I'm not saying someone in their fifties isn't different from being in their twenties, genius. I'm saying as long as the actor playing Bilbo completely gets and encompasses the core of the character, it shouldn't really matter what age he appears to be on film.
Also, I believe over-exaggerating to the point where changing a characters age counts as "****ing up Lotr", counts as b****ing. In the English language at least.
Normally, I can usually accept a difference in opinion and chalk it up as agree to disagree but... this is just blind fanboyism in my opinion if you can't see the major effect of changing Bilbo's age has on the story. Having a middle-aged slightly over-weight man play a character and having a young, handsome hearthob play the part is two completely different things no matter how much an actor gets it.
At this point arguing is completely useless since you're stuck in your way but I'll argue for the sake of others...
To reference another film that supposely makes a "minor" change, I'll take "Constantine", I'm not even touching on the fact that the character is changed from English to American. In the end of Constantine, the main character gives up smoking and takes out a pack of gum. In the comics he continues smoking. On a super-ficial level one might say, "That's not a big change, it just something nice for the kids" However, take it a step further and ask what does this say about the character. Constantine by smoking a cigarette shows he really does not give a damn about anything and is a selfish character by all means. By taking out Gum, it shows he's a thankful and at heart a good person. Now which is the better ending is up for debate, as is which is the better character, and so on... However the primary argument here is staying faithful to the book, if you want an unfaithful adaption that's merely inspired by the book then that's great(I say this with no sarcasm, there are a couple of movies I like because they go away from the source material and make it there own).
Now there are changes that are inconsequential because to be honest you can not stay 100% faithful to the books. For example, Spider-Man and organic webshooters this was a good change since it eliminated time with exposition as well as made it more believable. Wolverine's height in the X-Men movies... Or to stick with LotR, the removal of the Tom Bombabil character since he serve no real purpose in the greater plot structure.
Back to my main point, the reason I'm annoyed is the lack of respect paid to my post which was obviously written with a little tongue-in-cheek hence the ":cmad" And even if you didn't get that, my cred on these boards is well known and even if you didn't know that... Lastly and most importantly my original point is completely valid to which it does not need your low-brow condescention.
And again I will reiterate my point... I wish I had my copy of the Hobbit on hand for I would cite passages but I don't. In the very first scene it IMPLICITLY says that Bilbo has settled down and is a respectable fellow. I mean you do not settle down at the age of 20, this is a man who is respected in his community that's what makes his leaving funny and also has an impact on his life because hobbits value reputation among all else but something propells Bilbo to go on this quest and that because of his boredom in life. All of this stems from his age so no matter how well McAvery gets this it simply can not be conveyed unless they give him age make-up. Now if you'd like to argue that a good story could still be told by making him younger that's perhaps more accessible to the teen demographic then I agree completely but I can not buy that a 20 somethign actor can be true to a character that supposed to be in his 40s and 50s.
Let me put it this way would Spider-Man work if he were 30? Would Professor Xavior work if he were 20? Would Clerks work if Dante were 50? I mean pick any movie and ask if you change the character's age by 20 or so years if the story still works and if its a good story the answer is no. I'm not saying the Hobbit won't be good but it significantly modifies the story at least for me.
Saddly I don't have the books on hand so I'll have to use Wikipedia as a source for Bilbo's age
"The Hobbit relates how Bilbo (in comfortable middle age at 50 years old), in spite of himself, is hired as a burglar, by Gandalf and 13 dwarves led by their exiled king Thorin Oakenshield on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and its treasure from the dragon Smaug. His adventure takes Bilbo through the wilderness, to the haven of Rivendell, through the black forest of Mirkwood, and a lake-community, eventually reaching the Mountain. Here, after the mountain has been reclaimed, the Battle of Five Armies takes place."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilbo_Baggins#The_Hobbit
