6/10 (Gorgeous but hollow) Final Score for Extended Edition: 8.5/10 (Messy, but Middle-earth messy is better than most movies’ best) Do you prefer the Extended Editions of The Hobbit? Or do you think they just make a long story longer? Let me know in the comments below!
Absolutely. Skip the theatrical cut entirely. Pour a pint of ale, settle in for the long haul, and enjoy the only version where Smaug’s shadow actually feels earned. The Hobbit Desolation Of Smaug Extended Edition
It’s a small moment, but it restores Thorin’s dignity as a generous leader before the gold-lust takes hold. It also gives weight to why Bilbo keeps that shirt for 60 years. Stephen Fry is a brilliant casting choice for the Master, but the theatrical cut turned him into a cartoon villain. The Extended Edition adds a crucial scene where he sings a political propaganda song about the dwarves ("The King of the Golden Hall" style) and debates taxes with Alfrid. 6/10 (Gorgeous but hollow) Final Score for Extended
It’s still video-game logic, but the extra frames make the geography clearer and the jokes land harder. The theatrical cut ended with Smaug flying toward Laketown, cutting to black mid-roar. It felt like a cheat. The Extended Edition doesn't change the ending, but by restoring the emotional beats earlier (Thrain, the Mithril, the politics), the run time is so massive that you need a break. Absolutely
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