The Last Journey to Middle Earth

Rating: 5/10 (25 December 2014)

I know that one more review is unlikely to change opinions, alter perspectives, or enhance or detract from another person's viewing experience. What this review gives is a chance for me to end a thirteen year journey through Middle Earth, read the final page, then put the book on the shelf. It has been an amazing time as a Tolkien fan and I feel blessed to be living in a time when these adaptations have been made and put onto the silver screen.
There are so many moments I love, particularly in The Lord of the Rings movies, so many memorable lines and deeds and characters. I wanted the Hobbit to be as well made and expected it to be even better.
However...
As a Tolkien lover, I don't know how to fully express disappointment over these new Hobbit films without sounding like I am comparing it to either the original book or the Lord of the Rings and saying it is SO much worse. But I have to say that I did not love, nor even really like the new Hobbit movies. What I truly wanted was less. I didn't need the big budget, the added story lines and characters, the CGI, the over-the-top moments of added romance, king madness, epic warfare and recycling of plot points from the Lord of the Rings. I just wanted The Hobbit and what I got was The Hobbit remade in the Lord of the Rings image.
I don't really want to SPOILER a whole movie for others, but I couldn't like some characters, namely Tauriel and Alfred and the entire section spent in Laketown because they took focus off Bilbo and weren't needed as plot devices. I understand how some people argue that there is more going on in the story with the White Council and it shouldn't be singular focus on one character, but why? According to Tolkien's book it follows Bilbo directly, with a few moments (like when Smaug is attacking the town) where you are with other characters, BRIEFLY. It is called The Hobbit because IT is about his deeds, his thoughts, his life with these dwarfs and is not about how heroic Kili is, nor how useful as a healer Tauriel can be, nor how awesome Legolas is at boulder hopping, nor how corrupt and smelly the people of Laketown can be.
It is also a disappointment because CGI shouldn't be overused the way it has been in this trilogy. Some characters like Smaug and Gollum require it (or impressive animatronics, which is hard to make and very expensive). I saw images of Bolg back when there was going to be two films and it was real person playing him, decked out as a very impressive, hideous, and strong villain. There was no point to making him CGI, nor to giving his importance to an orc who died long before this story takes place. Why make him CGI? I also was surprised by the low quality of some scenes where I could tell that the whole thing was CGI, from background to horse and rider. It looked like a computer game. Why couldn't they use real people, real horses, and real scenery? It took a lot of the enjoyment out of the movies for me because it was surreal.
The acting was mostly good, with Martin Freeman giving the best expressive performance, followed by Sir Ian McKellen. Martin's scenes stand out because of his talent but are often overshadowed by the intrigues and plot thickeners added. In other words, Bilbo never gets the change to shine, be himself and tell his story. Instead, he is caught up in other people's trivial lives and gets bowled over by the angst.
It is a relief for this Middle Earth journey to be over. I am grateful to Peter Jackson for a lot of his work, but just not these movies. I will not be seeing the third movie again, nor any of the others, as re-watching them has not made my heart grow fonder. I have skipped the Extended Editions, too, because I feel the stories are extended enough without Peter Jackson adding more.
Namárië, Middle Earth.
4 Stars Given For: *** Casting, * Sets and Costumes.