Disappointment - Not in the Same League as the LOTR Trilogy

Rating: 1/10 (30 December 2012)

First, I should point out that I am not a big LOTR fan. I enjoyed the three LOTR movies and found them to be extremely well done---it's just not my favorite fare. I expected something similar from the Hobbit, entertainment and a well done film. I was greatly disappointed.
Now my kids are LOTR fans and have read the books. They enjoyed the film far more than I did but they had some problems with story where it digressed from the book.
First of all, the pacing was at times like a dragon in hibernation. Not much happening and slow, drawn out exposition that could have been covered in half the time. It seemed that battle sequences were inserted to make sure that no one actually fell asleep during the long sluggish scenes.
I find it very difficult to imagine that this is going to be made into three, three-hour films. I believe a sub 300 page book can be done in the length of one movie but alas that may impact revenues.
An example of something that deviated from the book is the pale orc. Well, supposedly they got him out of the appendix. However, in the appendix it mentions that he died after his arm was cut off in battle and then he was beheaded. Hence the surprise at Oakenshield, the lead dwarf's surprise that the pale orc was still alive. Obviously he hadn't read the changed script. The added dialogue of "I'm going to kill you" which is repeated about a dozen times by the pale orc is simply fascinating (sarcasm noted). Tolkien must have been rolling over in his grave over that.
The battle scenes were well done---but dragged on far longer than needed. It almost seemed that the goal was to make the movie three hours long instead of the goal being to tell a part of the story.
I should note, I would give this movie six stars but I gave it "one star" because right now the general IMDb rating is way over-inflated (in my opinion) at 8.4 stars.
Regardless, this does not deserve the hype that it has gotten and does not have nearly the same impact as the LOTR trilogy does.