The HOBBIT......don't bother

[SkiNuke]

I am beginning to think that only those of us who REALLY appreciate the book were so disapointed.

This is insulting. I am probably just as big of a fan as you are (unless you play dress up at events and movie screenings), and I enjoyed the movie. I was annoyed with a few parts, but most of it didn't hurt the story.

When I saw the first LoTR I came to the realization that movies based on books will never be close enough to compare word for word. And to be honest, what they did to the hobbit (so far) was FAR less destructive than what they did to the LoTR trilogy (no flash of light when bilbo disappears, the hobbits didn't leave the shire correctly, the green undead continued on further than they should have with Aragorn, there was no scouring the shire, and they left out the dunedain). You should never go into a movie saying "This will be exactly like the books!" You will be disappointed every time.

So stop hating on something just for the sake of hating.

 

[landshark]

I am beginning to think that only those of us who REALLY appreciate the book were so disapointed.

I hated 90% of it.

The head goblin was really off, the goblins didn't creep in from a crack in the back of the cave and bind everyone, etc.

Things not in the book that were added? Bilbo deciding to abandon the quest in the cave, Thorin's emotions both good and bad about bilbo, The mountain Giants psychotically trying to behead each other, the travelers finding themselves on the giant's knees, Saruman and Galadriel in The Last Homely respectively jumping Gandalf's sh!t and making sexual advances on him. Bilbo saving Thorin from Azog (or any orc for that matter) in the tree top scene. (Thorin charging the Azog/Orcs for that matter) Radagast and his rabbits, and his mushroom fetish, and the bird poop, and the scene with the necromancer, and giving Gandalf some sword "Not from the land of the Living" etc. etc.

Wait Cheezy, I just read the book last weekend so it's pretty fresh in my mind, and will be seeing the movie this Saturday so might be off a little from the movie side.... But the goblins did jump from a crack in the wall, as Bilbo dreamed it then woke to see it open, they then bound everyone as they led them to the Goblin King before Gandalf saved them. Thorin went full 180's on good and bad for Bilbo, especially after the Arkenstone and Bilbo gave it to Bard. Then asked forgiveness on his deathbed.

As for Bilbo abandoning the quest, he did multiple times wish he had never come or was back home in his Hobbit-Hole in the book. So maybe Jackson was trying to portray that?

Tree top scene, is this replacing the spiders from Mirkwood where he saves the 12 others?

Thorin did charge at the battle of 5 armies.....wait... I heard that was going to be in a different movie... nevermind.

 

[landshark]

When I saw the first LoTR I came to the realization that movies based on books will never be close enough to compare word for word. And to be honest, what they did to the hobbit (so far) was FAR less destructive than what they did to the LoTR trilogy (no flash of light when bilbo disappears, the hobbits didn't leave the shire correctly, the green undead continued on further than they should have with Aragorn, there was no scouring the shire, and they left out the dunedain). You should never go into a movie saying "This will be exactly like the books!" You will be disappointed every time.

So stop hating on something just for the sake of hating.

The leaving the shire correctly part bugged me a little from the original. The lack of Shire Scouring really pissed me off.

The undead I let slide cause it just seemed, well, why didn't Aragorn just tell them to march on the black gates right then? undead don't need to rest and recover from injuries. That whole part was unnecessary in both book and movie. The fact they left out Glorfindel and replaced him with Arwen is inexcusable.

 

[Zamial]

I HAVE read the Hobbit a couple times mostly as a child. I went not remembering every detail the book had to offer but more of a fuzzy recollection.

Comparing the LOTR to The Hobbit at this point in time is odd in a way. It was not until the extended edition do we realize the Hobbits got "magical items from the elves" like the magic rope that was loosely around Golums neck while he was screaming "take it off!", the light potion and the cloaks. As for "true to the book"... FRODO LIVES! Which alters the very essence of the story!!! (Think comedy vs. tragedy)

I think the movie was great. I will go to the next 2 in the theater.

 

[joshualoomis]

Wait Cheezy, I just read the book last weekend so it's pretty fresh in my mind, and will be seeing the movie this Saturday so might be off a little from the movie side.... But the goblins did jump from a crack in the wall, as Bilbo dreamed it then woke to see it open, they then bound everyone as they led them to the Goblin King before Gandalf saved them. Thorin went full 180's on good and bad for Bilbo, especially after the Arkenstone and Bilbo gave it to Bard. Then asked forgiveness on his deathbed.

As for Bilbo abandoning the quest, he did multiple times wish he had never come or was back home in his Hobbit-Hole in the book. So maybe Jackson was trying to portray that?

Tree top scene, is this replacing the spiders from Mirkwood where he saves the 12 others?

Thorin did charge at the battle of 5 armies.....wait... I heard that was going to be in a different movie... nevermind.

this movie ends with the eagles leaving the thirteen dwarves, bilbo, and gandalf atop the carrock. presumably the passage through mirkwood and bilbo's 'betrayal' of thorin using the arkenstone will happen in the next two films.

The fact they left out Glorfindel and replaced him with Arwen is inexcusable.

this bugged me, too. i always liked glorfindel.

 

[david_42]

I've avoid movies made from books I love, 'Dune' and 'Clan of the Cave Bear' sealed that decision. Directors just have to piss on the story, with the exception of the Harry Potter series where Rowling had very strong control over the production. I haven't seen 'The Hobbit' or any of the LOTR movies. Probably won't until they hit Netflicks, if then. My wife picks the movies, if I don't like it I go to my room and read. She has John Carter now. As I haven't read any of Barsoom in over 50 years, I should be able to take it as it comes.

 

[EllisTX]

I am beginning to think that only those of us who REALLY appreciate the book were so disapointed.

I hated 90% of it.

The head goblin was really off, the goblins didn't creep in from a crack in the back of the cave and bind everyone, etc.

Things not in the book that were added? Bilbo deciding to abandon the quest in the cave, Thorin's emotions both good and bad about bilbo, The mountain Giants psychotically trying to behead each other, the travelers finding themselves on the giant's knees, Saruman and Galadriel in The Last Homely respectively jumping Gandalf's sh!t and making sexual advances on him. Bilbo saving Thorin from Azog (or any orc for that matter) in the tree top scene. (Thorin charging the Azog/Orcs for that matter) Radagast and his rabbits, and his mushroom fetish, and the bird poop, and the scene with the necromancer, and giving Gandalf some sword "Not from the land of the Living" etc. etc.

This is insulting. I am probably just as big of a fan as you are (unless you play dress up at events and movie screenings), and I enjoyed the movie. I was annoyed with a few parts, but most of it didn't hurt the story.
So stop hating on something just for the sake of hating.

Well Ski, maybe you're not as big a fan as cheezy. If you were a bigger fan maybe you'd be more upset. I'm not trying to throw rocks like a stone giant but as a fan of the books and the story I have an expectation that this movie would stick with the details of the story. I expected that details were maybe going to be left out and I can handle that, but to insert the ridiculous unneeded crap into the movie that Jackson did was absurd. What's insulting is how Jackson treated this movie.

Speaking of stone giants why the hell wasn't Gandalf there with them when they were on the mountain. He and Thorin argued about the path they should have taken and he was there in the book when they were captured. He killed a goblin when they came out of the mountain to snag them. Jackson had to ignore that so he could insert some awkward face touching scene. I can put up with leaving out some details but can't put up with ignoring as many as were, inserting characters, and storylines.

 

[schooner427]

The truth is movies and books will never see eye to eye, movie directors complain that books just don't play the same on the big screen unless changes are made and writers complain that directors miss the essence of the book. I just go and try to enjoy it without any preconceptions and can enjoy most, unless its as bad as the movie Dune, what an epic fail that was...

 

[weirdboy]

I thought the Godfather was pretty close to the book.

 

[EllisTX]

I thought the Godfather was pretty close to the book.

Finally someone with something useful to say!

 

[cheezydemon3]

Well sh!t!

Too many to reply to.

The crack in back of the cave- in the book, not in the movie.

I thought the 1st Lotr was awesome. Yes arwen was 2 for 1, but I accept that kind of condensing.

It is when sh!t is inserted that doesn't save time or condense anything that I wonder "WHY?"

 

[bottlebomber]

Man I hope your wrong... After all you like a lot of **** movies that I wouldn't watch I'm going to take the wife to see it in a couple days so here's to hoping your wrong

 

[scrambledegg81]

I still love the ewoks. Probably an age thing.

My mom dressed me as an Ewok for my 2nd or 3rd Halloween and got pictures to boot. Hence why I've hated them ever since.

 

[passedpawn]

I watched Hobbit in 3D last night. Thoroughly enjoyed. B+. Not a fan of the slappier characters and the burping contest, etc, but it was very close to what I was expecting.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I watched Hobbit in 3D last night. Thoroughly enjoyed. B+. Not a fan of the slappier characters and the burping contest, etc, but it was very close to what I was expecting.

Right on! I am sincerely glad. But.....see? You "thoroughly enjoyed" a B+.

I was hoping for an A+ (like the 1st LOTR) so while I might have given it a B+, that was still a failing grade for my favorite book ever.

DIE PETER!!!!!

 

[landshark]

saw it over the weekend. the whole Radagast character is dumb and not needed and completely out of place. the meeting I`'ll let slide cause the Hobbit was written from the Hobbit's perspective. so the meeting could have taken place, just wasn't in the book. i' give it a B. decent film, horrible interpretation of the book.

 

[emjay]

Sounds like it would have been a lot better if Del Toro had stuck around - and not just because he was responsible for my favorite fantasy movie ever (and in all likelihood my favorite movie of any genre, period). It's amazing how some simple delays can have such an enormous impact on what should have been a historic project. Oh well...

 

[headbanger]

Saw it yesterday, loved it!

Supposedly all the extras not in the original story were things that Tolkien embellished over the years after publishing the original story.

Either way though, I can't find much to complain about other than the rather disney-ish episode where they are falling through the caves, which then translates into the trees.

Overall though, a really good flick that honors its Tolkien roots IMO.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Sounds like it would have been a lot better if Del Toro had stuck around - and not just because he was responsible for my favorite fantasy movie ever (and in all likelihood my favorite movie of any genre, period). It's amazing how some simple delays can have such an enormous impact on what should have been a historic project. Oh well...

Del Toro is awesome. His touches on Rise of the Guardians make it an amazing film. Seriously.

Which of his was your favorite?

 

[Darwin18]

Saw the hobbit movie on Christmas eve. I'm not sure what all the hate is about. I'm re-reading the hobbit as well. The movie does not strictly adhere to the book like the LOTR did, but the hobbit was written as a children's story so that's a good thing in my opinion. Compared to the other movies coming out, the hobbit is a good choice.

 

[Bensiff]

Finally saw it so I can weigh in. I expected it to be more childish as the Hobbit is a child's story so I won't complain about some of the slapstick and toilet humor. However, too many scenes seemed intentionally drawn out to add filler. I hope the editors cut chops off about 45 minutes of film time in the same way I was excited when the LOTR added an hour of film time to their extended cuts. Other than that it was an enjoyable film and striking in IMAX 3D. I'm glad I paid money to go see it instead of waiting for Netflix.

 

[Joker]

I would have been perfectly happy waiting to see that at home, I didn't think it was big screen worthy.

 

[joshualoomis]

Supposedly all the extras not in the original story were things that Tolkien embellished over the years after publishing the original story.


Overall though, a really good flick that honors its Tolkien roots IMO.

this is not true. there are many departures from tolkien's middle earth. the largest departure is the use of azog in the movie. in tolkien's mythology, azog was killed by dain ninety-one years before bilbo was even born. it would seem to me that peter jackson needed to attempt to create more intensity as the dwarves traveled. rather than simply traveling to the lonely mountain, in the movie they are fleeing azog and the other orcs.

i also missed the conversation with the eagles. they speak in the novel and do not speak in the movie.

it is simply not 'the hobbit.' it is not the novel. it's an interpretation of the story which leads up to LOTR (with plenty added from jackson's imagination).

i will be seeing it again in the theater, though for now my original sentiments remain true: i'm not disappointed and not thrilled with the movie. everyone should go see it, though, to make up their own minds.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Again. I am not "hating" I am saying that people like ME (very few of you are so lucky) will HATE it for being so far from the book.

It was a good action movie? Great. Enjoy next weekend while watching the next Hollywood piece of crap.

You are probably also a member of the crew that judges music like "It has a good beat, and I can dance to it!"

 

[emjay]

Del Toro is awesome. His touches on Rise of the Guardians make it an amazing film. Seriously.

Which of his was your favorite?

Pan's Labyrinth.

You're being kind of insulting to some people though, TBH.

 

[nickster51]

Read the hobbit 5+ times. Re-read it before seeing the movie. I was disappointed.

Slapstick, cheap humor was added in places: burping, troll scene, "that'll do it"-Goblin King. Take it or leave it - personal taste.

Crucial development was missed: Gandalf not mimicking the trolls. Gandalf turning lights into fire in the goblin cavern (how cool would that have looked!). Gandalf throwing down fire that sets wargs on fire in all kinds of colors (another awesome CGI missed).

Why?

People won't accept a humble, shy Bilbo that ends up being heroic. We need it thrown in our face. ie: Troll scene, Saving Thorin from goblin. All of this changes Bilbo's hidden courage/bravery into an in-your-face-now kind of character(!= Hobbit!).

This works good for movie one, but what will happen later in the book/movies? Bilbo has already hit his stride, what's next? Maybe they make him shoot down Smaug.

 

[bottlebomber]

Just watched it and enjoyed it. Did NOT enjoy 3d. Man what a headache I've got, it adds nothing to a film. It is not like the books, and I was sad to see certain things left out and didn't understand why other things were added, and yes some of the humor was pretty lame and not needed. But taking it for what it was I can easily see PP's B+ rating. And now I remember why I haven't watched a 3D movie since the 80's.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Pan's Labyrinth.

You're being kind of insulting to some people though, TBH.

That is an awesome movie. Figured you weren't referring to Devil'sBackbone, my personal favorite.

Yeah, occasionally I lose patience when my honest opinion is labeled as "hate", so I give em some real hate to chew on. Just how I roll.

 

[emjay]

Never seen Devil's Backbone, much as I've been meaning to.

 

[headbanger]

Again. I am not "hating" I am saying that people like ME (very few of you are so lucky) will HATE it for being so far from the book.

It was a good action movie? Great. Enjoy next weekend while watching the next Hollywood piece of crap.

You are probably also a member of the crew that judges music like "It has a good beat, and I can dance to it!"

who said you was hatin'?