A movie review: The Hobbit

*CAVEAT* Blogger does not want to add formatting for some reason.... Here is my pitiful attempt to review a wonderful (IMHO) movie; "The Hobbit". And attempt to do so without any spoilers. (Can that even be possible, and furthermore, has anyone who reads this possibly not have read The Hobbit?) Anyway, here goes. It was a joy to go back to Middle Earth. Tolkien's work as displayed on the big (and small!) screen has been a part of my life during the holiday season for almost 13 years now, and it felt like going home again, seeing it again in all of it's digital 3-D glory. But it was different. Like going home, but with all the furniture moved around and the windows cleaned. I saw the premier at midnight on the opening day in the best option that my theater had to offer. Digital 3-D, but not in the 48 FPS version. It was so clear, so vibrant, and so much visual overload that I really think I will have to see it again just to catch all of what I missed. So much was going on is some scenes that I could not follow it. I think the next time around I will see it in digital 2-D. It was Middle Earth, but not the familiar landscape and character of the Lord of the Rings. New places were explored, new faces seen, and of course a new adventure. It really was a treat to see what Peter Jackson did with the old place and he did (again IMHO) not disappoint. If you have read the book "The Hobbit" I will not go into what the movie is about. You know that already. If you have not, what the heck is wrong with you. It should be required reading in at least High School if not Junior High. I know some people say they have a hard time getting interested in the book, and to some extent, I agree. It does start off slow, but it does pick up speed and is a great read. So if you have not read the book, then suffice it to say that a little guy named a hobbit is selected to travel with some sturdy dwarves to undertake a quest to reclaim a lost home and along the way, has many adventures, finds a few interesting items, meets some interesting characters and learns a little bit about himself. And that is what happens in the movie. Pretty much on par with the book in relation to the book story. The actors are quite good at portraying their characters, with maybe the dwarves being a bit to cartoon-ish. Certainly there is room for it, but at times, they were just a bit annoying. However, when things got serious, so did the dwarves and damn, did they fight like I feel dwarves of Middle Earth would fight. Here the movie elevated the proud, stout and brave characteristics of the dwarves far above that told in the book. Thorin Oakenshield (and the backstory of how he got that name) is maybe the main character of this first part of the Hobbit movie trilogy. He has as much, maybe more screen time than Bilbo, and his character is, I think, a deeper one than any other in the movie, with the exception of Gandalf. But the movie also goes beyond the book and this is why Peter Jackson can make a 300 page book into a 6 hour movie (Parts 1,2,&3) There is a ton (yes, a ton) of filler information that is worked into the movie. This filler information comes from the appendices of the Lord of the Rings books, some from the Unfinished Tales and maybe a bit from The Silmarillion. "What are those, you ask?" If you asked that then your level of Tolkien geekiness needs a bit of work. Those are a fill book,stories, and notes that Tolkien wrote about the history, background, and in-between parts that took place before, during, and between (and some after) the stories of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. And this is what I enjoyed the most of the movie. Seeing on the screen all those things that I have read about in my past readings of those side stories. For me, it was almost as if the Hobbit story was just a vehicle for the deeper, juicier, background information. For some this might make the movie drag in places, but for me, it was the extra tender meat that lies close to the bone that is oh so good to consume. I loved it. At times, especially in the beginning, just like the book, the movie is slow. But by the middle of the movie, it finds its footing and there is no looking back. It is two and a half hours long but it felt longer to me... in a good way. I did not want it to end. I really need to see parts 2 and 3. NOW. Why wait until a year from now?! Let us see it again at the time when part 1 would normally leave the theaters! Like in June and then part 3 around Christmas 2013! Just like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, when it was done, it really left me wanting more. Especially to see more of Smaug the dragon! Now I have given the movie pretty much a grand review, but there were a few things that bothered me. The first I already mentioned. There were at times, so much going on, with so much detail, that the human eye cannot almost take it all in. (especially the fight scenes.) It takes active viewing! If this is the way movies are going to be made in the future, we will all have to get used to it and acclimate our viewing behavior. Secondly, the mountain troll scene, while enjoyable for it comic relief, came off way to campy with sophomoric humor and it never really made me think our brave band was in any danger from the trolls because they were just so... stupid. And lastly, it was a continuity issue. In a flash-back scene in one of the Lord of the Rings movies, we see Bilbo stumbling across the One Ring, finding it in the mud of Gollum's cave, which I believe is how it is described in the book. In The Hobbit, there was no attempt to copy this scene at all. Bilbo finds it sitting in the middle of the cave floor, all nice and shiny bright, completely out in the open, with no mud to be found. I know it is a small thing to niggle over, but I thought they could have made that effort at continuity. So there you have it... my opinion of The Hobbit movie. Go see it. It is well worth it! I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars. But I am not like some critic who cry over all kinds of detail and look for hidden meanings and other stuff. My criteria is: Did it entertain me? Was it worth my money? Would I see it again? Did it meet or exceed my expectations? (I use this only for movies that deal with story-lines that are near and dear to me.) It did all of these but there is always room for improvement!