Review Detail

This edit takes advantage of the episodic nature of the story, allowing the narrative to unfold in a serial format that keeps the viewer engaged from start to finish. The technical work of the editing is superb, with seamless transitions that almost never feel out of place. One of the standout features of this edit is how it streamlines Bilbo's story while retaining all the important character beats and plot points. The pacing is really good, with every scene serving a clear purpose in advancing the story. It flows much more smoothly, without any of the pacing issues that were present in the original cut.
One minor critique is the amount of time still spent on Thorin's dragon sickness. While this is an important aspect of the character's journey in the original Peter Jackson's vision, the edit could have benefitted from cutting some of the first scenes to make this change less sudden at the beginning of episode 4. Additionally, I missed some foreshadowing of the arrival of the orc army at the end, which would have heightened the tension. Despite all the result is magnificent and one of the best fanedits of The Hobbit.