just taking some of the time given to the least interesting dwarf with the most screen time(Kili), and giving it to one of the more interesting, well defined dwarves (Balin, Bofur, Dwalin, Dori). I don't even have anything against Kili really. He's fine i guess, and Aidan Turner is an appealing actor. It's just that there's not much to his character, and these other dwarves are much stronger characters, and screen time is valuable. Also, i get the feeling that he's being forced on us a bit for, as i said earlier, the ladies.
How do you figure there is not much to his character? It sounds like the character is being judged based on how he looks. How are Dwalin, Bofur and Dori more "defined and interesting"?
As well part of the whole point of the younger dwarves and I think perhaps Kili's role in particular is that he IS young and he is defining himself. This quest is going to be of central importance to his defining of himself. How are characters who have already defined themselves more interesting than the story of a character who hasn't? I'm not saying they are less interesting but I fail to see how they are more interesting as a story in a film.
As it is with Kili we see a lot of points that can come up for development in later films. For one there is the obvious, his maturity - experiencing real life danger and hardship. Seeing how these things change him or how he handles various situations.
He seems to idolize Thorin, it's like he always wants to be of use to him. That seems to be why he's always trying to be near him - like "here I am, call on me!!".
On the other hand he doesn't have a lot of Thorin's prejudices(which Thorin has for his own reasons, often for what are very understandable reasons), he's open, he's friendly. In some ways he seems to kind of identify with Bilbo, at the very least he seems to like him and is somewhat protective of him.
And it makes sense, Bilbo is new to this, well so is Kili to a certain extent. He may be a trained fighter(and from what we see a good one considering what is probably lack of " real world" experience), but otherwise he's as new, in his own way, to adventuring as Bilbo is. He was quite happy to see Bilbo had returned after the Goblin incident.
As well it's likely he'll be more quick to warm to the elves, and not just because Tauriel is "hot". :D If that Lego set is anything to go by she'll save his life, so sure she's beautiful, but she's also brave and an example that run's counter to Thorin's example of the elves leaving them in their time of need.(Not saying it negates it, but it shows it isn't cut and dry "all elves are the same").
And this actually is not counter to the book - Kili and Fili were the only ones(besides I think Bombur?) who were said to not agree with Thorin's approach to the whole sharing of the wealth thing. All of this actually helps set that up. In the book it wasn't stated if their disagreement was spoken out loud but it's likely it will be in the film.
And yet they die for Thorin, they die trying to protect him.
There is plenty to Kili's character and a part of that is the character discovering who he is, discovering his potential, just in time to die for it. That makes for a pretty heartbreaking character arc when you think about it.
And it compounds the tragedy of Thorin's arc, Kili and Fili, so promising, so much potential for greatness themselves and they die at least in part because Thorin allowed himself to be taken away from reason.
