A movie for the Jackson-eye and the Tolkien-heart (and a bit too much of some things)

Rating: 8/10 (12 December 2013)

The Tolkien Moments
I hope the divide of fans will calm down after a while because I think all of us can find a lot of pure Tolkien in this and I still do not dare think what this whole franchise might have become with another creative team.
But back to the Tolkien moments... I think Beorn, the atmosphere of Mirkwood (the editing and cinematography here is first class), Thranduil's Halls and Laketown should be scenes that even the most ardent critic of these movies and what they did to the novel might occasionally watch on Youtube for decades to come. They simply have the handwriting of the great Professor all over them - as to many characters such as our Hobbit, Thranduil or the Master. Others might be different to the novel but will feel very Tolkienesque too most I am sure - such as Thorin or Bard.
What always works very well to let the Middle-earth spirit come alive are historical references. Girion references and flashbacks, the dead dwarfs in front of the sealed gate, hints at Fili and Kili's mother, ruins of a greater city within the structures of Laketown etc. However, we do not get the time anymore to actually look at locations long enough to take in their feeling to full extent. Sometimes it is quite harsh how we are thrown into a new surrounding.
The biggest Tolkien moment - and it is telling that it is yet again a scene some critics call "too slow" is the conversation between Smaug and Bilbo. Pure joy. Pure Tolkien. Well done.
Smaug
I have come to terms with him not dying in DoS. Although I predicted it long ago, I slightly changed my mind when I realized there wasn't a major Dol Guldur climax in this movie. I could not really see them go for the most massive cliffhanger imaginable. But they did - and it works.
And I am sure TABA will benefit from it, having Smaug's demise and what happens after it (IMHO the single MOST important story aspect of the novel) in ONE movie.
Smaug is simply what he needed to be and thanks to Crumberbatch even a little bit more. He could have broken the whole trilogy. He works and that is an achievement that would make other franchises with less expectations from different sites loaded on them a critics' favorite instantly.
Tauriel, Legolas and "the other man"
Tauriel just works. If there is a character we did not need, it is Legolas, not Tauriel. She is the perfect opponent for Thranduil, especially from the political point of view that will become SO essential in TABA. I am actually convinced that she is an improvement.
And what also works is her relationship with Kili. Both actors bring a very natural feel to it... everybody knows it will never be possible. But it is not so much about actually going for a relationship and making little Taurilis. It is about the curiosity those two show for another race that their people has become so estranged to.
Unfortunately PJ and Co gave the opponents of the whole idea some reason to complain with some (not much, but it is there) bad dialog. I wished they had been more aware here of how hard this scenes will be to take for some and not make it harder by Kili's horrible one-liner about his pants.
Gandalf
His fight against Sauron was the absolute highlight for me. The way Sauron's form turns into the pupil of the Eye is one of the best scenes in all Middle-earth movies.
The High Fells scene feels a bit out of place without the Nazgul actually showing up... I hope they will have something good to do in TABA.
CGI
I watched the movie in HFR 3D - it was such a joy. Scenes like Bolg and Azog interacting left me totally immersed, I only realized after it was over that this had been two CGI characters talking. Also moments such as the Necromancer is first class, as is, of course and already mentioned, Smaug.
Issues
As I said, despite mostly great written dialog there are the occasional missteps. Also, the stand between Smaug and the dwarfs is too long and undermined the otherwise outstanding CGI in this movie.
PJ was more harsh with himself in terms of editing - but not always harsh enough. Especially the last minutes of the Smaug confrontation could have been trimmed and would have made for a more perfect climax. No gold statue, much shorter Legolas vs. Bolg fight, last 30-60 seconds of almost each action sequence trimmed.
Moments of glory

Bree and PJ cameo - Beorn's shape-shifting - Laketown introduction - Gandalf vs. Sauron - Bard reciting the prophecy and the rumors spreading in Esgaroth - Tauriel healing Kili - Smaug shaking the gold of himself and leaving Erebor - the Laketowners seeing the fire "inside the mountain"

Cringeworthy moments

I could have anything in my trousers. - Legolas' stupid looks - Thorin surfing a river of gold - the statue

Verdict: This movie goes farer away from Tolkien than anything we have seen from Jackson so far, yet it nails the Tolkien feeling very often. The Tolkien moments are almost all there and work perfectly, while smart additions make the story more urgent, more adult and ultimately more human. The best vistas of this movie year (together with those of Gravity) and some very good screen writing cannot fully overplay the long running time with an overdone ending. It is a very good adaptation that fails to be a masterpiece of a movie b