Solid, very entertaining film

Rating: Null/10 (4 June 2016)

I'll start off by saying that I am a fan of the source material. If you fit that description, you really need to see this film, if you haven't already. I saw it with my girlfriend who never played the games and she loved it. Even for a newcomer, this is worth watching and should be at least a 7-8 rating.
PROS:
1. Incredible visuals. I think it's worth the price of admission for this reason alone.
2. A credible, CGI race you can empathize with. Remember how critically acclaimed Gollum from Lord of the Rings was and expand that to the entire race of orcs.
3. Great, entertaining soundtrack. For the Game of Thrones fans, it's worth mentioning that this film has the same composer.
4. Fast-paced, epic action. I know plenty of people who complained about the pacing of The Hobbit trilogy; this is pretty much the opposite. Not a minute passes without a battle, an awesome spell being cast, or another key event for the plot.
5. Spectacular magic. This ties in to point 1, but I think it deserves its own mention. I have seen plenty of fantasy films, but never anything like this.
CONS:
1. The pace means you might lose track of the characters without prior knowledge. In my opinion, the movie should be at least 30 minutes longer. I will definitely see an extended cut if it's made available.
2. Only for fans: there are some minor lore changes, but they mostly involve the way some characters are killed. The film sticks very well to the core elements of the lore.
You should really go see this film; you won't regret either the money or the time investment. Also, the source material becomes more complex, detailed and epic as the time-line advances. This means that sequels can be on par with the Lord of the Rings trilogy.