The budget is only justified by the shiny CGI shots, nice to look at. But the plot and acting is bland. Tolkien's narrative is out the window. It's corny and commercial. Gandalf comes 1000 years early and gets saved by Not-Hobbits. Galadriel is an Elf-Karen who comes across vain and pretentious. Elrond is gay. It's everything to do with the current world politics and nothing to do with the real Tolkien's story. Everyone knows who Sauran is - Halbrand the mysterious guy floating at sea.