Not for Lolkien Fans

Rating: 6/10 (4 January 2014)

For Tolkien fans, probably the 'best' section of the movie is Galdalf in Dol Guidur - though there is the White Orc who is completely outside the book's storyline. In spite of this, this aspect of the original story, which Tolkien did not flesh out, expands the story a bit.
Beorn - a major character is poorly portrayed, with a chase scene to his house rather than what could have been a fairly entertaining take-off from the book's approach.
Mirkwood - should have been handled as was Frodo crossing the Plains of Gorgoroch. Clockwise not a large investment but maintaining the importance to the story.
Elves - Too much. Their presentation did need to change since the book's elves and those in the Lord of the Ring were not compatible. So I agree they needed to fit the mold of the later books, but their role in the story was too enhanced.
Escape from the Elves - The book would have worked - it was somewhat fanciful but no more than the movie. Would have decreased the time to the Lake-Town and made entry easier.
Lake Town - Sure OK.
Gandalf - Ian Murray McKellen does a great job with the character. And why does he seem 'lower or less powerful' than Galadriel? The dwarfs - I guess Oakenshield needed to look more 'human' to be one of the main leading characters, but really is overdone in that regard.
Radagast - Why the bird sh** on his head? Does this enhance the character? The rabbit drawn sled??? Where Beorn was aloof and distant this would have fit an Istari that was more aligned with the wilderness and wildlife of Middle Earth than it's human and humanlike races.
With the LOTR movies, though there was not strict adherence to the books, his artistic license remained very true to the story. The Hobbit movies are more akin to the Asimov "I Robot" and the movie. The names the same, but that is about it. The later did a better job because it was clearly a completely separate story. The former comes up short by flirting with following the storyline and then fails.