It’s been nine years since audiences last ventured to Middle-earth with Peter Jackson and the LORD OF THE RINGS cast. Of course, we all knew that we would eventually go there and back again (and maybe back again again) with the prequel sooner or later. With the trilogy’s first installment, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, landing in theatres today, fan boys and girls are eager to revisit the enchanting world of J.R.R. Tolkien once again.
Diving into the 169-minute marathon journey will likely stir the same feelings that dear Bilbo Baggins felt himself before embarking on the quest: excitement, curiousity and a bit of anxiety. We all want THE HOBBIT to blow us away, but is pushing the boundaries of feature film length and visual appeal enough? If you’ve seen THE LORD OF THE RINGS, you’ll recognize Peter Jackson’s flair for creating long, epic and beautiful films. Add the fact that THE HOBBIT is filmed in 48 frames per second (the standard is 24 frames per second) and the level of awe goes up a few notches higher. Bottom line: THE HOBBIT delivers in terms of stunning detail, but may grate on the nerves of those with a short attention span for orcs and elves.
The movie is follows the events 60 years before the LORD OF THE RINGS and starts by taking us to the familiar rolling green hills of Bag End. Here, we meet Bilbo (Martin Freeman) who receives a visit from the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and later, 13 rowdy dwarves. The dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), seek to take back their lost Kingdom of Erebor, which is currently being guarded by the fierce dragon Smaug. In order to reclaim their land and treasure, they need a burglar. With hobbits being so light on their feet, Bilbo is the man for the job.
It takes some convincing before Bilbo agrees to go. But eventually, we all plunge into a long and thrilling journey to Middle-earth. Along the way, there are intense flashbacks, funny moments with silly wizard Radagast, frightening orcs and goblins and some riddling with Gollum. The movie feels like it fits perfectly in the THE LORD OF THE RINGS family, as it should. Whether THE HOBBIT needs three films to cover the 300-page novel is up for debate.
If you watch the movie in 48 fps, prepare to be a bit a shocked at the crisp clarity. While the scenery is beautiful, the characters look weirdly realistic. This throws that cozy comfort of watching a movie right out the window, but it does make for an exciting and new experience.
The actors do a superb job of bringing the unique characters to life. While you may find yourself feeling a bit tired at the two-hour mark, the star-studded cast (including Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving) will pull you to the finish line.
The film is over-the-top in every sense: rich graphics, incredible detail and long drawn out scenes that J.R.R. Tolkien fans will surely appreciate.
RATING: 3.75/5
Be sure to catch THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, in theatres today! Let us know what you thought of the movie by e-mailing us at email hidden; JavaScript is required (your review could be featured in our next issue!)