Let me start this review off by saying I am so very glad Guilermo Del Torro didn't get to ruin the Hobbit film and god bless the saving grace of Peter Jackson (save the nails and the cross Rygar).
I had very publically defended PJ in the weeks leading up to the release of the Hobbit and I entered the theatre somewhat worried that I was horrendously wrong and that the Hobbit would destroy my passion for anything LOTR and Tolkien related. Luckily I was very wrong! Now there will defintely be naysayers to this film, those who made up their mind before hand that it's going to suck and will look for any little thing to descredit PJ and dislike the film. I'm here to tell you those people are wrong, for various reasons that I will discuss at length.
Let me start off with the story, the reason why we all love the Hobbit. I am happy to report that the plot of the film follows the book immensely closely, from start to finish. In fact I would be justified in likening it to GOT's first season on screen. The prologue fits in so seamlessly with LOTR that one could cut out and edit it into Fellowship and not miss a beat. In fact it explains one or two things about the beginning of Fellowship. Bilbo, in a very nice nod to all fans of the book, starts out writing his story with some very famous words that began the story for all of us and indeed Tolkien himself. "Once upon a time there lived a hobbit in a hole in the ground."
To my knowledge and counting (for all book purists out there) there are only three changes from the book to the film and they all make a lot of sense from a story perspective. The biggest change is my favourite as it gives Conan Stevens more chances to show the production team of GOT just why they were such idiots to let him go. If you are wondering where the savage Mountain from ASOIAF went to, look no farther than the Hobbit. He delivers a stunning performance as Azog and might I just say the way he speaks the Black Speech of Mordor sounds very much like Dothraki.
The story is much more lighthearted than the LOTR and it is evident in the way PJ filmed it. I laughed out loud many a time in the cinema with the dwarves entertaining me to no end. Indeed the unexpected dinner scene is even funnier than in the book. The dwarves are very distinct with very different personalities and this is also an improvement on the book where it was just Thorin and his 12 side kicks.
PJ doesn't take the film too seriously which is a very good thing as the story isn't meant to be told this way. I was somewhat afraid that PJ would try to outdo himself but this is to no fear. LOTR is still much bigger in terms of scale and story. The Hobbit does not outdo it in any way and that is the point of this fun adventure. Fun is in fact the best word to describe this film.
Some may complain about the length of this film at nearly three hours, but I did not even notice it. The story telling is quite brisk and at a good pace, in fact the pacing is better than Fellowship. The prologue seqence is stunning with an amazing look at the Kingdom of Erebor and an appearance by a fan favourite that I did not expect until much later on. Yet it made a great deal of sense.
Let me say this about the visuals, they are stunning! The new 48fps take some getting used to, but not to fear. Ever seen the difference between a DVD on a traditional box tv and blue ray on a giant flatscreen? That's what it is like! The amount of detail is unbelievable though it can be a bit overwhelming! During the battle of Moria flashback (something that occured in the LOTR appendices, but works brilliantly here) we are treated to a widescreen shot of hundreds of orcs and dwarves battling it out. Not once does the screen blur or obscure the thousands of fighting movements! This is the future of filming technology! I do not say this often, screw that, I have never said it before, watch this film in 3d! Along with the 48fps the 3d does something no other film before it has done, it adds depth, weight and realism to the objects within the film.
I have one complaint though, there was an overuse of CGI. I am a stickler for realism and I am sorry but the orcs within Hobbit that comprise of actors within blue suits do not hold a patch to the extras in LOTR within make up and rubber suits. The CGI although done very well, do not match up to LOTR. For instance the pack of Uruk-Hai in Fellowship looks much more realistic than the pack of warg riders in the Hobbit. While we are on the subject of wargs, Guilermo Del Torro walked out after all the sets and creatures were designed and his hand is quite clear within the design of the orcs, goblins and wargs and I can only say thank goodness he did not make this film. I prefer the wargs of Two Towers a great deal more than the Twilight looking wargs of the Hobbit.
But moving on, the acting within this film is brilliant and expect more than one oscar nomination. Martin Freeman is beyond brilliant as Bilbo, Andy Serkis (Gollum is stunningly created btw) delivers his finest performance as the dual personality of Smeagol, handsome Thorin grows on you and each of the dwarves magnificently play their part in a way that reminds me of the casting choices of Nina Gold. My favourite dwarf was James Nesbitt as Bofur, though I'm sure each one will have their own favourites.
What can I say about the returning cast except to say they were astonishing. They succesfully bring their years of experience to the big screen to bear in their short appearances. Elrond, Galadriel, Saruman and Older Bilbo are all very welcome faces and ties the film to LOTR very nicely. Seriously though Andy Serkis needs some recognition from the academy for his appearance. Ian Mckellen further cements himself in the role of Gandalf and never again will I be able to read the books without imagining his voice and likness in the role of Mithrandir
The Hobbit is a brilliant, well paced film showing us that PJ is the right man to handle this film. I would heartily recommend it to anyone, and please don't robb yourself of the chance to see what 3D really was made for. I plan to see it again, simply because there is so much detail in there.
Overall score 8/10 (btw filler material from the LOTR appendices was brilliant!)
Edit: It appears I have made a mistake, Conan Stevens is not playing Azog but his son Bolg who has not yet appeared. Azog is played by Manu Bennet.
-- Edited by Aegon the Conqueror on Wednesday 12th of December 2012 03:47:57 PM
-- Edited by Aegon the Conqueror on Wednesday 12th of December 2012 03:53:17 PM
-- Edited by Aegon the Conqueror on Saturday 15th of December 2012 11:02:23 AM
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AS private parts we are to the gods, they play with us for their sport.
Still can't wait to see it, your Grace. Is Haldir (sp?) the elf that got killed in Two Towers in it? He was my fav.
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Rhaegar, despite wounding Robert, was struck down with a massive blow from Robert's warhammer, which scattered the rubies encrusted in Rhaegar's armor under the water. Rhaegar died with Lyanna Stark's name on his lips.
Best. Tolkien. Film. Ever. I agree with everything Aegon says. The pace was fast and never dull. Watching the "out of the frying pan, into the fire" scene had me in tears of joy. I was just about to give up on Gandalf burning the pinecones when, to my utter pleasure! (if only the kept the 15 birds in 5 fur trees song!! Damn you PJ lol). Oh man. This movie was nearly Perfect. Freeman plays Ian Holm's Bilbo to a mutha fucking T. Its amazing. TOTALLY LOVED IT. Will write more later.
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"If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt." - Dean Martin
This is all i'm gonna say about the hobbit movie until everyone's seen it:
-- Edited by Tir Airgid on Saturday 15th of December 2012 11:04:01 AM
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“Fear is a strange soil. It grows obedience like corn, which grow in straight lines to make weeding easier. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground.”
It's so nice to be back in Middle Earth, the place is so wonderful and magical, and it's been too long.
I loved the performances, Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and surprisingly Richard Armitage brought soul and heart to their roles, and oddly enough I loved these more than any of the special effects in the feature. Oh, and lets not forget Andy Serkis, I could watch his Gollum/Smeagol bit for days and not get bored, a true highlight of the film.
The film looked GORGEOUS, I didn't see it in HFR/3D, but the all digital projection was a sight and such a pleasure to soak in.
Howard Shores SCORE! Loved, loved, loved it! Bought the score the moment I got home!
The Not-so good:
I did feel the languid pace, Peter Jackson has always been tended to bloat his running times, and it always seems the more successfull the film maker, the more their weaknesses go unchecked. Some tighter editing wouldve helped immensely and I am still not sold that they blew up the tiny book into a 9 hour trilogy for "artistic" rather financial reasons.
The over reliance of CG for the enemies, not that they looked poor, quality wise they were fine, but I miss the wonderful costumes and make-up from the first trilogy. And I am sorry, Azog did not work as a villian for me, and his CGI silly putty look did not help.
Maybe my current impressions are clouded by incredibly high expectations, I always will watch a film like this a second time to find my true opinion of it then.
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"Robert was never the same after he put on that crown. Some men are like swords, made for fighting. Hang them up and they go to rust.” -DN
Ricgard Armitage is one handsome devil. I never expected someone like him to be casted in such a role. I'm sure he will own the role by the third film.
Nice review Aegon, agree pretty much with everything, and thanks for seeing it with us :) I'm seeing it again tomorrow.
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“You take a mortal man, put him in control. Watch him become a god, see heads roll."
And the whole unexpected arrival at the beginning is so well done and so brilliantly paced.
I think the impossibly high expectations is attributable to the standards pj and his crew set with lotr and is also comparable to fan expectations of S2 of GoT. By S3 it will be like RotK maybe, the best one yet... :)
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“You take a mortal man, put him in control. Watch him become a god, see heads roll."
Ricgard Armitage is one handsome devil. I never expected someone like him to be casted in such a role. I'm sure he will own the role by the third film. Nice review Aegon, agree pretty much with everything, and thanks for seeing it with us :) I'm seeing it again tomorrow.
Armitage as Thorin is a beauty imo, as well, Mags, yum!
-- Edited by Lyanna Stark on Tuesday 18th of December 2012 07:48:02 AM
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Rhaegar, despite wounding Robert, was struck down with a massive blow from Robert's warhammer, which scattered the rubies encrusted in Rhaegar's armor under the water. Rhaegar died with Lyanna Stark's name on his lips.
One of the biggest mistakes or changes was that Greenwood was called Mirkwood waaaayyy before Thorin decides to head back to Erebor. The movie implies that it is just starting to be called Mirkwood due to Radagast's investigations. Which is also an error as Radagast does not journey to Dol Guldor. That was Gandalf, many years before the events in the Hobbit. It is here where he finds Thror (still alive for the time being) and retrieves the Key to the secret door of Erebor which he then gives to Thorin at the Unexpected Party. Gandalf suspected that Sauron was in Dol Guldor long before Bilbo's adventure. I would like to think that the movie Gandalf ponders Bilbo ring (which he obviously saw him put in his pocket in the film) and then recommends that the White Council attempt to destroy Sauron at Dol Guldor. I would love to see Gandalf, Galadriel, and Elrond battle it out with Sauron! This would also be a nice tie in to having Sauron's "shadow" form dissapate as he gets thrown out of Dol Guldor and puts all of his power into creating the all seeing "Eye" when he arrives back in Mordor during the time of the LotR.
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"If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt." - Dean Martin
Great effects, fascinating storyline, awesome acting, terrible pacing. Too slow in too many places and I couldn't follow what was going on in a few. That's it.
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"There's no cure for being a cunt." Bronn "King Stannis is my god." Davos "Who the fuck is Jon Snow?" Locke
Things aught to speed up much more in the second half. Ry the three changes I counted was the Mirkwood thing, the inclusion Radagast and the survival of Azog. Wait no there's four, the whole sequence of the White Council (which I thought was quite cleverly done). What others did you notice.
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AS private parts we are to the gods, they play with us for their sport.
The Stone Giants were there. Bilbo mentions that they were battling and thats why they seek shelter in the cave. I was pleasantly surprised they added it.
Aeg, let me see, Thorin does not arrive last, he is introduced last. He actually is undwr Bombour. Gandalf gives him the key and tells him that he retrived it from his grandfather in the halls of the Necromancer, not so in the movie. Gandalf stalls the Hill Trolls, not Bilbo. Elves do not save the company from attacking orcs on wargs, certainly not led bt Elrond. The moon runes are found over dinner, not some grand pedestal that reflects moonlight. BILBO "blindly" finds the ring, he doesnt actually see Gollum lose it when attacking the Goblin (this is only implied in the book.) Gollum does not refer to his alternate "self" in the book(this was added to give continuity to Gollums/smeagols character). They missed "alive without breath as cold as death, etc riddle" . Gollum does not immediately think that Bilbo has his ring. He goes to get it on his island and finds it gone, this is not the case in the movie (although I liked that they included him paddling on his boat).Thorin does not fight Azog after the flight of the Goblin king. Bilbo does not save him. I will think of more
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"If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt." - Dean Martin
I genuinely enjoyed The Hobbit. There were a few pacing issues, but the casting was excellent and the acting was quite good.
The only scene that I really felt was poorly edited (or possibly poorly filmed) was the scene where they are running from the wargs, and Radagast and his bunnies are providing a distraction. It looks very much like our heroes are running back and forth between sets of two rocks, making absolutely no progress. And then suddenly they reach the passage to Rivendell. It didn't make sense visually.
I disliked some of the CGI. I disliked the orcs and their wargs, especially Azog. As Donal said, they really didn't hold a candle to the orcs in LoTR. And maybe that's by design. This movie was clearly intended to be okay for younger audiences, and the scarier LoTR orcs might have been too much for younger viewers. And I really didn't care for the stone giants. They were over the top.
But other than those fairly minor issues, I loved it.
By the way, your review was excellent. It didn't leave much for me to add. So maybe my enjoyment of the movie didn't come across. I really loved this film. Oh, and Armitage was perfection.
He was my fav.
