Rating of
3/4
This Journey Feels a Bit Familiar
Chris Kavan - wrote on 12/15/12
I was surprised at just how much The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey linked up with Fellowship of the Rings. Like the original movie, both films open on a history lesson: in Fellowship, it was the war vs. Sauron and how the one ring fell to man (and was soon after lost) only to land in the hands of a hobbit.... In The Hobbit, we see the great Dwarven kingdom of Erebor and the town Dale prosper until greed, and the arrival of a very angry dragon named Smaug, cause the kingdom to fall and people to scatter...
Both films feature the cross-country trip of a group of companions: The Fellowship of the Rings has it's, well, fellowship and Hobbit has 13 Dwaves, the Wizard Gandalf and the reluctant Hobbit Bilbo Baggins. Both groups face numerous threats and battles along the way - both groups have brief stop at Rivendell - heck, even a lot of the musical themes are present in both films.
That being said, The Hobbit, being a prequel, sheds light on Mr. Bilbo Baggins and how he came across such things as his sword, Sting, the treasure his extended family is always after and, most importantly, the ring that will change the course of history across Middle Earth. Martin Freeman makes an excellent addition to the cast as the young hobbit. A cautious, one might even say dainty, fellow - he cares more about his antique plates and use of doilies than going on any adventure with a group of dwarves and one unruly wizards.
Speaking of dwarves, there are 13. Although Richard Armitage, as company leader Thorin Oakenshield, plays his part with honor and a type of grave dignity - I have to admit the other 12 are more distinguished by their hair (both head and facial) and body type rather than distinct personalities. Most are lucky to get a few lines here and there - and only a few are given more than a cursory introduction and story. You don't need much background - you'll still be referring to them as "the fat one", "the regular-looking one with the bow" and "that guy with the tattoos on his head".
Their encounters include a run-in with a trio of dim-witted trolls (seen briefly as statues in Fellowship), harassment by Warg-riding Orcs , led by an old enemy or Thorin's, the pale Orc Azog and a trip into the realm of the Goblins, led by the corpulent, pox-ridden (yet oddly eloquent) Great Goblin (or Goblin King if you like). Running parallel to this story is the rise of a dark power, called the Necromancer - who corrupts the Green Forest - turning it into Mirkwood - much to the horror of the nature-loving (and quite eccentric) brown wizard Radagast - who shows the proof of this darkness, the Morgul blade of the Witch-king Angmar - which distresses the lady Galadriel but does little to sway the opinion of Sarumon the White.
The problem with this rousing adventure is that it takes way too long to get off the ground. After the opening, we're treated to a brief interlude featuring the aged Bilbo and young Frodo (preparing for Bilbo's birthday seen at the beginning of Fellowship) and then another lengthy introduction between Bilbo and Gandalf and then the dwarves. The movie could easily have cut a good 45 minutes out and still been an amazing journey.
One place where The Hobbit excels is in the special effects department. Things have come a long way since Return of the King - the CGI is better than ever - motion capture is even smoother (a high point in the film is still Andy Serkis and his portrayal of Gollum) and overall, this movie has to be one of the best-looking films in terms of special effects since Avatar. I didn't watch this in 3D nor in the higher frame rate, but I have to imagine it looks great on both fronts. The film may not be up for the major awards, but it should clean house on the technical side of things.
Despite the bloating, it was nice to see old faces again - beside Ian McKellen as Gandalf, and Serkis as Gollum, Christopher Lee reprises his role as Saruman, Kate Blanchett as Galadriel and Hugo Weaving as Elrond. Even though many of the musical themes used were found in the original trilogy, I didn't mind hearing them again - themes for the elves, Galadriel, Gollum, the ring, the hobbits - it was familiar yet welcome - like meeting an old friend after a few years have passed.
In the end, The Hobbit will certainly appeal to those who have visited Middle Earth before - but, much like Return of the King - it goes on a bit too long for my tastes. Still, it is a grand adventure, and despite the time it takes, fans of fantasy and action won't be disappointed.
