The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

[asamaic]

I got there after half past as usual, because the O2 is quite far away for me - and like last time, there was no Sky rep, so I just wandered in and found a seat on the balcony. It did not occur to me until the film started that I would need 3D glasses (I'm not normally stupid, I'm just not feeling very well at the moment) so I legged it out of there to try and find some.

I realise it was not the point of the movie, but I felt so sad for that little poorly hedgehog...

Haven't read the books (I know, I had a wasted childhood), but I enjoyed the plot. Agree with the comments about the time going quickly - at the end, I was very unsatisfied and wanted more film - but to run all the parts together would be ridiculous in length. I suppose that's a good thing, it really drew me in.

Really warmed to the band of dwarves and their mix of personalties. Sets it nicely for the film to follow - I now care about what happens to them.

Loved the stunning CGI scenery and music - was this shot in 48fps? I thought if it would be shown at any London cinema, it would be the Sky screen, but I couldn't tell either. Found the 3D difficult at the start (I think my eyes were adjusting though) but as I got into the film, I found it really clear and crisp.

Will have to p*y for OH to see this, I think, shame he was working, he would have really enjoyed the film!

[newdot]

I saw it in 48 fps.

possibly made it twice as bad.

seriously guys, have shot better video on my 2mp mobile phone.

this will be rightly savaged by the critics.

ps i pa*d for this nonsense.

[raj101]

is your real name Del Toro?

Think I might save the movie for the new year.

[Beate]

http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/films/the-h ... 44245.html

[funthing29]

I liked this but didn't love it. One cannot avoid comparing it to LOTR which I think is a stronger trilogy in many different ways. The storytelling here is more simplistic, the characters less dynamic and I never felt the emotional connection to the story in the same way I did in LOTR. Undeniably, it is visually impressive with amazing CGI work and stunning scenic shots. My issues came from slight inconsistencies between this and the LOTR mythology and the unnecessary addition of material which felt like padding to extend the running time. The standout element of the film is undoubtedly the scene in the cave with Gollum.

It stands well on its own as the opening to a new trilogy, but in comparison to LOTR, it lacks depth and complexity, and feels like a superficial piece of storytelling. I would give it 8/10 but this may change after I've rewatched it.

I saw this at the BFI IMAX, and I do love the immersive experience the giant screen offers, but oh boy, some of the spinning camerawork brought on serious bouts of nausea and dizziness (word of warning to anyone else going there and has a mild stomach).

I'm planning to watch it again in HFR to see the difference and how well it holds up to repeat viewing.

[charanjitw]

Brilliant movie! Very impressed with the graphics and how beautiful the images looked on screen. I haven't read the book so had no real expectations and was blown away by this movie. Great acting and really warmed to the characters, think Martin Freeman did an ace job! :)

[canadian_turtle]

Oh god, where to start?

Seeing this in Imax 3D was on the one hand fantastic, as you're completely immersed into Middle Earth, but on the other it also enhanced the 3D flaws with blurryness and a bad case of vertigo for the viewer (particularly when there's mountains involved). I like to see it again in 2D just so I can (I think) see more detail and not get too swept away by it all.

LOVED the first 30 minutes or so which perfectly connected this film to its sequels, The Lord of the Rings trilogy (it's kind of like Star Wars in that way now. We had episode 4, 5 and 6 first and now getting episode 1, 2 and 3). Elijah Wood looked like he hadn't aged a day and it was brilliant to be back in the Shire, my favourite place in Middle Earth. In fact, while I know the film was already very long and this was largely irrelevant, I do wish we'd seen more of the Shire. Btw, did anyone else thing that the grumpy farmer + wife were the same as in LOTR?

Great introduction also of all the dwarves (Adain Turner as "boyband dwarf" Kili is so cute! And, surprisingly, James Nesbitt wasn't very annoying), and I was well impressed with Martin Freeman as Bilbo. His way with the character is suitably comical and naive. I also loved that we saw the story of Thorin and the dwarves before it all started, to get a good idea of their motivations. Plus, bonus: Lee Pace's Thranduil made two very brief appearances in it, when I didn't expect him to show up until at least film two.

As for the overall story line, I think the film has trouble finding its feet between being a children's or adult film. On the one hand it's light comedy very much like the book (think the troll scene, VERY funny) and comical almost cartoonish facial expressions of Bilbo, on the other it's trying to be something more, something darker than the children's book was by adding the pale Orc "leader", and the sub storyline with the Necromancer and a prominent Radagast. I can understand why they've been added as it's good to have a "big evil" to defeat later on and Smaug wasn't in the book enough to take that role, but they should've steered away even more from the book feel then, and not try to be both a children's film and another LOTR trilogy all at once, which doesn't really work. For me personally it's not much of an issue as I'm just there to transport myself back to Middle Earth for a few hours (I LOVE the world and I went to New Zealand a few years ago for a while so many places they've filmed I've now actually seen with my own eyes - which is brilliant), but I can understand that it may be an annoyance for people who aren't quite so in love with this world as I am.

The highlight of the film for me (and probably many others) was of course the scene with Gollum. Andy Serkis had a tough job to be able to live up to all the high expectations but he managed to be, if possibly, even better than he was in the Lord of the Rings. His personification of Gollum is outstanding, with his facial expressions in particular stealing the scenes he's in. He has an even harder job than the other actors, being not only an actor present in the scene doing all the things Gollum does, but also doing the motion capture to get the CGI version of the character. Is there a category he can get an Oscar nomination in? Because he should get one.

Aaaaaanyway, long story short, my Tweet last night about sums it up: "Hobbitses! The boyband dwarf! Lee Pace! It was awesome to be back in Middle Earth for a few hours - is it next December yet?!?!"

Compared to Fellowship of the Ring and Return of the King this is a 8.5/10. However, compared to other releases this year this is still superior. Not flawless, but very entertaining and deserving of a high mark. 10/10


Also, I had no problem keeping the dwarves apart, this might help those of you that did:

[ISMADDER]

Saw the film in 48fps Overall enjoyed the film, a couple of scenes moving to fast like a benny hill slot, i.e dwarfs in bag-end, the Radagast the Brown scenes, looked poor. Where the same scenes poor on in 24 fps showings?

[valda]

Hands off Aiden Turner C_T!
Thankfully as good a dwarf as he is vampire vx

[canadian_turtle]

You can have him, V, I prefer Lee Pace/Thranduil but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate Aidan's "performance"