The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

[elski]

live stream http://www.facebook.com/TheHobbitUK/app ... 297?ref=ts

[maz4501]

I just loved the Air New Zealand Hobbit briefing..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBlRbrB_Gnc

[newdot]

very disappointing.

looked cheap.

"the worst is over"...i hope so.

[spoiler]the film ends when they have been rescued by the eagles[/spoiler]

[Beate]

We got to the Sky balcony at around 5.45pm (had originally planned to be a little earlier even as I had the afternoon off) to an almighty queue that had formed already. Seriously, one has to be earlier and earlier these days to bag good balcony seats! ZoeBanfield was there too and together we bagged great seats to the left, after discovering that our gold-plated seats had been taken already. Later, PXC and friend joined us, and OH galantly swapped seats so they could sit together. They were about the last people being let up to the balcony, if you don't count tsoiboy who arrived quite late but wasn't fond of the only seat left directly in front of the balustrade. He went downstairs where he ended up in the same row as David and friend. Evilzadi then turned out to be sitting on our seats her friend had bagged earlier, LOL. So with all the talking to friends the time passed quickly, especially with PXC handing out sweets and treats.

The film made me happy and infuriated me in equal measures. It was sumptuously shot, with great performances and was an absolute hoot. Martin Freeman really has exactly the right mixture of timidness and bravery, with great coming timing on top. One of the dwarves (Fili or Kili) is impossibly handsome too. There was action and humour and a lot going on - a bit too much actually. My one, big bone of contention was the scenes that aren't in the book. I don't mind a film ending up a bit longer because you want to get every detail in, that's fine. But when you start adding stuff about another wizard, injured hedgehogs, a necromancer (WTF?) and a whole middle section in Rivendell with Elrond, Galadriel and Saruman, then I get annoyed. I have no idea where this is going and I wish Peter Jackson hadn't tried to put a whole lot of Lord of the Rings meaning into it. The Hobbit is my favourite Tolkien book. It's a simple story about adventure with hobbits, dwarves, orks and a dragon sitting on a heap of gold - nothing more and nothing less. It doesn't get philosophical about a ring and mankind like the Lord of the Rings does. It does not warrant extra stuff. I do admit though that I enjoyed the extra scenes with the dwarves explaining how Thorin got to be called Oakenshield etc. but was it necessary to make Bilbo a hero saving his life?

But all in all this is a great film which I enjoyed very much. Time flew by and I am looking forward to parts 2 and 3, especially as we haven't even reached Beorn yet. I really wish though that Jackson had stuck to the story. Tolkien really doesn't need to be improved upon.

I have no opinion on 48fps as a) I don't know what it is, b) I don't know whether our screening was shown in it and c) it looked all the same to me. In fact, it looked really quite good though some of the opening shots made me a bit nauseous but I quickly got over it.

9/10
Would have been a 10/10 without the necromancer rubbish and the elves, although I admit that if you don't know the book it really doesn't make a difference - it's all gorgeous to look at and I do like Hugo Weaving with long hair.

[newdot]

Hugo Weaving had black hair

[Beate]

Nitpicker

[newdot]

Hugo Weaving's hair possibly best bit of awful movie.

ps i loved lotr, so not a hater, but this was tripe.

[canadian_turtle]

Nitpicker

It was dark brown actually

Speaking of blond hair, I may have drooled during the two very brief scenes Lee Pace had at the start of the film. Can't wait to actually hear him speak in (hopefully) the next film!

Full review tomorrow, crashing now...

[Snowwhite]

absolutely loved this and was afraid that if someone didnt have this as a free film i would have p*id for it, loved the action and it was great to properly understand how baggins got the ring as it the lord of the rings it was so brief but thought the 3D was a bit useless and could of done without it. I am now very inclined to read the book and really look forward to it

9.5/10

[tsoiboy]

Saw this tonight at O2 Cineworld. I got there late tonight but thanks to PXC and her friend they had saved me a seat. It was a lovely seat with small side table and I set up comfortably only to realise a huge balustrade in my line of sight. So decamped and went downstairs. Lovely to see Beate again and her OH.

Tonally the film is a lot lighter than The Lord of the Rings and correctly so. A far as I remember the book was a children's book. Visually stunning and well acted. Action packed and with the right amount of humour. With all the action there is very little blood letting but I suppose this is to get past the censors in allowing the film to be a 12A. As for the accuracy for the film to the book I really cannot say as it has been so long since I had read the book.

The best part was Gollum who really stole it for me being incredibly creepy at times.

The 2hr 45min film went quickly. I do think a 350 page book being spread into 3 films is a bit indulgent especially if extra scenes have to be made up. I fear this extra padding may detract from the film and the future ones.

I suppose I am going to read the book again and I am afraid after reading it I maybe disappointed in the film.

8.5/10