Why The Hobbit Movies Are Better Than You Remember

The "Hobbit" film series, a three-movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's timeless children's novel, hit theaters from 2012 to 2014. Starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, and Richard Armitage, these three films — "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," and "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" — were, to put it diplomatically, not particularly well-received.

It wasn't a total disaster: The trilogy made a combined total of roughly $2.9 billion at the global box office, while the first two movies earned passable reviews. However, "The Battle of the Five Armies" didn't fare so well, becoming the first Middle-earth movie to receive a rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer. Worse still, the reception from fans and critics alike paled in comparison to the runaway success of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, which, just over a decade earlier, forever changed the face of blockbuster cinema.

Common criticisms of the "Hobbit" trilogy include an overreliance on CGI, an uneven tone, and the egregious addition of content not found in the novel. While it's hard to argue that these aren't problems in each of the three movies, it's also true that they actually have a lot going for them — more than you might imagine, in fact. This is why the "Hobbit" movies are better than you remember.

Aside from Thorin Oakenshield, most of the Dwarves play a surprisingly small role in the events of "The Hobbit." Some, such as Balin, are more prominent, but others display only basic character traits. A few might as well not be there at all. 

That's nothing against Tolkien — "The Hobbit" wouldn't be more magnificent if Nori and Bifur had more to say. But credit where credit's due: Peter Jackson does a fantastic job depicting the Dwarves. It's not easy to produce a movie that follows a cast of 14 (including Gandalf), but the Dwarves in Thorin's company genuinely feel like individuals. Neat visual touches help, like the axehead jutting out of Bifur's forehead, Balin's white hair and beard, and Fili and Kili being made to look like January and February on Erebor's T.A. 2941 Dreamy Dwarves Calendar.

Jackson and his writing partners, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, also manage to insert a number of character moments for the Dwarves that don't exist in the novel. Bofur has a nice moment with Bilbo in "An Unexpected Journey" that is echoed in the final movie, for example. Meanwhile, much is made of Balin's long friendship with Thorin, and Kili is — for better or worse — afforded an entire storyline. All this prevents the Dwarves from becoming little more than extras in their own adventure. They add depth to Thorin's quest and deftly complement the trilogy's lead characters.

As Tolkien's novel marches on, the early chapters' quaint adventures give way to something darker: Thorin, overcome by greed and obsessed with his search for the Arkenstone, fortifies the Lonely Mountain and threatens war against both Men and Elves.

Thorin's descent into madness makes for one of the most gripping character arcs in the trilogy, and one of the best parts of "The Battle of the Five Armies." This arc is set up as early as the Extended Edition of "An Unexpected Journey," and develops gradually and convincingly over the course of three movies. Armitage's terrifyingly erratic performance transforms the character from an inspiring leader into a Dwarf as willing to wage war against the victims of dragonfire as he is to toss a Hobbit over the ramparts of Erebor.

This all climaxes in an intense and hallucinatory sequence that sees Thorin literally consumed by the gold he desires. The payoff? The king casts off his crown, overcomes his family's terrible legacy, and rallies his allies in the battle raging outside. The whole subplot is masterfully executed, and can arguably be counted as one of the few ways in which the "Hobbit" movies actually improve on Tolkien's book.

Like the books on which it's based, the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy focuses on two particular Elven settlements: Rivendell and Lothlórien. The Elves of Rivendell are friendly and welcoming, healing Frodo after his flight from Weathertop and playing host to the Council of Elrond. The Silvan Elves of Lórien are more mysterious, but Galadriel and Celeborn nevertheless host the Fellowship and see them off with a number of gifts.

The Mirkwood Elves are an entirely different kettle of fish. Here, the Elves are dangerous at best and outright antagonistic at worst, first locking up Thorin's Company and later marching to Erebor to face them in battle. Rarely are Tolkien's Elves portrayed with such moral ambiguity — outside "The Silmarillion," at least — and the movies do a fine job of making them as threatening as any of the other foes encountered by Bilbo and his friends.

Central to this, of course, is Lee Pace, who delivers an ethereal and unsettling performance as Thranduil, king of the Woodland Realm. Adorned in silver robes and a crown of twigs and leaves, Thranduil feels even more otherworldly than Galadriel, and could be a different species entirely from Elrond and Arwen. He's scarier than them too, executing orcs with aplomb and flexing his own immortality as he threatens his prisoners. Here's hoping that future adaptations of Tolkien's legendarium can bring us Elves as captivating and terrifying as Thranduil.

There can be no doubt that the "Hobbit" movies went too heavy on the CGI. Much of that CGI contributes to some uneven visuals found across all three movies, such as the dark, confusing final chase in "The Desolation of Smaug" or the inexplicable bloom lighting of "The Battle of the Five Armies."

But that's not to say these aren't pretty movies. In fact, in their finest moments, they're downright beautiful. "An Unexpected Journey" is a gloriously colorful romp through the most visually arresting regions in Middle-earth: You've got the Shire, of course, but also a more vibrant Rivendell than the one seen in the previous trilogy, as well as a strikingly quirky depiction of Goblin-town. The Woodland Realm in "The Desolation of Smaug" is nearly as picturesque — and certainly as unique — as Lothlórien in "The Fellowship of the Ring," while the filthy, wintry landscapes of "The Battle of the Five Armies" provide a setting unlike anything else in the saga. And of course, you can't go wrong with New Zealand scenery, especially when it's captured with such sweepingly epic cinematography.

The "Hobbit" movies are often criticized for featuring a sillier tone than "The Lord of the Rings." It's difficult to combat those criticisms by pointing out that the movies are based on a children's novel, because they also feature their fair share of violence, gore, and other adult themes. "An Unexpected Journey" is particularly rife with zany antics. Recall the trolls' slapstick bickering, the Dwarves' many songs, or the infamous showdown with the Goblin King. 

There's a way to explain this goofy approach, though, and even square it away with the more somber tone of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy: The first movie makes a point of explicitly framing this as Bilbo's retelling of his quest. We already know from "The Fellowship of the Ring" that Bilbo likes to tell a tale; it's not hard to imagine that he's prone to exaggeration every now and again. Perhaps the "Hobbit" trilogy's more extravagant moments are simply the embellishments of an imaginative Hobbit. This idea doesn't quite explain every creative choice, but it certainly justifies some of them.

All six of Peter Jackson's Middle-earth movies are accompanied by Extended Editions, which feature a flurry of new and expanded scenes. In "The Lord of the Rings," these range from the benign, such as Legolas and Gandalf ending their contest in "The Two Towers," to the absolutely vital, like Saruman's death in "The Return of the King."

The "Hobbit" trilogy is no different. While many of the Extended Edition scenes don't bring all that much to the story, a few of them should probably never have been cut in the first place. "An Unexpected Journey," for example, lost a scene in which Bilbo explores Rivendell and is offered lodgings by Elrond, setting up his eventual departure from the Shire in "The Fellowship of the Ring." The journey through Mirkwood in the Extended "Desolation of Smaug" is far longer and more unsettling. Thorin's funeral in "The Battle of the Five Armies" Extended Edition is one of the most emotional scenes in the trilogy. If you're ever tempted to re-watch the "Hobbit" movies, try giving the Extended Editions a go — you might find yourself enjoying them a bit more.