The Lord of the Rings and all things Middle Earth were an important part of my youth, and I've read the trilogy and The Hobbit many times. Usually, I'm a purist - this is classic literature, after all, and you shouldn't mess with what your betters have already refined into perfection.
Peter Jackson's long awaited "The Hobbit" is nearly 3 hours long. Of that time, probably less than an hour of what you see on the screen is actually in the book. Some serious license has been taken with the original. And I loved it, every minute of it. The heart, the core, is true to original, and the rest, to me, is just plain rollicking fun. Now I can't wait for the next installment.
With one caveat - I wish they'd get over the 3-D thing. It's not necessary - the characters and action on a movie screen are just as real to me in 2-D as in 3-D. The funny glasses make my nose feel weird because they have to sit in front of my own glasses. Plus every once in a while things move in such a way that I have to deliberately look away for a moment because it makes my stomach go a bit oopsy.
Is this a true-to-the-original movie? No. But I had a blast and I'll happily watch it again.
