The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 3DMovie Reviews

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Must Go!
Written December 14, 2012
The Hobbit

by knainc

Having realized (while waiting on line for this film), it has been 41 years since I first read the book (the first of a dozen times), I had high hopes for this production. My mind's eye had already produced this epic, storing it deeply in the grey matter. Peter Jackson did not let me down. The story is true to the novel and included the tiny details which are the magic of Tolkien's writing.

At 2 hours, 49 minutes I was left wanting more, and hoping the year 2013 flies bye so I can enjoy the second installment. Those with short attention spans were seen texting and heard mumbling (shame, shame).

Cinematography is excellent.

The 3D can get in the way during the fast action scenes but it also allowed me to soar with the eagles, after all these years.

Two thumbs and ten furry toes up.
- 75 out of 112 found this review helpful.
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No
Written December 15, 2012
WTF

by gina112666

I had heard it was going to be long, so when the screen went blank, I thought, "This must be the intermission". Then the credits rolled!! Huh? Maybe it could have been done in one feature if so much extraneous crap hadn't been filmed. Forshadowing should be subtle, but it was so heavyhanded, time-consuming, and unnecessary! The visuals, character development, and cinematography were spot-on and the acting/casting were superb...but the writing was brain-dead!! Why was I seeing characters who never appeared in the book at all?! I understand when some things must be cut from a book to be converted to film...but added?! How arrogant is that? This movie is a sad departure from it's inspiration. The menu at Denny's is outstanding. The movie? Not so much!
- 28 out of 38 found this review helpful.
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Written December 14, 2012
Very Good.

by magicfan8686

Looking forward to the sequels. Last hour was terrific. Didn't really feel as long as it was. It is a bit more childish and silly than the LoTR Trilogy but not so much that it damages the film. Special effects were terrific and the 3-d was done well.
- 54 out of 91 found this review helpful.
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Written December 14, 2012
A Tale of Two Films

by Eagleklaw

Filmed in stunning 48fps and a use of 3D that actually accentuates the movie rather than detracting from it, The Hobbit is a feast for the eyes. Returning to Middle Earth never felt so good. With epic vistas, beautiful effects, and chaotic battles, The Hobbit will draw you in, and take you for a ride from beginning to end.
The characters who go along for that ride with you though, are another matter altogether. Unfortunatly, the acting at times seems disjointed and lack luster. The first hour of the film is filled with slow plodding storylines, and acting that seems phoned in and just plain corny. With very little variety between characters, it is hard to find a reason to care about most of them, much less figure out who they are. The film also seems to develop a nasty habit of wandering so far away from the source material, you are often left wondering if it is even the same story. If you are a purist, be prepared to be disappointed.
Over all, it is a good film, just not amazing.
- 47 out of 79 found this review helpful.
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No
Written December 26, 2012
Didn't work out - Projector Broke and No Refund from Fandango

by bernie.cowens

We went to the theaters at Bella Terra in Huntington Beach, CA- after waiting for 45 minutes, they announced that the projection equipment wasn't working. They offered free passes and refunds - except we bought our tickets on Fandango so they were not able to refund our money and Fandango states that they don't offer refunds - so we got screwed.

Lesson learned - buy your tickets at the theater.
- 32 out of 49 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 17, 2012
Excellent!

by cbarger81

The movie was very close to the books and was entertaining. There was a little bit of a slow beginning but once it got going it never stopped. The only downfall was that the movie was three hours long and gets rather tiring sitting through it with 3D glasses on. Would definately recommend seeing it though.
- 14 out of 14 found this review helpful.
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Written December 23, 2012
Good but not Great

by Phoenix48

Saw The Hobbit yesterday. It could have been at least 30 minutes shorter without harming the story. Found myself looking at my watch a few times. Photography stunning and makes it worth going all by itself. Story drags a bit and some of the action scenes seem to be a poor substitute for continuity. "X" factor was missing from this film though I wanted it to be there and looked really hard for it. Still, a good flick and glad I went.
- 18 out of 22 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 16, 2012
Better than I could have hoped for.

by feawen

I'm a huge LOTR nerd, and have been eagerly awaiting the release of The Hobbit, and I honestly could not have asked for a better movie. Despite it being quite long, by the end of it I was wishing it would not end. The costumes were gorgeous! The 3D was impeccable, best I've seen, and the 48 FPS definitely helped rather than hurt. Visually and content wise, it was fabulous. The scene with Gollum was especially good--Andy Serkis had great comedic timing. Martin Freeman as the younger Bilbo was a perfect casting choice. All in all, it was amazing. Everyone should see it!
- 40 out of 67 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 28, 2012
Just What I Expected and More

by bey-48

I've read the books and this movie was done tastefully.
Must see if you are into the series. If you haven't read the books and have seen the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it will be a sure treat, especially in 3D.
For those not too enthused with the trilogy and have not read the books or are not into this fantasy, it may be too long for you.
- 16 out of 19 found this review helpful.
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Written December 21, 2012
Incomplete

by ragbone13709

What's there is well done and a joy to watch, but it leaves out the entire ending of the story. Hobbit part 1 would have a more appropriate title.
- 15 out of 17 found this review helpful.
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Written December 16, 2012
The Hobbit is for Ring fans for sure.

by jacksonrr1

I don't know how good this movie trilogy is going to do. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was amazing for everyone to see. So if your a huge fan then you won't want to miss The Hobbit. If the Lord of the Rings was just so-so for you then you probably won't want to invest 3 hours, let alone waiting 2 more years for the rest of this back story. This movie alone seems like it was made for the people that knew the Lord of the Rings already. If you've never seen the Lord of the Rings trilogy then it might feel like you've missed something. Especially when you see Elijah Wood for 5 minutes and then 3 hours of a bunch of nobody's. Yup, to really appreciate this movie you'll probably have to be a fan already. I am so this review may be biased. So go see it anyway!! =-)
- 14 out of 16 found this review helpful.
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So-so
Written December 31, 2012
3D Distraction

by

I was absolutely distracted by the gratuitous 3D shots and 48fps filming. It was as if The Hobbit was the first 3D movie ever made, and we were "learning" how it works. I don't need someone to stand out in a portal. That's not how the world looks.
- 12 out of 12 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written December 17, 2012
The Hobbit 1 - 3D - Nothing Unexpected - Just what I hoped for and wanted to see

by myHTheaven

I was not disappointed at all. Action packed. The 3D effects were very good. Really hard to believe they would all live through the "over the top" perril - but very entertaining and a great story. Ended at an appropriate time - not unexpectedly. Looking forward to more and owning this one on Blu-Ray.
- 12 out of 12 found this review helpful.
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No
Written December 28, 2012
Boring

by TomsReviews

I found the beginning to be a real let down because it was too silly. And then I found the middle to be a real let down because it was just one battle after another. It got to be tedious. But then I sort of liked the end, but not enough to go to see parts II and III.
- 16 out of 20 found this review helpful.
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Written December 26, 2012
A Truly Unexpected Journey

by hrobertking

Having been a Tolkien fan for years, my wife knew I would be wanting to see this movie. In support of me, she read the story ahead of time so I wouldn't spend time trying to explain everything. As it turned out, we walked out of the theater trying to figure out what was going on together, because there is much in the first installment that was not in The Hobbit, nor in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

While I would classify this generally a poor adaptation of the work, the story flows well and fits well with the trilogy. The acting was better than a lot I've seen recently and the cinematography was outstanding. Sets, costumes, choreography, directing, everything, even the writing, combined into a well-crafted experience. It's definitely recommended, just be warned that this not Tolkien's story, it's a story *based* on Tolkien's story.
- 12 out of 13 found this review helpful.
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