The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
(A- or 3.5/4 stars)
The 1st 30-45 minutes of Peter Jackson's 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' are a little slow-going. But the next 2 hours takes off into a familiar but wonderfully entertaining rhythm; full of the action, wonder & spectacle that we saw in Jackson's 3 previous Tolkien epics. Though 'The Hobbit' tells a simpler tale of pride & heritage (than The Lord of the Rings' save the world plot), it still falls in line with the previous films; mixing loyalty, honor, & courage with humor & heart. Now I must make mention of the big story of the film (that has nothing to do with its plot) ... the way in which it is viewed. Word is that the jarring 48 frames-per-second option - which looks like Masterpiece Theater in HD - is thoroughly unsettling. Thankfully, I stayed FAR away from that & viewed the film in good 'ole regular 2D.
This adventure story follows the journey of a fussy, homebody hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who is swept into a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the ferocious dragon, Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wandering wizard Gandalf the Grey (Sir Ian McKellan), Bilbo finds himself joining a troupe of 13 riotous dwarves led by the legendary, but exiled Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage). Their epic journey will take them into the treacherous wilds of Middle-Earth; through dangerous lands swarming with Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, Wargs, & a mysterious figure known as the Necromancer.
Although their goal lies east at the Lonely Mountain, they must 1st escape the labyrinthine goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the sinister, tormented creature that will forever change his life ... Gollum (played with motion-capture mastery by Andy Serkis). Alone with Gollum, the unassuming Bilbo not only discovers the depths of his courage, but also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected & useful qualities. There are hints of a gathering darkness that will eventually lead to the events in The Lord of the Rings. And Bilbo's newfound ring is tied to the fate of Middle-Earth in ways that he can't even begin to imagine.
'The Hobbit' sticks to a familiar formula (akin to Fellowship of the Ring), but its thrills & set pieces are so satisfying & SO epic, that the familiarity is easily forgivable, at least, to me. Returning from the original films for this adventure is a trio in Rivendell: Saruman (Christopher Lee), Elrond (Hugo Weaving) & the Elf Queen Galadriel (Cate Blanchett). They're not in it much, but their presence is most welcome. While most of the 13 (!) Dwarves blend together, a few make an impression: leader Thorin, the eldest & wisest white-haired Balin, the charming Bofur, & 2 funny brother fighters, Kili & Fili.
Peter Jackson's rendering of the Drawf realm of Erebor is astonishing. I loved Radagast the Brown, a jittery wizard who keeps a bird nest on his head & gets chased by goblins while riding a rabbit-pulled sleigh. There's a humorous troll encounter. There's a stone giant battle during a storm on a mountain that made me think, "Is this for real? That's awesome!" Bilbo & Gollum's 'Riddles in the Dark' scene is perfectly realized. The climactic stand-off btwn. our fellowship & the Pale Orc {scary as sh*t} is fantastic. Our final glimpse of Smaug is enticing. And the scene involving the gigantic eagles from The Lord of the Rings sums up my overall experience of 'The Hobbit'; their appearance is predictable, and yet ... the sequence is so cinematically breathtaking that its grandeur completely takes over.
Visually, I was bowled over by what Peter Jackson, Guillermo Del Toro, & their tech team was able to do. Andrew Lesnie's lighting & lensing are as superb as ever; those sweeping vista/landscape shots had me in complete awe. The art designs, costumes & make-up all served to immerse me in this world that I love so much. The visual effects are an absolute wonder. Here, I thought that nothing could top Life of Pi this year (what with Richard Parker, the tiger). But the effects here impress as much, if not more so. And Howard Shore hearkens to his Oscar-winning LOTR musical score without rehashing it too often. It's simply majestic.
While this film may feel familiar, and while there's an overstuffed-ness to the proceedings ... 'The Hobbit' is another grand achievement from Peter Jackson. I do question the need to stretch this 272 page book to 3 movies. And I don't know that Jackson recaptured the effortless magic that the initial trilogy offered. But this film (partic. the last 2 hours) is a non-stop adventure rollercoaster that is just as winning (if not as high stake or thematically rich) as anything from the prior trilogy. And it's as grandiose, exciting & appealing as any other blockbuster I've seen this year. Bring on Part 2!
This adventure story follows the journey of a fussy, homebody hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who is swept into a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the ferocious dragon, Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wandering wizard Gandalf the Grey (Sir Ian McKellan), Bilbo finds himself joining a troupe of 13 riotous dwarves led by the legendary, but exiled Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage). Their epic journey will take them into the treacherous wilds of Middle-Earth; through dangerous lands swarming with Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, Wargs, & a mysterious figure known as the Necromancer.
Although their goal lies east at the Lonely Mountain, they must 1st escape the labyrinthine goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the sinister, tormented creature that will forever change his life ... Gollum (played with motion-capture mastery by Andy Serkis). Alone with Gollum, the unassuming Bilbo not only discovers the depths of his courage, but also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected & useful qualities. There are hints of a gathering darkness that will eventually lead to the events in The Lord of the Rings. And Bilbo's newfound ring is tied to the fate of Middle-Earth in ways that he can't even begin to imagine.
'The Hobbit' sticks to a familiar formula (akin to Fellowship of the Ring), but its thrills & set pieces are so satisfying & SO epic, that the familiarity is easily forgivable, at least, to me. Returning from the original films for this adventure is a trio in Rivendell: Saruman (Christopher Lee), Elrond (Hugo Weaving) & the Elf Queen Galadriel (Cate Blanchett). They're not in it much, but their presence is most welcome. While most of the 13 (!) Dwarves blend together, a few make an impression: leader Thorin, the eldest & wisest white-haired Balin, the charming Bofur, & 2 funny brother fighters, Kili & Fili.
Peter Jackson's rendering of the Drawf realm of Erebor is astonishing. I loved Radagast the Brown, a jittery wizard who keeps a bird nest on his head & gets chased by goblins while riding a rabbit-pulled sleigh. There's a humorous troll encounter. There's a stone giant battle during a storm on a mountain that made me think, "Is this for real? That's awesome!" Bilbo & Gollum's 'Riddles in the Dark' scene is perfectly realized. The climactic stand-off btwn. our fellowship & the Pale Orc {scary as sh*t} is fantastic. Our final glimpse of Smaug is enticing. And the scene involving the gigantic eagles from The Lord of the Rings sums up my overall experience of 'The Hobbit'; their appearance is predictable, and yet ... the sequence is so cinematically breathtaking that its grandeur completely takes over.
Visually, I was bowled over by what Peter Jackson, Guillermo Del Toro, & their tech team was able to do. Andrew Lesnie's lighting & lensing are as superb as ever; those sweeping vista/landscape shots had me in complete awe. The art designs, costumes & make-up all served to immerse me in this world that I love so much. The visual effects are an absolute wonder. Here, I thought that nothing could top Life of Pi this year (what with Richard Parker, the tiger). But the effects here impress as much, if not more so. And Howard Shore hearkens to his Oscar-winning LOTR musical score without rehashing it too often. It's simply majestic.
While this film may feel familiar, and while there's an overstuffed-ness to the proceedings ... 'The Hobbit' is another grand achievement from Peter Jackson. I do question the need to stretch this 272 page book to 3 movies. And I don't know that Jackson recaptured the effortless magic that the initial trilogy offered. But this film (partic. the last 2 hours) is a non-stop adventure rollercoaster that is just as winning (if not as high stake or thematically rich) as anything from the prior trilogy. And it's as grandiose, exciting & appealing as any other blockbuster I've seen this year. Bring on Part 2!