The new Hobbit movie

horacethegrey · Dec 22, 2014

billd91 said:
I caved in and saw it. Had to ask myself if this was Tolkien or Warhammer Fantasy. Came to conclusion that, whatever it was, it had very little Tolkien it. I have not been a fan of the Hobbit trilogy. Too little butter scraped over too much bread, if you ask me. Too much filler and too much focus on all of the wrong stuff.

Completely agree with this. If PJ wasn't so intent on linking it with LOTR and just focused on Bilbo and the Dwarves, they could have easily cut this trilogy down to the original 2 film plan that they originally had.

Hand of Evil · Dec 22, 2014

Orcs were too hobgoblin (organized and tactics). Maybe it will grow on me.

Mark CMG · Dec 22, 2014

horacethegrey said:
Completely agree with this. If PJ wasn't so intent on linking it with LOTR and just focused on Bilbo and the Dwarves, they could have easily cut this trilogy down to the original 2 film plan that they originally had.

Could have been done in one -

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x140e0u_the-animated-hobbit-rankin-bass-part-1-2_creation

Nevertheless, I am glad it was done as well as it was done in my own lifetime. I've waited thirty(-five for LotR) to forty (for The Hobbit) years since first reading them in the early 70s for live action versions and the tech has allowed it to happen remarkably well, IMO. I'll re-read the books all the way through someday, or likely enjoy them as audio books, and get the original version as well.

Morrus · Dec 22, 2014

Best of the three by far.

TrippyHippy · Dec 22, 2014

Yep - it’s a Warhammer movie rather than Tolkien in feel. If you want an artistic or classic representation of Tolkien’s greatest work, then you’ll still have the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which is obviously the superior set of movies.

The Hobbit is prequel-ish in a Star Wars sense, with lots of references and allusions to what-characters-were-doing-before-as-backstory and so on. That’s a bit irritating, along with the totally original and un-Tolkien romance between the Elf and Dwarf (!) along with other characters. It lacks the thematic depth and narrative cohesion of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and ups the level of cartoonish action and cgi effects throughout.

But all that said, as a straight fantasy movie it’s entertaining enough. Certainly as good as a Pirates of the Carabbean, or Star Wars or Harry Potter movie. And, to be fair, that’s all a lot of us want for a Christmas movie.

Morrus · Dec 22, 2014

I dunno. I think the un-Tolkien inclusion of female protagonists is a feature, not a bug. It's just a shame Tolkien didn't do it first time around.

TrippyHippy · Dec 23, 2014

I didn’t mind the beefing out of female characters’ roles in LotR, but the entire fabrication of additional narratives with original characters seems a bit much - especially if it involves an elf fancying a dwarf…..although I suppose it gives some of us hope…

billd91 · Dec 23, 2014

TrippyHippy said:
Yep - it’s a Warhammer movie rather than Tolkien in feel. If you want an artistic or classic representation of Tolkien’s greatest work, then you’ll still have the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which is obviously the superior set of movies.

The Hobbit is prequel-ish in a Star Wars sense, with lots of references and allusions to what-characters-were-doing-before-as-backstory and so on. That’s a bit irritating, along with the totally original and un-Tolkien romance between the Elf and Dwarf (!) along with other characters. It lacks the thematic depth and narrative cohesion of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and ups the level of cartoonish action and cgi effects throughout.

[sblock]I would agree it lacks the depth and cohesion of the original. What was that appearance of Beorn in the final? An afterthought rather than a significant point of action? Most of the dwarven company need not have shown up for all the nothing they had to do. The drama of Kili and Fili protecting their king (and uncle) with their bodies from Bolg? Pfft. A disappointing end to a disappointing set of movies.[/sblock]

TrippyHippy · Dec 23, 2014

Yep. Think I’ll see it again though….

billd91 · Dec 23, 2014

Morrus said:
I dunno. I think the un-Tolkien inclusion of female protagonists is a feature, not a bug. It's just a shame Tolkien didn't do it first time around.

No it isn't. Tolkien's stories are what they are. They are the stories he wanted to tell and there's no shame in that at all.

I don't have a problem with Jackson adding things for female characters to do when adapting the work for the silver screen, a medium that requires simplification from most novels. And having Arwen take Glorfindel's place saves introducing another character. I do object to excessive retreading in previous own works (Aragorn's issues are all over the Hobbit trilogy). Tauriel's presence would have been much better considered independent of a love interest with a primary male character and independent of elvish healing magic - both of which are retreads.