It took me nearly a year to watch the first hobbit as with all the changes Jackson made to LOTR I can't watch them anymore. I loved the first 40 minutes at Bilbos house and was just how I pictured it, bar the change to a late grumpy Thorin. I tried my best not to get annoyed by the white orc chasing them everywhere, one thing I disliked about LOTR Fellowship was the constant chasing instead of just having a journey.
But the Desolation of Smaug just had far too many needless differences from the book.
The main part I was disappointed with being Beorn, which is one of my favourite scenes in the book. In the film you get no idea of his character and why he has all the animals there. Plus being introduced as a rampaging bear, hmmm, he just felt very cheapened. Plus they missed out the dwarves asking why not keep the ponies and not knowing Beorn had been following them.
Also, if the orcs chasing were willing to attack elves, and go into Laketown, why did they hesitate from one bear? You think they'd try and sneak past at least to try and kill them, it's not explained why they fear him so much.
I really didn't like the love story between Kili and Tauriel, and why change the story of Thorin refusing to tell the elven king what their journey is for?
The four dwarves being left behind in Laketown was irritating, probably just another filler so they could have orcs invading the town. All the politics in Laketown was annoying also, plus the way the dwarves were sneaked in, and trying to steal weapons. So much for Thorin walking up to the guard entrance and declaring openly his heritage and taken to the feast. And Thoring offering to share gold, very un dwarven like.
The timsescales of just having a day to get to the lonely mountain and find the secret door seemed rushed, in the book from what I remember it took a few days, plus introducing the watch tower with the old raven. I wonder if the ravens will be in the third film? And so much for a hidden door if it had a great big statue pointing it out!
The whole chasing around by Smaug went on for far far too long, and changing the aim to being the arkenstone only to unite the clans? I prefer the slower story of the book in Bilbo first pinching a goblet and going back to the dwarves and Smaug realising someone has been, and then the talking on the next visit. And Smaug smashing the side of the mountain sealing them in. We also missed the fact the dwarves were scared to go down with Bilbo to begin with.
As others have said there are some very ropey CGI moments, and when Balin and Thorin are arguing while Bilbo is down with the dragon, you can clearly see
Balins beard is fake, the edge of the beard on his face is obvious.
One other thing that annoys me about all the caves in middle earth according to Jackson is they have huuuuuge caverns and very narrow walkways and drops that go on for miles. Same in the Goblin caves, narrow caves would make it a lot more intimate and confined, as caves should be. The huge open rooms just seem unbelievable and impossible. And imagine the heating costs!
As with LOTR, it's like Jackson has taken the Hobbit story but inserted and changed anything he can to ramp it up 100% on action, chase, CGI overfest, action, chase. Personally I hate what he does to them, and one reason they annoy me so much is because it's an opportunity wasted, especially with LOTR.
Will I watch this one again, no. Will I watch the third, I guess I'll have to and hate Jackson just that little bit more.
.
