The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Starring: Martin Freeman, Sir Ian McKellen
Directed By: Peter Jackson
Reviewed by Danielle Muir
[rating: 3.5/5]
There’s two hobbits afoot in the cinema at the moment. One exists at a pace and dimension of which we are accustomed, the other is presented in a new format which not only makes the visual seem like that of a video-game, but noticeably speeds up what is otherwise a sprawling epic that can’t decide whether to take its time or cut to the chase. One I can’t rate, as the format rendered my brain so fuzzed I couldn’t engage with the film, the other I’m giving four. The initial journey into 48fps certainly spawned an unexpected result, and maybe I’m just becoming an old timer set in my ways, but the shock of the new format was a little too much for this little brain to process. So for the purposes of this review, I am commenting on the 24fps version, not the new format.
Before Frodo and the Fellowship ventured to Mt Doom, another darling Hobbit happened upon the one ring to rule them all. Bilbo Baggins, content with his snug warm hobbit hole, is greeted by a barrage of Dwarves who seek to reclaim their homeland Erebor from the dragon Smaug, overtaking the kingdom long ago in his lust for gold. Therein lies the beginning of another epic trek across Middle Earth, helmed once more by Peter Jackson.
Popular opinion from die-hard LOTR fans appears to be pretty dismal at this stage, with some claiming Jackson’s attempts to force nostalgic titbits from the first trilogy down our gullets being a bit cringe worthy. Personally, I think The Hobbit stands alone as its own epic – it just also happens to be one of a journey of rag-tag individuals. For non-diehard fans this won’t be an issue.
The dwarves are all loveable, albeit the ones we remember – occasionally one will pop up three quarters of the way through that you swear you’ve never laid eyes on before. But as a pack, they work together charismatically and with charm – flipping it to the darker side with their solemn songs of their lost homeland. Freeman is Bilbo Baggins, a perfect fit as the over-the-hill hobbit too stuck in his ways for any of this adventure business, and Ian McKellen amazes once again as the twinkle-eyed Gandalf the Grey with a knack for fireworks.
Due to advances in technology and CGI since the LOTR trilogy, the dwellings of specific races, i.e. the Dwarven kingdom of Erebor and the Goblin cave are visually spectacular – however when the next shot is of the company sprinting across actual fields and atop mountains, my brain couldn’t comprehend that this was the same world. I just thought I was looking at some spectacular views of New Zealand, not Middle Earth. And some of the CGI enemies such as Orc packs look disjointed hurtling across fields of grass. So whilst the technology makes for spectacular visuals, the world loses its charm and consistency.
There’s never a moment of boredom throughout the films 2hr 56min runtime which is a godsend, generally a result of the pack being chased by yet another swarm of mythical creatures (goblins and stones and orcs – oh my!), the result of which is a little repetitive. And some scenes can be a little too cheesy, case in point Galadriel’s perfect 180 degree spin to face Gandalf, and Bilbo’s ‘home’ speech to the company, but there are some good solid chills to be had also.
So despite a few flaws I think the Hobbit trilogy will advance with the next two instalments – just be wary of constant comparisons to LOTR like I did, because the world does not feel the same as the one we’ve first been introduced to.
