History YMMV / TheHobbitFilmTrilogy

** MartinFreeman's casting and acting. Some feel he's perfect for Bilbo and personifies the character Tolkien wrote, leaps and bounds ahead of Elijah Wood as Frodo. Others feel like he's just playing [[{{Series/Sherlock}} John Watson]] again.

** As with Film/TheLordOfTheRings trilogy, Legolas. Leoglas once again completely steals the scene every time he appears on screen.

** Kíli's expanded role in the second film. The marketing for the second movie can also be summed up as "Hey guys, [[WolverinePublicity Legolas is back!]]:

** [[Music/CrowdedHouse Neil Finn's]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zakVfDY0xZk "Song of the Lonely Mountain"]]; it's a fantastic (non-orthodox) ExpositoryThemeTune! It yearns for a kickass cover done in ''Music/RhapsodyOfFire'' 's or ''Music/BlindGuardian'' 's style.

** Kíli's expanded role in the second film.

** Azog. Depending on who you ask, he's either admired as a {{Badass}} villain, or despised for being a generic "tough guy" villain who was SparedByTheAdaptation, thus exchanging the memorable [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge murder-vendetta]] backstory with the dwarves from the book lore for battle scenes fought over territory ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpires'' or ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' style, and whose status as the first movie's main villain was a last-minute addition to the movie trilogy, and/or the fact that [[SerkisFolk he's portrayed entirely with CGI]], when an actor in makeup like in the LOTR movies would have been just as effective.

** Azog. Depending on who you ask, he's either admired as a {{Badass}} villain, or despised for being a generic "tough guy" villain who was SparedByTheAdaptation, thus exchanging the memorable [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge murder-sparking vendetta]] backstory with the dwarves from the book lore for battle scenes fought over territory ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpires'' or ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' style, and whose status as the first movie's main villain was a last-minute addition to the movie trilogy, and/or the fact that [[SerkisFolk he's portrayed entirely with CGI]], when an actor in makeup like in the LOTR movies would have been just as effective.

** Azog. Depending on who you ask, he's either admired as a {{Badass}} villain, or despised for being a generic "tough guy" villain who was SparedByTheAdaptation, thus exchanging the memorable dwarf murder-vendetta backstory from the book lore for battle scenes, and whose status as the first movie's main villain was a last-minute addition to the movie trilogy, and/or the fact that [[SerkisFolk he's portrayed entirely with CGI]], when an actor in makeup like in the LOTR movies would have been just as effective.

** Majestic Thorin is majestic.

* MarySue: Some people feel that [[AffirmativeActionGirl Tauriel]] is this. A character written in by scriptwriters who's a highly skilled fighter and healer (which nearly ''all'' elves are), who understands the importance of the Dwarves' mission when no one else does[[note]]Though this is very arguable at best; she simply understands that the elves' [[HiddenElfVillage isolationist]] ways should rightfully end; she never has any sympathy for the dwarves outside of Kili, though she never goes out of her way to attack them either[[/note]], and is the subject of forbidden love from everyone's favorite Elven prince. (However, she's inevitably DoomedByCanon ''not'' to end up with Legolas, this being a prequel and all.)

!!''Film/TheHobbit''

* AnticlimaxBoss: Given the Great Goblin is enormous and intimidating (almost as big as a Troll), an epic fight between him and Gandalf seems likely when he blocks the party while they're on the verge of escaping from Goblin town. Thanks to Gandalf, an EyePoke from his staff and [[CoolSword Glamdring]], the Great Goblin does down [[CurbStompBattle easily]].

* BaseBreaker:

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment:
** The stick insect on Radagast's tongue.
** The Goblin King's impromptu song performance in the Extended Edition.
** The stone giant sequence. For anyone who doesn't remember the short passage it was adapted from, it seems even more so, as unlike the trolls and spiders there's zero explanation given for the giants.
** When Thranduil talks about fighting dragons of the north, his cheek briefly melts away to reveal flesh and bone beneath, only to quickly heal back up. Nobody seems to even notice it, especially Thorin, who was only inches away when it happened. Some believe it meant he was burned by dragon fire when he was younger and a spell was placed on his face to cover it up as he knows what happens when you battle dragons, or he recalls his kin being burnt alive from it and it still has a heavy toll on him.

** The Bombur Barrel from the sequel.

* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** Kíli and Fíli, enjoying a case of AdaptationalAttractiveness and a lot of screentime.
** Radagast, mostly thanks to his CrazyAwesome badassery, dealing with the giant spiders, the Nazgûl and the orcs with ease. (And among older fans, for being the [[Series/DoctorWho Seventh Doctor]] in addition to the above.)

** At the dinner in Rivendell, Balin dismisses Sting as not really being a sword but more of a letter opener, which was [[http://www.noblecollection.com/index.cfm?fa=products.product&id=NN1202&catid=91 available for purchase]] from the Noble Collection website before the movie premiered.
** Compare [[http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121122204004/lotr/images/e/e3/61a8000c3df2680eb8179820dcc968e3-2-.jpg The Carrock]] in ''The Hobbit'' (which foreshadows the introduction of [[spoiler: Beorn the bear-man]]) and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GrizzlypeakLeft_fxwb.jpg Grizzly Peak]] at [[DisneyThemeParks Disney's California Adventure]]. If ''Hobbit II'' includes [[spoiler: the escape from Thranduil's cellar]] then both will have something to do with [[spoiler: turbulent river rides]].
*** Definitely, except for the part where [[spoiler:Beorn has nothing to do with rivers of any sort, unless you count his warning not to drink from the stream in Mirkwood.]]
** The part where Smaug is bathed in molten gold by Thorin and company in attempt to kill him, only for him emerge from said molten gold without any harm and his body briefly coated gold until he shakes it off is hilarious when you remember that one of his titles is "Smaug the Golden".
** In ''The Desolation of Smaug'', Kíli ends up taking an [[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim arrow to the knee]]. As a result, he has to stay in town and can't adventure with the rest, and later on guards Bard's family against an orc attack.
* HoYay: Thorin and Bilbo. Shows up most obviously when Thorin saves Bilbo from falling during the Stone Giant storm [[{{Tsundere}} while waxing continuously about how]] [[TheLoad he's useless]], and Bilbo protecting Thorin from Azog, alone, despite having next to no idea how to use a sword, culminating in an epic ManHug, and one of the only [[WhenSheSmiles smiles]] from [[TheStoic Thorin]].

** The actors seem well aware of it. In the blu-ray extras there's a point in script reading where Peter Jackson reads: "Thorin leads Bilbo to the canopy", and Richard Armitage cracks: "is this post-coital or pre?"

* MoralEventHorizon: Smaug [[spoiler:deciding to burn Laketown]]. What sells this particularly in his list of less nice actions is how it is driven by utter pettiness.
* MemeticMutation:

* {{Narm}}[=/=]NarmCharm:
** "If there is a key, there must be a door."
** "Where sickness thrives - [[AndThatsTerrible bad things follow]]."
** Saruman's beard, which is noticeably thicker and bushier than it will be 60 years later.
** Thranduil riding up the crest of a hill with ''his entire army'', watching Smaug completely destroy the dwarf castle, and sort of swishing his hair and turning his whole army back in a {{Bishonen}}-esque fashion.
** Some of Azog's moments come across as this, partially because of his CGI look.
** The Extended version now has an extended "Goblin Town" song sung by Barry Humphries. It's described as an abomination rather than a song by one of the ''characters'', so this reaction may be [[IntendedAudienceReaction intentional]].
** Azog's animation has gotten a ''lot'' better for the second film, but his tendency to [[LargeHam roar and spit out]] every single one of his lines can eventually come off as unintentionally comical.
** [[spoiler: Kíli seeing Tauriel in an angelic light when she heals him.]] It may have been intended as a CallBack to ''Fellowship'' when Frodo saw Arwen for the first time, but it seems more like something from a shoujo manga.
** Smaug's line "I am fire. I am ''death''."
** "They'll be done in a jiffy!" "We don't have a jiffy."
* NightmareRetardant: The spiders of Mirkwood become a lot less creepy in the second film after Bilbo puts on the Ring and begins to understand their language; they have rather screechy voices and aren't all that bright.
* OneSceneWonder:
** Gollum's scene in ''An Unexpected Journey'' is frequently cited as the best part of the film.
** The Necromancer has only one scene in ''An Unexpected Journey'', [[NightmareFuel but what a scene it is]].
*** His scene in ''Desolation of Smaug'' [[SerialEscalation is even more]] [[NightmareFuel terrifying]]ly memorable.
** Beorn, although WordOfGod says he'll have a larger role in the final movie.

%%* TheScrappy: Ori, for some.
* SpecialEffectsFailure:
** Most critics complained about this being a side effect to the frame rate. With ''both'', the practical and digital effects.
** Probably the most notable failure is during the long shot where the dwarfs ride a snapped-off multi-tiered bridge down the side of a crevasse.
** Another ([[InternetBackdraft yet]] [[FlameBait highly debatable]]) one is how the Goblins and Wargs look. [[ArtEvolution Having changed from people in costumes to full CG.]]
*** The Wargs were mostly CGI to begin with, with only a few shots using a prop for close-up work. The Goblins are a little more glaring, except for extreme cases like the Great Goblin and his secretary. On the other hand, any ArtShift complaints should fall by the wayside, since the Goblins and Wargs look different [[FridgeBrilliance because they originate from different areas]] of Middle-Earth than their ''Lord of the Rings'' counterparts.
** Many CGI effects in general weren't as finished in the first movie as they should have been due to the many financial delays that troubled the production, causing numerous scenes to be rushed to completion. Whether this will continue in the latter parts of the trilogy remains to be seen.
** In the second film, Smaug getting hit with molten gold is very obvious CGI.
** Another glaring one in the second film. Some brief shots in the barrel rafting sequence look as though they were shot with a low quality camcorder.
** The transformation into the Bombur Barrel is very obvious CGI.
** Smaug's fire fails to have an effect on most things it engulfs or touches, even if said things are made of wood.
** When Legolas is standing by the river and speaking to Tauriel (with the sun shining behind him), you can clearly see where the prosthetics end and where OrlandoBloom's real ear starts.
** It's rather amusing to see the dwarves standing by Durin's Door... and being lit by a ''very'' obvious spotlight. It's completely different from the lighting in the closeup shots and looks ridiculous.
* {{Squick}}:
** Pay attention during the Unexpected party. Dwalin punks Óin by pouring ale down his ear trumpet. Óin deals with it by blowing the ale out. With his mouth.
** As if the goblins weren't disgusting enough, the Great Goblin orders Thorin and company to be searched in ''every crack and crevice''.
** The Great Goblin's throne doubles as a toilet. His actor describes him as "grossly incontinent".
** Radagast has two long streaks in his hair, made up of bird droppings.
* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel[=/=]EvenBetterSequel: While the trilogy is still divisive among fans and critics, both fans ''and'' critics seem to agree that ''The Desolation of Smaug'' is superior to ''An Unexpected Journey'', since the movie fixes some of the problems ''An Unexpected Journey'' had. [[JustHereForGodzilla Not to mention because of Smaug and Legolas]].
* UglyCute:
** Gollum flips between adorable and ''terrifying'' constantly, especially when he's struggling to come up with answers to Bilbo's riddles. (In other words, [[FridgeBrilliance between Gollum and Sméagol]]...)
** A lot of the goblins as well, like the Goblin King's tiny secretary. Having similar character designs to the goblins in ''Labyrinth'' doesn't hurt.
** Radagast applies; he's filthy and crazy, but cute at the same time.
* UncannyValley:
** Smaug's facial expressions are taken from motion captures of Benedict Cumberbatch emoting while speaking his dialogue. The result gives Smaug's face a disturbingly creepy appearance and a hideous intelligence.
** Thranduil acts very odd and stilted, with odd pauses in his speech and improper facial expressions, especially when speaking with Thorin. He comes off as someone not used to interacting with others, especially non-elves. [[IntendedAudienceReaction This was likely completely intentional]].
* VisualEffectsOfAwesome: While the film's many battle scenes, vistas, and creatures are undeniably impressive, a very subtle one qualifies too. Saruman may have met and talked with the white council, but Sir IanMcKellen revealed that Sir ChristopherLee wasn't on set at all during filming; all his shots were filmed in England, then spliced in afterwards. Considering how natural his interactions are with the others, it's an impressive achievement.
** Smaug in the second movie. His animations are so good, you would think he does indeed deserve his title as "The Magnificent". Some critics have called Smaug the best representation of a dragon on film.

** IronWoobie:

-----

* WhatTheHellCastingAgency: While there are many who strongly defend the casting of Creator/RichardArmitage as Thorin, for many others his AdaptationalAttractiveness through AgeLift and similarity in looks to Creator/ViggoMortensen as Aragorn are hard to reconcile with the older more grizzled character who was the TropeCodifier of the Dwarven race in the books. Fancasting suggested BrianCox as the favorite for the role. It applies to several other actors too, who didn't exactly 'fit the mold' of dwarves, but PeterJackson decided to open up the playing field as to what a dwarf could be.

* MarySue: Some people feel that [[AffirmativeActionGirl Tauriel]] is this. A character written in by scriptwriters who's highly skilled fighter and healer (nearly all elves are), understands the importance of the Dwarves' mission when no one else does[[note]]Though this is very arguable at best; she simply understands that the elves' [[HiddenElfVillage isolationist]] ways should rightfully end, she never has any sympathy for the dwarves outside of Kili, though she never goes out of her way to attack them either[[/note]], and is the subject of forbidden love from everyone's favorite Elven prince. (However, she's inevitably DoomedByCanon ''not'' to end up with Legolas, this being a prequel and all.)

** Pretty much everything about Thranduil's ten second appearance.

* TheScrappy: Ori, for some.

* JustHereForGodzilla: General critical consensus for ''The Desolation of Smaug'' is that the film greatly improves on ''An Unexpected Journey'' and that it's quite a good film on its own merits. However, many fans admitted to seeing the movie just for Smaug himself. Still others for Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug, despite the fact that he's vocally and visually unrecognizable, being a dragon and all.

**** The latter seems to be backed up by his depiction in ''The Desolation Of Smaug;'' he doesn't give a damn about [[spoiler: Sauron's return and the orcs' rise to power]] and only acts when the orcs are in Mirkwood. He also does seem to fear Smaug, and dragons in general, [[BodyHorror thanks to his experience with dragonfire.]]

** Peter Jackson changing Smaug from a four-legged dragon to a wyvern-type in between the first and second parts of the trilogy caused controversy among fans of the book. For the record, the number of legs in winged fire-drakes was never specified in canon, and depictions of [[Literature/TheSilmarillion Ancalagon]] showed him with a wyvern-arrangement decades before the movie.

** Peter Jackson changing Smaug from a four-legged dragon to a wyvern-type in between the first and second parts of the trilogy caused controversy among fans of the book. For the reccord, the number of legs in winged fire-drakes was never specified in canon, and depictions of [[TheSILMARILLION Ancalagon]] showed him with a wyvern-arrangement decades before the movie.

** Peter Jackson changing Smaug from a four-legged dragon to a wyvern-type in between the first and second parts of the trilogy caused controversy among fans of the book.

** Smaug in the second movie. His animations are so good, you would think he does indeed deserve his title as "The Magnificent".

*** He also has some of the best facial hair in the film, which is saying something in a film full of bearded men.

* MarySue: Some people feel that [[AffirmativeActionGirl Tauriel]] is this. A character written in by scriptwriters who's highly skilled fighter and healer (nearly all elves are), understands the importance of the Dwarves' mission when no one else does[[note]]Though this is very arguable at best; she simply understands that the elves' [[HiddenElfVillage isolationist]] ways should rightfully end, she never has any sympathy for the dwarves outside of Kili, though she never goes out of her way to attack them either[[/note]], and is the subject of forbidden love from everyone's favorite Elven prince.
* MoralEventHorizon: Smaug [[spoiler:deciding to burn Laketown]]. What sells this particularly in his list of less nice actions is how it is driven by utter petiness.

* JustHereForGodzilla: General critical consensus for ''The Desolation of Smaug'' is that the film greatly improves on ''An Unexpected Journey'' and that it's quite a good film on its own merits. However, many fans admitted to seeing the movie just for Smaug himself.

* MarySue: Some people feel that [[AffirmativeActionGirl Tauriel]] is this. A character written in by scriptwriters who's highly skilled fighter and healer, understands the importance of the Dwarves' mission when no one else does, and is the subject of forbidden love from everyone's favorite Elven prince.