[Lawtan]

Well...it wasn't terrible. Just wish they cut an hour from the 3+ hour film.

Parts I would rather cut:
1) Smaug - too long. They actually made a brilliantly rendered dragon chase the dwarves for a large amount of time, during which the chase got boring, they spat completely on the laws of physics, and they turned the great Smaug into a Tom and Jerry routine...also, the great "I am Smaug/Barrel Rider" speaking was confused because they broke it up in the action scene.
2) The Graphics - at times they did wonderfully - better than LotR - but at other times...it looked terrible (Will say right now that I detest the White Ork...he looks like the Rankin Bass cartoon had a child with LotR)
3) Making every story arc a battle scene. The Hobbit is an adventure with action, yes, BUT it was just as much, if not moreso, a battle of Hobbit ingenuity against the general dangers of the world outside of the Shire.
4) The Elf King - they made him a bland greedy cowardly fellow...with the power of an elf. I think that this character was done better in the Hobbit cartoon...and that one looks like a Drow mixed with a frog.
5) They extended several scenes ridiculously, and erased others. What of the race of great birds who would call the other dwarves to help? What of the treacherous waters that put any who drank it to sleep? Replaced with a slapstick battle between Legolas, Tauriel, the orcs, and the dwarves tumbling down the river (from whitewater experience, no, Bilbo should not have been able to hang on.
6) They made this story about Thorin, not the Hobbit - and Thorin doesn't really develop until he is betrayed by Bilbo (in order to avert war) and forced by the Orcs to ally with men and elves. Overall, you could say a strong moral of the Hobbit would be "get out of your comfort zone"
7) Spider scene was disappointing - they really had to focus on the ring rather than Bilbo becoming a cocky warrior singing "Attercop"

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Things I liked about it:
1) Expanding the "captured by woodelves" scene - it succeeded in making the Dwarven-Elven relations understandable.
2) The Inclusion of Beorn - points for that.
3) The Romance - If they played their cards right, this could be like Gimli and Galadriel - becoming loyal/trusted friends. I doubt that they will come third movie, but that is what I'd like to see - a generally pure-hearted she-elf helping where she saw good people, and inciting the jealousy of Legolas (giving him a character flaw rather than being Legolas-god)
4) The Graphics - as said, when they got it good, it was superb - the lair of the Necromancer was splendid (and the execution, in my opinion), Smaug is now likely the best movie dragon yet, the golden halls were nice, as was the inside of Mirkwood.
5) Bard - I liked the idea of having a Pirates of the Caribbean actor as Bard. Also, they did the background story decently, and Bard is a nice character. I just wish they expanded it out more. In the Hobbit, the Dwarves spent time in the city. They also camped out near the hidden door. I'd have liked to see some of that.
6) Linking the Hobbit to the LotR - Including Legolas and the music for the Ring are good pluses

Evaluation - I do want an hour of the time back, but I don't regret seeing it. Rate: 54/100