The first two movies are meh, I'll freely admit. So unswervingly close to the books, filled with scenes that are included just to say "see, we built it JUST LIKE YOU IMAGINED!" Even having not read the books at the time, I could tell that was the case.

Its with the third one that carp gets real. In fact, I think that the more freedom the director feels, the better the movie. I'd give the the third movie a try, TV's. It's one of my favorite movies in general.

Besides, there are Rifftrax for the first four. Well worth seeing if only for those.