I'll start out by telling you this: I didn't hate it. That said, I didn't like it either. I know I wasn't alone in feeling that way, because three people walked out of the theatre in a huff. One even slammed the door behind her. I understand that this front half of the book was a downer, and while I can appreciate that the franchise tried very hard to stay true to the book, it didn't work for them. The pacing was off throughout most of the film, and I found myself checking my watch toward the last portion of the movie.