The Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneyMovie Reviews

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Must Go!
Written January 5, 2013
Worth the Journey

by depp_movies4me

Sometimes a film transports you into another world. This is one of those films. I saw The Hobbit in IMAX 3D with the high film rate and it looked amazing and vivid. I felt as if I had been in Middle Earth. Appearances aside, the story, taken from the wonderful book, is well done. The scene with the dwarfs throwing dishes through Bilbo's hole/home is a lot of fun. Great story telling throughout. I didn't think the pace was slow at all, but then, I've read the book, though any years ago. However, it is not required that you read the book first. I went with a friend that has never read any of the Hobbit/LoTR books and he enjoyed this film. Cinematography: excellent. Score: excellent. Acting: superb. Go see it.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 23, 2012
Another Masterpiece by Peter Jackson

by irmediator

With the unemployment, underemployment, inflation and stagnant wage increases, it is rare when I will pay $10.00 USD per ticket, plus $8.00 USD for a bucket of popcorn and $6.00 USD for a soda to go to see a movie at a theater. However, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," along with Peter Jackson's cinematic masterpieces most indeed is/was worth the cost to go see it. The entire movie gave me goose bumps, chills, and at times tears.

I would like to make a recommendation to the Theater industry:

1.) Serve real food also, and have more tables through out where people can sit down and eat and be served by wait staff.

2.) Have tables in the theaters themselves.

3.) More intermissions with long movies.

4.) Have two-movie specials, not unlike drive-in theaters do.

I believe that this will bring down the cost of the ticket, popcorn and drinks, and increase ticket sales/ attendance.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Written December 16, 2012
Very interesting start

by forsterm

AS long as you ar aware that this is pt 1 of 3 and that Peter Jackson is going way beyond the book and filling in gaps before, concurrently, and after The Hobbit (the gap before the Lord Of The Rings) then you should really enjoy this. If you're just expecting a screen adaption of the book, you may be dissappointed. I like the way he's bridging the gaps and adding humor.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Written December 16, 2012
over-the-top distractions - bad. breathing room for story to draw viewers in - good

by nam97

The Hobbit is strongest when the story and acting is given enough breathing room to shine through (riddles in the dark, Gandalf telling Bilbo about Bullroarer Took etc). The main weakness in the Hobbit is that whenever you are just about to be pulled into it your attention is forcibly diverted away from the story by the insertion of an action/effects sequence that is highly distracting, unnecessary, and over-the-top to the point of being stylistically inconsistent with the rest of the film (eg: the subplot with Azog?s wargs, the stone giants, the troll snot gag, and the multiple cuts away from the riddles in the dark scene). These bits are, no doubt, inserted to keep viewers interested, but they instead have the effect of repelling viewer interest by dissipating the story?s sense of direction and focus and squandering the hard won dramatic tension.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 17, 2012
The Hobbit

by missydb63

I went with an open mind, but wasn't sure that it would match up to the Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson and crew did an outstanding job. The actors did a wonderful job capturing the emotions of the book. I also loved the way the Jackson did small things that tied into the other three movies. I was really happy that Howard Shore was back on board with the music. I loved recognizing the strands of music from the other movies like the Dwarf theme. Richard Taylor and crew did a great job of costumes and CG effects which were out of this world. And I didn't think that you could make Middle Earth Dwarves hot but these dwarves were. Richard Armiage pulled that off in spades. The elves were not bad either. It was great to see old friends like Gandalf, Frodo and Galadrial. in this movie. I will go back and watch it again. I don't think that another director/producer could pull off what Jackson did. He is a genius and I think that Tokien would be pleased with the work that was completed.
- 5 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 18, 2012
it's the Splendor of imagination

by adv fonder

Well, the movie is a great example how magnificent production elements, actors and the nature of the background superpose, yielding a perfection. It?s a one masterpiece of the set of ones endeavored to be owned by the great director of the preceding production: The Lord of The Rings (trilogy). Perhaps this ongoing trilogy of the hoppit will be convergent relative to the former in success and inspiration-capture of the audience.
What I viewed resembles the greatness of a part, and rises the longing to the unveiled rest ones.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 14, 2012
In the Tradition

by Robocopone

One thing to know is that The Hobbit was written by Tolkien as a children's story. Knowing that, you can see this film has all the strength of Lord of the Rings but a light touch with humor to make it more in the flavor of Tolkien's intent for the story. And you are introduced to new characters as well as old characters & and to new locations. Peter Jackson has refined the look of Middle Earth in many ways, the technology has improved the visual image and because he decided to make The Hobbit as long as Lord of the Rings, he took the time to fill in story and character definition in far more depth. You get to know the individual dwarves and can recognize them. There is much more of Gandalf and his labors long before Lord of the Rings. You will spend much time with a new and improved Golum. The HFR 3D is amazing, fully immersing you in the world of Middle Earth. If you are a fan of the books and the films, this is one not to miss.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 19, 2012
An Enjoyable ride!

by

I found The Hobbit very well done. The only thing my Husband doesn't like is that this movie is now a Trilogy, for a book that's 2/3's the size of the first LotR book. I however, am willing to give Peter Jackson a chance on this. I loved his take on the LotR trilogy.

The things I liked most about Part One of The Hobbit, is the comedic moments both of the Dwarves and Bilbo himself. I'm thankful that Jackson stayed true to many of the major settings of the book. I find that I'm going to have to reread The Hobbit, just so I can remember what things he's added. I haven't read the book in over 30 years.

A delightful Ride.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 17, 2012
The Movie I've Waited For ... Didn't Disappoint

by pmrwynn

After waiting all these years, I wasn't disappointed when it finally came. Although there was quite a bit of rewriting from the book, some of which seemed unnecessary, it really didn't detract from and often elaborated on the original story. Overall, I thought it was an excellent movie, both for Tolkien fans and those who just wanted an entertaining, action-filled film. My only real complaint, after giving it a good day's contemplation, was I felt it was somewhat overdone. Yes, overdone; that somewhere in all the computer animation and super enlargement some things sometimes got lost, and we were overwhelmed to the point where perhaps simpler might have been better. It makes me wonder if Del Toro shouldn't perhaps back up and take another look at his productions ... maybe back off a little on the enormity of his films. He may be overwhelming his audiences to the point where he'll start losing them.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 28, 2012
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

by daylilydaze.key

The cinematography is amazing and it was great to see Frodo again. It helped tie the two series together. I had forgotten how ugly and fierce some of the creatures from Lord of the Rings were. We have seen all three of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and loved them and this one does not dissapoint. The only bad thing is that it leaves off at a cliff hanger moment so to speak and leaves you wanting for it to continue. This movie is not really for young kids as there parts that would be pretty freightening for them. Can't wait for the next installment.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 15, 2012
The Hobbit

by

Action-packed, well-paced, full of the characters we know and love, well-placed bits of back story add to our comprehension of the sweep of the LOTR series, great music, in other words, FANTASTIC! Took me a good ten minutes afterward to get myself back to this world enough to be safe driving home!

Peter Jackson is a total genius! Martin Freeman is PERFECT for the part of Bilbo. I hope we get a bit more character development of the individual dwarves in the next movies.

The only part I can quibble with is the addition of the Azog character, but once I think it over, I realize "they" had to somehow personify the leader of the Orc army that will come to the Lonely mountain for the Battle of the Five Armies. He's pretty gross and nasty and totally evil, but that's the way they do arch-villains anymore - okay......

Pacing was perfect, someone seems to have reined in PJ's tendency to beat an action scene to death.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 14, 2012
More comedic than epic

by 13th

More comedic than epic, the first of the prequel series to the Lord of the Rings is definitely worth seeing. There were definitely some creative liberties taken (new characters and completely new plot lines - not at all that I agree with) and I'm not a fan of the, what I consider, overuse of CGI. However, what is in the movie is very well done and fantastic. I'll see it again before the movie leaves theaters.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 28, 2012
Great beginning!

by timberwolf123

This was the shortest 3 hours I've ever spent at the movies, if that alone doesn't say enough about the movie, I'm not sure what else will. The cinematogarphy was amazing & the story moved so well that the time just flew by. The Hobbitt was always my favorite in the LOR's series of books & I can't wait to see the 2nd & 3rd installment if this is just the beginning. Forget the details of the book & allow yourself to just be wept away by the story & the beauty around you.
- 5 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 15, 2012
Great Movie

by

This was a great movie. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan it is a Must See movie. There were a couple of new thing that were not in the book, but that made the movie even better.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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Written January 18, 2013
Fun but could have been better

by DSafeman

I rated this a "Go" because, for any Tolkien fans, such as myself, you should see it. I can't say it wasn't entertaining, because it was. The acting was fine, and I liked Martin Freeman as the young Bilbo. He had a bit of a comical role and I thought that was apt for the part. Ian McKellan was brilliant, as usual, and they added scenes to show characters from the original trilogy. But I thought, in enlarging this short book to three movies, they would be adding some of the history of Middle Earth. (Some said there was.) The only additions I recall, besides the welcome addition of Radagast, were the addition of a new enemy, not in the book, and a lot of fighting. The plot contained too much fighting and too frenetic a pace. This was, after all, a children's book. It seemed more thrown together, and less organized, than The Lord of the Rings. I think they could have cut out some of the additional fighting and overdone CGI. All in all, it's fun, but no Lord of the Rings.
- 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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