Review by johntomccarty

As a rather quiet, conservative person, it's surprising to all I know that I am so hooked on this series of movies. From a visual perspective, the scenery is gorgeous and the backgrounds stunning with marvelous attention to fine details. The action scenes lend themselves to breathless anticipation and quite a few hearty laughs. Smaug is as awesome and fearsome as Bilbo declares in his wonderful encounter with the dragon. Overall, the characters develop with layers that lend a richness I see in very few films. I enjoy Bilbo and his rise from a somewhat shallow existence. Gandalf is secretive, humorous, and determined. I love the fresh background on Legolas, and Lee Pace is captivating as Thranduil. Richard Armitage's portrayal of Thorin is masterful when it comes to building his character with the finest nuances of expression. I know this movie in particular doesn't follow Tolkien to the letter, but the result is no less satisfying or captivating for the changes.