Disappointment

Rating: 2/10 (26 April 2014)

Two stars for the CGI of Orcs and Smaug. Otherwise, one star for the overly simplistic dialogue better suited to a juvenile audience. Included in that one star is the lack of any levels of intelligent storytelling - just a one level script and that one level was pointless overdone and empty gratuitous violence (spearing Orcs through their eyes; cutting their heads off; etc.). The acting, sets, makeup and costuming also seemed cheaply hurried. The green screen scene backdrops looked amateurish when contrasted with the real NZ scenery.
They seem to be going overboard in selling the NZ scenery - does the studio have holdings in tourist oriented money making?