From: mr@sandman.net   
      
   So, went on the premiere like I always does. Here's some thoughts. Not   
   though, that this is filled with spoilers.   
      
   First of all, the movie was as good as could be expected, knowing the   
   possible weaknesses it must have (more on that below).   
      
   A note though - this is the *only* LotR/TH movie to not start with a   
   flashback. This felt pretty weird to me.   
      
   The movie starts with Smaug's assault on Laketown, this is a rather   
   underwhelming part, since in short he breathes some fire and then is shot   
   down by Bard. End of Smaug. It is clearly bad pacing due to the fact that   
   two movies became three movies. I feel that Smaug deserved more screentime   
   in the final movie, which meant we should have seen less of him in the   
   middle movie.   
      
   We then cut to Erebor where Thorin is busy being mad by "dragon sickness",   
   which is a bit forced from his battle sequence at the end of the last   
   movie. It's more or less in line with the book, so I won't whine about it   
   too much.   
      
   In Dol Goldur, Galadriel show up to rescue Gandalf, after which the nine   
   ringwraiths appear. And this is really poorly done. They appear as   
   translucent "ghosts" in mid-air and float about like no one's business. But   
   we already have a precedent how they are supposed to look *if you can see   
   them*. As we know, they are invisible without their cloaks (which they're   
   not wearing). And if you want to argue that the members of the White   
   Council should be able to see them, then at least they should look like how   
   Frodo sees them on Weathertop.   
      
   Elrond and Saruman also appear and a fight squence ensues where Elrond   
   fights them with a sword and Saruman with his staff. When defeated   
   (whatever that means) Sauron appears and "resurrects" them (whatever that   
   means) and says that darkness is coming. Galadriel then switch to her "dark   
   queen" mode and use what appears to be the Light of Earendil to banish   
   Sauron from Dol Goldur. The entire sequence is rather quick and a bit   
   unsatisfactory. I had hoped for this to be more of an event where the white   
   council drives Sauron from Dol Goldur.   
      
   After this, we are back at Erebor, and since we've exhausted every other   
   possible location, the rest of the is from this location (with a small   
   departure to Gundabad for Legolas and Tauriel).   
      
   So the people of Laketown trek up to Dale, and Thranduil's army also   
   marches there. They both (Thranduil and Bard) confront Thorin and asks him   
   to honor his agreement to Laketown, and return to "heirloom" to Thranduil.   
   Thorin refuses and both sides prepare for war.   
      
   Bilbo sneaks out of Erebor and brings the Arcenstone to Bard and Thranduil   
   for leverage against Thorin, which enraged Thorin even more, denouncing   
   Bilbo. He declares war against men and elves when the Iron hill dwarves   
   arrive.   
      
   Soon thereafter the orcs attack, so there is no war between dwarves and   
   elves, but no outspoke alliance between them either as in the book. It is   
   only after a small hesitation that Thranduil joins the attack on the orcs,   
   prompted by Gandalf.   
      
   Thorin at this time sulks inside his mountain, but he (literally) shakes   
   off his sickness and even though they had armed up for war before, they now   
   join the charge when all seems lost, but not wearing the battle armor they   
   earlier put on. Weird.   
      
   The events that follows aren't too far from the book. We have the   
   obligatory stand-off between Thorin and Azog, the demise of Fili and Kili   
   and Legolas fights Bolg. This all happens on top of a mountainside/tower   
   instead of in the battlefield but that was allright by me.   
      
   All in all, this may have been the movie adaptation of Tolkien's work that   
   stayed the most true to its source material. That said, there are some   
   things that stand out, here's a few:   
      
   Tauriel and Kili   
   While a love affair between an elf and a dwarve is pretty outlandish to   
   begin with, even if the dwarf is as handsome as Kili, it is taken to   
   unreasonable heights in this movie. It was merely hinted at in the last   
   movie, which was, well "ok". Here it is outright "true love" and when Kili   
   is killed, Tauriel weeps. It's out of place and they've met, what, three   
   times? Please.   
      
   Were-worms   
   The orcs arrive on the battlefield through tunnels created by large   
   worm-like stone-eating created. These are as far as I know invented for the   
   movie and makes no sense. If a huge worm creates a hold through a mountain,   
   how is it that an army can spill out of the hole directly after, isn't the   
   worm occupying the hole?   
      
   Alfrid   
   The comic relief sidekick of the master of lake town, he's way over the top   
   and every scene with him is pure agony.   
      
   Beorn   
   There was every reason for Beorn to have a larger role here, he is the one   
   that brings back the mortally wounded Thorin the book, he is the one that   
   crashes throught the defense of Bolg. In the movie, he is dropped as a man   
   by the eagles, transforms in mid-air, charges a rank of orcs and is never   
   seen again. Damn.   
      
   Huge "trolls"   
   When the second wave of orc's arrive, they bring with them enormous trolls   
   with large catapults on their backs. This feels like just an obvious   
   throwback to the Mumakil of LotR, but luckily we don't have Legolas killing   
   one without breaking a sweat. :)   
      
      
   All in all, it was a very enjoyable film, with some pacing issues, but   
   there was no Super Mario-scenes like escape from Misty Mountains or   
   barrel-ride in the first two movies.   
      
   It ends with Bilbo back home, and connecting with the LotR movies in a nice   
   and neat way. And there aren't 12 endings :)   
      
      
      
      
   --   
   Sandman[.net]   
      
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