Keep LoTR Out of the Mind and Go For This Movie

Rating: 8/10 (13 December 2014)

While reviewing the movie it is difficult to compare it (or the whole Hobbit series) with the book and the previous franchise 'The Lord of the Rings.' The movie has too many deviations from the book unlike LoTR. But that is acceptable. On one hand, LoTR, the book, had all the material available for the movie thus giving very less chance to deviate from the story. On the other hand, you have to add up a lot of creative imagination to make three movies out of a little over 300 pages book. So you have to deviate from the original story and twist some of the original facts. For example, Azog was killed by Dain's father long before the Hobbit journey began. He was never part of the book but is the main villain in the movie.
Hence it is not befitting to inspect if the movie justifies the book or not. Of course, the question remains – then why was there a need to create three movies? Personally, I think there was no need. And if there was too much craving to create three movies, there could have been another option – make one for Hobbit, one for Gandalf, then for Aragon, and perhaps one for the Elves. Wow, now that is four movies. I am not sure if this is a good or bad celluloid idea but I would love watch complete films about especially Gandalf and Aragon.
Having said that, I have to point out that this movie doesn't feel like stretching too much or boring. From the beginning it stays interesting and keeps you clung to the seats. Or on the edge of the seat like my friend was sitting through out. That is only possible if you do not go to this movie with the idea of LoTR in mind. It does not have a grandeur of LoTR but it does deliver what one can expect from Hobbit. The movie ends with an emotional touch of familiar Hobbit, down-to- earth, expressions.
In a small scale though, but Peter Jackson's touch is quiet alive in the movie. The 45 minutes war scene is very well carried through by keeping focus on individual interests. Thorin and Azog, Legolas style of fighting with Bolg, secret caring between Kili and Tauriel, etc. etc. The formation of the armies carries the same signature of the last series which is worth watching. Thranduil looks spectacular sitting on the elk.
On the downside, besides Bilbo reaching back home safely, there is nothing shown of what happened to the other characters. Bard and Dain simply disappeared at the end. It wasn't clear who throned the Lonely Mountain after Thorin died. Beorn had a very little role of rather few seconds. And it is understandable that Dwarfs are warriors and can kill enemies almost double their size but children killing orcs and goblins is bit too much of bravery show. If this is the last of the Middle-Earth saga, the link between the end of the Hobbit series and LoTR beginning was rather weak.
I will still wait for the extended version which is supposed to be 30 minutes more. Hopefully, that will have some answers. Needless to say, if you are a Tolkien and Peter Jackson fan, or even like classic war movies, this movie will not disappoint you.