Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This has to be a phenomenon among movie goers that people are enjoying this film. If you haven't read the book by Tolkien, it is far less violent, less involved, has way better dialogue, and has some real meaning. The thing is, I don't understand how anyone can sit through this much violence, poor dialogue, and constant video game type CGI. It is exhausting and wearying on the eyes and brain to have a constant barrage of violence in between brief moments of plot. So let me break down my issues with this film: 1. The dialogue. Yet another LOTR movie with very poor dialogue. Dialogue is not subtle in any way. It is not meaningful. It seems like every single line of dialogue Jackson writes is attempted to be super powerful, dark, and inspirational. This is tiring and laughable dialogue especially when you have read the exquisite dialogue from the book. Tolkien is a master of language. The dialogue was already written for this movie. Not much extra was needed. 2. Violence. Is this what movie making has become in the past 10 years? A little bit of plot followed by hundreds of acts of CGI video game violence? How can any fan honestly write a review of this film and say if Tolkien saw it he would be proud? You may be saying these are Jackson's films, but Jackson on multiple occasions has stated that ultimately these should be Tolkien's films. I doubt that. The violence is wearying and it is catering to our every increasing population of people who do not appreciate strong dialogue, plot, and would rather watch a video game. 3. Smaug and Bilbo. This scene should warrant Jackson a permanent ban from touching any Tolkien book again. This chapter in the book was so powerful with Bilbo and Smaug exchanging cunning with each other in the flicker of darkness. The drama was caused by the sense of imminent danger or sudden movements. The strength and power of the chapter was built on the base of words and imagery of emotion. What did Jackson turn this scene into? Yet another exhausting video game CGI fest of violence. Shame, absolute shame. 4. Anything outside of Bilbo. What makes movies work is a connection with the protagonist and I'm struggling to figure out who it is in the film. Last I checked, the book was about Bilbo's journey from frightened sheltered hobbit to brave hero. That is all lost in a convolution of connections to the LOTR movies, made up characters and plots, and intervals of elongated unnecessary violence. Legolas, ditch it. The love between a dwarf and an elf, please. Bilbo is many times pushed to the back of the film. I often times forget he is in the film. I'm going to get many thumbs down for this review. Not sure why. This is the worst kind of populist film making. There is nothing meaningful about it. I suppose if you are one of the many who enjoy dizzying camera shots, constant video game, cartoon like violence that removes any sort of power that action scenes have, and dialogue that seems written by high school freshman comp students.......well enjoy away.