disappointing

Rating: 6/10 (15 May 2014)

This movie is OK if you like 2 hr 40 min of sturm and drang. Scenery and special effects are good, and the movie is visually appealing. Much of the action was clearly driven by the 3-D format. However, any resemblance to the book is superficial at best. In essence, the title has been grafted onto a mostly different story. Anyone expecting a faithful recounting will be sorely disappointed. Based on the examples so far, it must be almost impossible to write a screenplay accurately derived from Tolkien's stories, or one that captures their grace and lyrical charm. Though this series of movies has been a modest commercial success, I suspect Tolkien would be aghast at Peter Jackson's work.