For those of us considered to be "film purists", online (and offline) discussion in the years after the release of the
Lord of the Rings films were often dominated by the need to defend ourselves and a constant requirement to rebut the same old arguments, chief among them the old canard that every creative decision made by Jackson, et al. in the movies was necessitated by the reality of having to adapt a complext book to screen, thus neatly shearing away the need for Jackson's defenders to actually engage with "purists'" arguments.
One of the most cogent "purist" rebuttals to the ubiquitous fawning over Jackson is
this one here. It makes the point that the narrative developed around the creation of the films (especially in the Appendix discs to the special editions): the risk-taking, the major work needed to get production going, Jackson's comparative isolation and independence, created a sense of Jackson-as-underdog, thereby garnering sympathy and creating an emotionally invested fan base. I think there's some merit in the idea, but I've noticed something different this time around, with the Hobbit movies.
Audiences, and especially critics, seem far less willing to forgive Jackson and come to his defence (outside of TORN, although there are more critics there now too). The mixed reaction to King Kong, and the unambiguous panning of Lovely Bones has probably de-mystified Jackson's persona somewhat, while also shedding light on his habit of engaging in overindulgent grotesquery, unecessary action and flamboyand displays of digital accomplishment. So far, reviews for the Hobbit have been far less forgiving that some Jackson defenders hoped for, citing several action sequences that apparently occur in the film as evidence for Jackson's overindulgence and overdeveloped sense of what makes a scene 'exciting' and 'dramatic'.
Do you think Tolkien fans in general will come to have a more balanced, or at least less fawning, appreciation of Jackson after these Hobbit films come out, if they indeed continue trends in style, directing and editing already obvious is the LOTR films? Will his reputation as a "hack" in some purist's minds be vindicated by the Hobbit? Will purists finally be able to have a conversation with Jackson's defenders without having to constantly scramble away from the old canards so often used to disarm the erstwhile defender of the books?