My biggest complaint with the film was that the Prancing Pony scene was jush rushed thru and chopped to pieces. I understand the time constraints, etc but really, this has always been my favorite chapter in the books and the movie lost some important moments. The whole 'feel' of the dark night, 'someone' sneaking over the gate, Merry going off to check on the horses (and meeting a black rider),etc. Stider's introduction and the SLOW realization that he is one of the good guys was done so well in the book. Also, while Pippin does talk too openly and is getting dangerously foolish, he was never so foolish to reveal Frodo's real name. It was such a scary chapter to read but in the movie, it merely becomes a transition scene. There. I am done complaining.
Join the club with HotD and me, that wishes it'd been an 8 hour movie (which would have earned $4327)!
I know, it is a great and pivotal scene. I think that if you hadn't read that, the way Jackson does it works well; I know that audiences of the uninitiated find it quite suspenseful. (In one, an obviously uninitiated guy moaned "Oh, s--t!" when the Black Riders appeared in the room.)
Jackson's whole burden, I understand, was that he had to move the Ring from the Shire to the brink of Mordor in this movie, and keep things developing. While agreeing heartily with you that I wish missing elements had been included, I think he did a marvelous job.
Dan