The Hobbit The Desolation Of Smaug Extended Edition 1080p 449
the extended edition comes with a wealth of additional footage. the scenes are mostly scenes that occur in a slightly different place than they do in the theatrical cut; they are not really necessary additions to the story, but they do add some extra detail and texture to the story. such additions are perfectly acceptable and should be welcomed, however, they shouldnt be allowed to spoil the experience of the film as a whole. instead, these scenes are entirely unnecessary distractions that distract us from what should be going on.
in summary, im not sure whether to be more impressed by the fact that these scenes have made it into the extended edition (and such is the success of the film that it needed them) or bemoan the fact that they had no place in the theatrical edition. i can safely say that the extended edition is better than the theatrical cut, but i wouldnt recommend it unless youre not bothered about the theatrical cut.
i am very pleased to see this extended edition of the film, even if it is a slightly different experience. now, theres no mistaking where the focus of this edition is: bilbo is the star and the film is all about him. gandalfs role in the story is much more prominent, and a lot of the story is told through the eyes of the wizard. this makes sense as bilbos life is far more important to the story than gandalfs: it is the fate of bilbo that is the true arc of the story, and what drives the film. unfortunately, theres a lot of the film that doesnt really fit this - particularly bilbos relationship with gandalf; the extended edition doesnt make this work any better than the theatrical cut. bilbo is still a very passive character with a lot of the story told from others perspectives, even if bilbos viewpoint is expanded upon in a few scenes.