I, too, am a huge Tolkien fan, re-reading The Hobbit and LoTR every year or so since receiving them as gifts when I was a child. I was a bit snarky about it before seeing the movie -- three movies out of such a small book? inflate much? -- but Jackson gave it much more background and depth than I thought possible.
So, make this another vote for Peter Jackson's vision and accomplishment. I loved the movie; and like desertblues, saw it twice (and will see it again as well as own it when available).
I re-read the book after seeing the movie, something I do anyway every year or so as I said, and I liked much of what the movie did even more than the book. Jackson's Thorin Oakenshield was far, far more interesting and impressive and sympathetic in the movie.
The effects were great, the actors for the most part were marvelous (though I do agree that Christopher Lee was wooden beyond endurance). I could obviously go on….
Maybe the problem was that the original poster saw an "adaption." Clearly, something would be missing in such a thing.
