Vogt-Roberts definitely has a great eye for the "big moments," as they fully deliver, and the effects fucking rule, and a few of the actors chew the scenery appropriately. Shame about those other things, though. What do you call them? Ah yes. Characters.

I genuinely thought after watching this, "I wonder if there's a Peter Jackson length cut of this." Because people mocked Jackson's film for being bloated, but by God, he actually spent time on the characters, asking us to care. An extra half hour giving us more to care about might've served this film really well, even if it wouldn't have helped with test audiences who would just want more of them sweet, sweet 'fects.

(I will say, though-- the post-credits tag? One of the best I've ever seen.)