Writer/Director: Peter Jackson
Co-Writers: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Guillermo del Toro (based off book by J.R.R. Tolkien)
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, and Richard Armitage
‘Solid but Short of Expectations’
Having high expectations for any movie affects the final opinion of it. Many movies do not come with such extreme expectations, but the ones that do are hard to review.
Take “Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” as an example. I was shocked when I heard that Peter Jackson was splitting the movie into a trilogy. Having read the book, it was surprising that such a thin novel would be adapted into a proper franchise. Could Jackson really broaden his scale with this film? Even more important, could it live up to the standard of its predecessors?
Unfortunately, not. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the best movie franchises in the world. Not only is it the only fantasy franchise that has been properly recognized by the Academy Awards, it also stands out as a great adaptation of three spectacular novels. “The Hobbit” is a solid movie that is worth watching for many reasons, but it’s far from a great one.
Directed by Peter Jackson and based off a book by J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The first part of a trilogy, it follows Martin Freeman in the title role as Bilbo Baggins. A reluctant hobbit, Bilbo sets out on an adventure with the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and a clan of dwarves. Their quest is to reclaim the dwarves’ stolen treasure from a dragon named Smaug.
To state the positive first, the costume design, cinematography, and makeup departments are terrific. One of the major highlights for this movie is stunning cinematography work and notable makeup. Each shot is crystal clear and epic in scale. As a result, Middle Earth and the Shire are skillfully bought to life. The makeup plays a vital role in bringing to life the dwarf characters in this movie. It is also used for many other characters in this film.
A particular scene that stands out from the rest is when Bilbo meets Gollum. Their riddles in the dark are fabulously adapted from the book and impressively brought to screen. It may actually be the best part of the nearly 3 hour movie, which does not have much to offer.
The cast is also at the top of its game, propelling this film to another level. Martin Freeman delivers a fantastic performance as Bilbo Baggins. He brings charisma, humor, and likability to his character, proving he is the perfect choice for the role.
Ian McKellen brilliantly reprises his role of Gandalf. Although he does not get as much screen time as expected, McKellen shines whenever he appears.
The most surprising talents in the cast include the actors who play dwarves. Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, and a set of other praiseworthy performers remarkably portray their characters.
While “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” has many positive aspects, its not without noticeable flaws. The running time is unnecessarily stretched to nearly 3 hours. Many scenes feel out of place and are not significant to the movie. They do not affect the story in any way. With effective editing, I feel the filmmakers could have cut down at least half an hour of this film.
Another area where this movie fails, related to its running time, is its pacing. Due to the extended running time, the film’s pacing is overwhelming and at times all over the place. There are scenes that are extremely fast-paced, while some that are very slow. The dialogue and story do not override the pacing, because there are moments when almost nothing is happening in the movie.
As a whole, this prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy is an alright film. Anyone unfamiliar with the Lord of the Rings trilogy may find themselves scratching their heads, while fans of it will be satisfied. I, however, cannot fully praise the movie due to its problems.
The mere idea of Peter Jackson making two other follow-ups to this film seems dreary. Whether adequate or not, we will just have to wait and see. Let’s just hope they are better.
3.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 
You must be logged in to post a comment.