Astonishing visual experience but several major disappointments.

Rating: 9/10 (16 December 2012)

I have read many of the reviews here, some written with the finite appreciation and esoteric knowledge of not only the 3 Peter Jackson projects but of all the works of Tolkien. I have read all the books, and have seen LOTR, The Two Towers, and The Return of The King so many times because it fulfilled for me what I always wanted in a fantasy movie, which is realism. Film it for adults and it will work for all.
I could not wait to see The Hobbit and I made sure I was one of the first to see it. I sat patiently and was mesmerized by the color, 3-D, the lush view of the Shire, the dwarf mines and all the rest.
Then when it came to the Trolls, I was aghast at the departure from the reality of all the other Peter Jackson masterpieces. The clunky, goofy, three stooges buffoonery displayed by the supposedly terrifying creatures they were supposed to be, started to ruin the entire movie and sense of make believe reality of a fantasy world for me. It was not funny, it was a disaster to choose that direction, to gear it toward the entertainment of a child. It lost me with disappointment from that moment I was so disgusted that they chose to do that. I finally got back into it.
The wonderful unforgettable scenes of beauty of Rivendale, Galadriel and Elrond were wonderful, the ferocious wolves were terrific, yet the white Orc as evil and formidable as he looked seemed more like a CG orc. I liked his white wolf, he was stupendous.
Then the ultimate disappointment which I still cannot believe was put into this movie. The Goblin king instead of being a murdering evil embodiment of danger, was a journey into Jabba the Hut meets the Frog King. Whoever chose to do that should never be allowed to work on a Peter Jackson LOTR movie again including Peter Jackson. The voice, dialog choices for the Goblin King were all a bad clown show that destroyed the image of being in the clutches of supposedly dangerous creatures. Utter disaster.
The devout fans of the LOTR trilogy with me were so disgusted with the comedic approach to that character there was no longer a sense of real danger there, only of watching a very bad Star Wars bar scene on another planet with special effects by a Saturday morning cartoon show.
Just horrible to see terrifying Goblins attack the group only to be brought before a cartoon clown. God that was a horrible mistake. Keep it real like you always did Peter PLEASE.
The courage of Bilbo attacking the CG albino Orc was inspiring as was Bilbo's speech afterward and the warm embrace by Thorin. Very touching.
The color, the clarity, the other special effects were enjoyed at the highest level of appreciation for Mr. Jackson's genius. I still rate the movie as a visual experience and for bringing back our favorite subject with much hard work and grace, a 9.
When Margaret Hamilton the Wicked Witch of the West is more scary than anyone in a 2012 Middle Earth Movie, with Orcs, Goblins, Trolls and other wonderful monsters it is time to remove the clunky comedy approach.