to Thorin’s side, waving his sword in front of him.

Then events progressed as they did in the film- the other dwarves attack the orcs, then the eagles come to save them all.
 
I think though that if I had been running through a mountain and fighting goblins all day, then I had to run from orcs who had warg mounts and were faster then me, I would be extremely tired and unable to kill any orcs or wargs, let alone my arch nemesis. And I think it makes a good movie for the next two because they leave you in suspense about when Azog will pop up again and try to kill Thorin.
 
I think though that if I had been running through a mountain and fighting goblins all day, then I had to run from orcs who had warg mounts and were faster then me, I would be extremely tired and unable to kill any orcs or wargs, let alone my arch nemesis. And I think it makes a good movie for the next two because they leave you in suspense about when Azog will pop up again and try to kill Thorin.

You think that way because you're a human. These are DWARVES.

"Since they were to come in the days of the power of Melkor, Aule made the dwarves strong to endure. Therefore they are stone hard, fast in friendship and enmity, and they suffer toil and hunger and hurt of body more hardily than any other speaking peoples." - The Silmarillion, by Tolkien.

The dwarves would have been quite capable of knocking a few orc heads together, even if they were tired. They probably would've enjoyed it, actually.....
 
I agree with what everyone's pretty much said. I liked most of the inclusions, though some were a bit too much and were unneeded (The battle with the goblins, for instance, could have been much, much shorter).

Overall, like with LotR, everyone's performances really drive the movie home. Martin was a perfect Bilbo, Richard gave Thorin the perfect amount of depth, and all of the Dwarves were comical without it taking away from their own importance. I cannot wait for the next two films!
 
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