Well I've seen it! After a year of waiting I have finally watched DoS!

I was really not sure about what to think after walking out of the cinema; it seemed as if there were quite a few liberties taken in this film compared with the other and it didn't feel a lot like the Hobbit. I normally have a tendency to keep books and movies together in my mind so when something is changed I get pretty upset. DoS was no exception to the rule, but I must say that the source material isn't as dear to me as Narnia; I would be fine with more changes in this adaptation than I would with any of Narnia's.

Below are SPOILERS as well as my thoughts (highlight to read them. 🙂 )

Best part for me:
-Conversation with Smaug sans the dwarves. Smaug was so amazing: his design (even though he had only two legs), his movements, and his voice. He was so arrogant and wow, I just could not get over how stupendous and terrifying he really was. And of course MF played a fantastic Bilbo the entire time. This scene worked so well from the moment Bilbo entered Erebor until he grabbed the Arkenstone as Smaug was about to incinerate him.

Worst part for me:
-Dwarves vs. Smaug especially the gold statue. I think that more of that time should have been spent at Beorn's house (which I absolutely loved) and Mirkwood.

I'll probably post more of my thoughts later but I really want to talk with someone about a particular scene in Mirkwood! So if you have seen it would you mind discussing it? 🙂
(Highlight below to see what scene I'm referring to):
Mirkwood scene: Bilbo has lost the Ring and as he searches for it he spots it on the ground and heads towards it but not before some strange insect touches it. He rushes over in such fury and kills it with SO much malice it's very unnerving. Afterward he holds up the Ring to the dead insect and says "MINE!" with a terrible look on his face. In that same moment he realizes what he did and is in disbelief at his own actions (tears up and covers his mouth). I personally don't believe that the Ring could have THAT much power over him in such a short time considering that he has had it for a few days to a week and has worn it two-three times at this very moment. What do you think?

So even though I really did not know what to make of it after a first viewing my judgements may not be very sound since I saw it VERY late (or would it be early?), there were technical difficulties causing the the film to start 30-40 minutes after it was supposed to start, and we had to switch auditoriums among other things. So perhaps after a second viewing I'll be able to fully share my thoughts.

DOS!!!!!!!! (That is my review) 😀

Thanks for the reviews!

We went last night. I absolutely loved it!!! I'm going to start, as I did last year, by sharing my thoughts without reading anyone else's:

DETAILED SPOILERS BELOW!!!

1. Bree!!! Squeee!!! Prancing Pony!!!
2. Beorn: I loved him. I was very worried about how he was going to look, but he was quite nice in the end, even if he was different to what I imagined. My only complaint was his bit being too short. I would have liked to see his animals serving them breakfast but I understand that was going to be difficult. At least got to see the animals in his house and the bees were cool.
3. Mirkwood: Mostly great!! Gandalf's sudden departure was much more believable than in the book. The drowsiness and getting lost bit was also great. I would have liked to see the river scene with Bombur, but it wasn't that important. I get that it would have been tricky to have the elvish fire scenes. Yay for Bilbo climbing the tree!! Yay for whispers of Attercop! (though I would have liked Bilbo to have sung or at least chanted). Sting's name origin!! Yay!!! I was okay with the elves intervening. The bit with the Ring and Bilbo hacking the spider was poignant.
4. Gimli/Legolas reference!!! Awesome!!!
5. Elven Halls! lovely. Thranduil was great and very Noldor-like in his behaviour (even if he shouldn't have been)
6. Barrels Scene: This is my favourite scene so part of me wanted it exactly by-the-book, but on the whole it was pretty good, cleverly executed and enough of the book (it being Bilbo's idea, the guards falling asleep) was there. Even the bit with Bilbo being so clever about getting the others out he forgot about himself was there though the form it took was different. It was annoying me that the barrels didn't fill with water till Teneb pointed out they were elven barrels, which works for me.
8. Bard!! And his family. Loved them!!!
9. Lake Town: It was amazing, not at all what I expected but perfect none-the-less. It was so believable. And Stephen Fry as the Master was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. He was just great!!! (Exactly what Gumpas should have been in VDT)
10. The mountain: I like how they split the dwarf group up for more practical reasons than they were split in the book. Bilbo was perfect in the scene by the back door. Also Bilbo/Smaug = awesome (but that was always going to be the case). I'm sorry that they changed that Smaug's weak-spot was completely Bilbo's discovery. I think that was a mistake. Cumber-Smaug's voice <3
11. The stuff with the dwarves and the furnace and Smaug and the statue: okay - that I didn't like. It was unnecessary, and over-the-top. It reminded me of the goblin city scene I disliked in the first movie for very similar reasons. And even if dwarves have extra-tough skin - how did none of them get frazzled?
12. Gandalf & Radagast: I just can't help but love those two
13. Sauron: Cumberbatch's voice!!! (but speaking the black tongue O.o) The bit with the eye and the body interchanging was powerful and the "black mist" was appropriate
14. Gandalf/Sauron fight scene: That was potentially my favourite fight scene in all the Tolkien films so far.
15. And finally a word on Tauriel: Firstly, those who were talking about a Tauriel/Fili love story a couple months back, I thought you were just joking, but had you actually heard something????? Secondly, I liked both the Tauriel/Legolas and Tauriel/Fili stories because I was expecting something a lot worse and it was nothing like that. In both cases it was respect and interest rather than love/infatuation that we saw. We didn't have anything predictable or anyone confessing undying love and not even any kisses :p. Okay, Fili did go a bit overboard at the end, but can you blame him? He's just had his life saved by a beautiful immortal elf and he's kinda delusional from being poisoned by a morgul arrow.

Woah...that wasn't supposed to be so long. And I could probably say more, but that will do for now. Congrats if you actually read that :p

Oooh, nice review Ajjie I liked the movie that much as well (if not more) 😀

(Sorry, Ajjie, it's Kili/Tauriel, not Fili.)

Okay. So. Went to the midnight showing. And only posting here now. (It's been busy.)

Basic synopsis: I like UJ better, but I hope to see DoS again.

Details now. And yes, I mean details. This is going to take a while, fair warning.
Bilbo!!!! - Amazingness, but I expected no less. I love-love-love his little twerks (the best of which was his finger movement when Balin leaves him to check out Smaug and the way he crouched down when Smaug stirred 😀 ).
Bilbo-vs-white-spider - Haha! Oh man. Like Ajjie said, poignant. I doubt the Ring would have possessed him that much by this time, but even just thinking about it as a weapon/tool, I think anyone would have flipped out. Being invisible in a situation like that (not to mention others) would come in very handy. I loved that he slew the creature and then declared, "Mine!" Funny and full of meaning.
Bilbo-and-Smaug - I think I pretty much squee'd all over myself at Smaug's introduction. 😀 And Bilbo was funny in the midst of it. And as much as I tried, I just couldn't envision Sherlock and John in this context (which is actually a good thing). The conversation had some of the lines I was really hoping for (but Bilbo's riddle wasn't long enough 🙁 Oh well, I do understand trimming it). Though I did think the conversation dragged in a couple places, but that might just be my initial reaction. Of course, I'm not really complaining since it's Bilbo and Smaug as opposed to any number of other scenarios that could have (and did) drag.

Smaug - Ooh, he was massive (Bilbo wasn't kidding when he said the tales "fell short") and menacing and villain-y and yeah! (Though I thought he resembled a cat in a couple shots, possibly when he ruffed up. Am I the only one?) And the shot of him twirling out of his gold-plating (which was both weird and impressive at the same time) was fantastic.
Cumber-Smaug - Need I comment further? 😆 (In a DoS book, I saw a couple of the motion-capture pictures. I've never seen Cumberbatch make those faces before. 😛 And then info on his roars being made from pig and little girl and his gutteral sounds from alligator, but I digress.)
Dwarves-vs-Smaug - What in the blue blazes?! I'll have to watch the movie again to determine whether or not that was actually necessary in any measure ('cause it might be from a movie standpoint), though in either case, it could have (and, I think, should have) been cut down considerably 'cause that was way too long. Loved how Thorin's coat was on fire, he stopped-dropped-rolled, threw it off, and carried on without another thought. The statue. Whodawhaddywhy? Why is it covered over with boulders, who did that, and why hadn't Smaug taken it down to the treasure room (I mean, he sensed a teeny-tiny ring in Bilbo's pocket for crying out loud!)? Also, I wouldn't consider gold a particularly great security system. Impractical, actually.

Necromancer - Freaky black swirly shadow, transformation into the eye, the outline of bodied-Sauron! Yup, I was properly impressed. 😀
Cumber-mancer - Okay, I was (and still am) excited about Cumber-Smaug. But forget Cumber-Smaug; Cumber-mancer is where it's at! 😆 It's just so... so... Sauron, for lack of a better description.

Beorn - I wish he was more book-verse, though I absolutely loved how they set up the fact that the orcs fear him. I mean, when one says, "Let's go gut 'em in their sleep" and the other responds "No, the Beast stands watch", you know Beorn equals bad news for orcs. 😀 That and how Gandalf looks up at him when Bilbo (I think it's Bilbo) mentions how lucky they were to have reached Mirkwood without running into orcs.
Liked the touch with the chain, but his hair... it's a cross of MacGyver, Wolverine, and Tumnus (plus the eyebrows, wherever they came from). 😛

Thranduil - Not as cool as I was hoping (though he does have moves when he feels like using them; can't wait to see what he'll be like in the BotFA! *and still wants his armour*). But they didn't downplay his greed, which was good. I was totally fine with him, snobbishness and all, until... the scar. What in blazes (no pun intended) was that?! Elves can't do that. They heal and that's it, over, done, end of story.

Legolas - Even though he's got quite a bit of face-time, I didn't think he dominated the screen, which is very, very good. I loved his fight scenes. Epicness. No wonder he was okay with climbing the oliphant in RotK! Though I was (properly) let down when he didn't notice that Thorin saved his hide, but that's part of his story. Oh, and the nose-bleed! I love the nose-bleed!! Bolg is clearly going to regret it 'cause the look Legolas gave him was one of, "Oh, you done drawn blood; it's on now!" 😆

Tauriel - Gimme the outfit! And the warrior skillz! I can honestly say I seriously like her character with the greatest exception for...
Kili/Tauriel - Come one, come all! Pass the nachos, toss the pizza dough, bring the knife, or better yet, Bombur; I've discovered the recipe for instant cheese. I might have been okay with the general idea of an elf/dwarf deal, but the with the way it's done, I'm just as outraged as Thorin will be if he ever finds out and not just because it's non-canon. (Few movies have ever made me cry. Why did I cry here? There was so much cheese, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. So I laughed. And cried anyway. I laughed so much that I was still laughing after the scene cut to Gandalf in Dol Guldur.) Their conversation in the cells dragged and went nowhere fast, glowing Tauriel was a really bad move, and wouldn't Kili be embarrassed of having been saved by a girl so many stinkin' times? (Also, innuendo that shouldn't have happened.) I stand by my hope that, regardless of my otherwise liking of her, she survives the BotFA to die of slow and painful heartbreak because I'm still sadistic like that. If PJ makes her pull a Boromir (or if there's some sort of uber-cheesy moment with Kili at his death), I shall be sorely displeased.)

Bard - I don't remember him being this way in the book. I'm not really objecting to what they did with him, but he doesn't seem as strong (granted, it could easily be part of his arc). I liked his family, even if he's only supposed to have Bain. And he's a pretty good smuggler, I must say, and all around good at eluding nosy people (except for Alfrid at the end, anyway... that's gotta hurt).

The Master of Laketown - In a word, gross. But perfect because of it. He's got an unhealthy complexion and nasty-coloured hair and a digestion problem as bad as his mustache. (*agrees with Ajjie* Stephen Fry for Governor Gumpas!)

Balin - Wonderful as ever, forever and always. 😀 I daresay he's the Sam of TH, even if he's rather different.

Thorin - I loved how he was all obsessed with the treasure as soon as the side door was opened. Sets it up wonderfully for TaBA.

Lake-town - Perfect. Dilapidated, but that's part of its perfection.

Mirkwood - The antler motif was beautiful. I loved how it was more rustic (and rust-coloured) compared to Rivendell and Lothlorien. Thranduil's halls are rather different than what I imagined, but I have no objection to the way it was done here.

rescue and barrels - Ha! Great scene. So, so, so different compared to the book, but I'm pretty good with this change. Legolas being the ultimate acrobat and Bombur defying physics. (Speaking of physics, this movie's physics (or lack there of) is worse than that of UJ.)

Gimli reference - lol! Remember the name, Legolas, you'll get to know it well in sixty years!

the pig - Yes, I liked the pig. (Interesting story behind her eating the weeds used as athelas, btw.)

Elves intervening with spiders - Perfectly okay with it and knew it was going to happen as soon as I saw that the Elves battled the spiders at all.

"We are legion" - Ooh, Bible reference much? 😀 Love.

Gandalf in a cage - Seriously? No resolution? *sigh* Most interesting though. (Also, spoiler for TaBA, Saruman is actually going to have a good amount of fighting. 🙂 )

the ending - Really PJ? Ah, well, shouldn't be surprised.

meme warning - Don't be surprised at all when people start saying that Kili took an arrow to the knee. It's already happening. 😀

*gasps for air* That should do it for now. Till I think of something else to mention, heehee.

So, I saw DOS yesterday! And, before anyone reads my thoughts, remember, I haven't read the book. 🙂

If I had to use 1 word to describe this movie, it would be: Epic! I loved it!

I liked how it showed Thorin and Gandalf meeting at the beginning.

This one was better than AUJ for me because the elves were in it a lot and they got to fight! Sorry, dwarf fans like Ann, but the elves are probably my favorite 'race' in Middle earth.

I liked Tauriel, although I agree with Ariel that the Tauriel/Kili was cheesy. Plus, the glow? Unnecessary. But I loved seeing her fight! She was so cool!

Legolas was great, too. And when Tauriel said about Kili, "He is taller than most dwarves, isn't he?"
"Taller than some, but no less ugly." Priceless!

In short, I liked everything!

Whoops! Sorry on the Kili/Fili mixup. I was doing that a lot after watching. No idea why, 'cause I know the difference, but it just keeps coming out wrong :p

Ditto on the Cumber-mancer stuff Ariel (if I didn't make it clear in my own post), he. was. just. awesome.

On the statue, I thought the statue was newly made from the molten gold (hence Smaug not having with the treasure). What confused me is why there was a mould sitting there waiting to be used. Maybe the statue had been newly commissioned when Smaug arrived and everything was left ready for it's manufacture all these years?

I discovered something interesting regarding the dwarves and the dragon-fire in the Silmarillion the other day. It slightly explains away my complaint about them not suffering from the heat and fire.

The context is the Nirnaeth Arnoediad (The Battle of Unnumbered Tears). Most armies of men and elves have been defeated or fled:

"Last of all the eastern forces to stand firm were the Dwarves of Belegost, and thus they won renown. For the Naugrim [Dwarves] withstood fire more hardily than either Elves or Men, and it was their custom moreover to wear great masks in battle hideous to look upon; and those stood them in good stead against the dragons. And but for them Glaurung [the dragon] and his brood would have withered all that was left of the Noldor"

So our friends weren't wearing masks, but I guess this confirms their resistance to dragon fire 😉

Oh, don't worry, Ajjie, you were clear on Cumber-mancer. I just had to say it too. 😆

Hmm... see, this is why I have to watch it again. To see if the statue was made just then (but then, how had it hardened to maintain its shape, or was that just the mold?) or what. 🙂

Ooh! That does make sense! Dwarves would totally be hardier.

I thought i might be able to answer your question 🙂
Ela and I watched it again on Saturday and it was definetley a better experience ^.^
Ok, so yes the statue was made just then, the whole point in lighting the furnaces (or whatever they were) were in part to fulfill the prophecy and because Thorin new of this project that the dwarves were working on prior to Smaug. Which was the statue, which explains why the gold was already in those (furnaces?) And the whole stream of gold (Thorin wheel barrel riding) was pouring into the mold, which Thorin knew was there due to the fact he tells them to go to the Hall of Kings where the statue was 🙂
i hope I helped somewhat ^.^

I gathered that the statue wasn't solid. It just appeared solid for a few seconds before disintegrating and overwhelming Smaug.

OK, that makes sense, Eria. 😛

@Eria: Okay, that does help. 🙂 Now the question is why hadn't Smaug tried to take the gold that was in those furnaces before? (Yes, I nitpick. Sue me. 😛 )

He was too lazy? 😛 Or perhaps he didn't think much of it since it was ALL inside of the mountain.

Well after seeing it for a second time I did like it better but I still thought the statue wasn't really necessary. I thought it worked better this time around probably because I knew it was coming.

Viewing it again I noticed more than I did the first time such as when the company is in Mirkwood and Bilbo touches/strums the web you can hear the word attercop. 😀 I also forgot to add in my first review that Bilbo says "Thag you very buch"; that made me quite happy though I wonder why they didn't have the line "Never laugh at a live dragon", (I really hope it's in the ee!).

I didn't hear "attercop" or "thag you very buch"! At least I know where "attercop" is, but where's the cold line?

(Ooh, I think I forgot to mention that I loved PJ's cameo.)