I can’t think of many examples of a movie exceeding the book on which it was based. Some cite The Godfather, claiming that the book was great but the movie was a next-level masterpiece. Perhaps. I’ve heard similar claims about Gone with the Wind. Maybe, maybe not.
Tolkien’s books are certainly a challenge because a fantasy-based world such as his leaves much to the reader’s imagination, and Peter Jackson’s imagination isn’t going to be the same as mine and vice-versa. I certainly felt like Jackson’s LOTR film trilogy wasn’t as enjoyable as the books but it was a decent effort at a film adaptation. Some things that were changed or omitted genuinely bothered me, but I’ve definitely seen worse adaptations. Much worse.
With the deaths of the last of the Tolkien children in 2020 and 2022 respectively, it’s all in the hands of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren now. And we’ve seen the direction that they’re willing to go: a total cash grab with no concerns at all about faithfulness to the source material. I guess that letting Amazon completely bastardize the old man’s stories into a Game of Thrones clone beats working for a living.
That's not to say I shun film versions of my favorite books. I will almost always be up for watching a film based on a book I've read. It's just very difficult for any film maker to top the written version.
I liked the movies but I was a little annoyed that he had to invent new creatures, and re-write some scenes.
For example “Rhosgobel rabbits” scene.
There is no such scene in the books- Was there not enough fantastic material to choose from? He felt he could do better?