Review Detail

I will say upfront that I have never truly enjoyed any version of The Hobbit movies, despite seeing theatrical, extended, and multiple fanedits. So for me, a version that makes these films work is a much bigger ask than someone who just doesn't like the LOTR setup bits or hates a few select lines. I have massive problems with
the overall tone management, (https://boxd.it/4CcDTd)
the basic plot adaptation to film, (https://boxd.it/4CdoSr)
and the central performance: (https://boxd.it/4CdYA9)

So, no, this fanedit did not fix these issues for me, and did not turn the films into something I want to rewatch. I think this fanedit takes a very middle-of-the-road approach, combining elements from other edits to come up with a even-handed cut that will appeal to everyone. With nearly 200 reviews here and most of them glowing, clearly it works. Personally though, I think I need a much more severe cut. Maybe an absolutely brutal edit that streamlines these things to a razor and eliminates all goofiness would do it. Or more likely, one that embraces the "kids' bedtime story" approach and eliminates all seriousness and horror and gore. But the middle-of-the-road was one that I couldn't really get behind, as much as a lot of it worked seamlessly. Removals of whole characters and sequences were barely noticed, and the technical aspects of the edit are flawless. There are even subtitles! Much appreciated.

All in all, it seems unfair to bash the edit for not fitting my personal approach. I've sent my quibbles to the editor privately, but for here I'll just say: if you were fairly happy with a lot of The Hobbit and just wanted a less egregious telling of the original story, but with lots of the big blockbuster excitement, this could very well fit the bill. It's sort of Fast, Fantasy, & Furious!