They Filmed the Book-The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (Part 2)

Obviously, a lot of The Hobbit was changed for the film, but a good deal of the main points of the source material, like Bilbo getting the ring, talking to Smaug, etc., did remain in tact and were great adaptations.  For me though, some of the exaggerations can be forgiven because taking a book to a screen can sometimes require embellishment, especially when it’s a move on the scale of this one.

The battle at the end of the movie was enlarged and the size of Smaug was also increased but these things, for me, can be overlooked.  I loved the scenes, especially in the Lonely Mountain, and there are some beautiful shots during the Battle of the Five Armies as well.  However, I don’t think anyone is arguing the beauty of these films. Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are all films that are visually stunning so I don’t think much argument can be made there.

I think the storyline with Azog was okay but it was not necessary to the extent it was.  I think having the orcs following the company to the Lonely Mountain was fine, since it is a mountain full of gold and most anyone would want in on that.  However, the side stories, like with Legolas and the love triangle story and all that were wholly unnecessary and did nothing to enrich the film or the characters.  It was forced and boring, in my humble opinion.

As I mentioned in the last article, the book is great and I think the film is as well but they are very different.  The book, which was a children’s book, is fun and a great read, but the movie brings an epicness to the story that in its own right is just fantastic.  Yet, be aware for those who haven’t seen the film, there are a lot of plots that aren’t great, others that are expanded and beefed up, but there are also great scenes that bring the pages of The Hobbit to life and, for fans of the book, I think you’ll enjoy this trilogy.