Okay, so this post is completely off topic but I finally got to see "The Hobbit: an unexpected journey" and it is bad. I had been led to believe it was as good as the LOTR trilogy, friends had been to see it multiple times and raved. I will rant...
I thought Peter Jackson was a real Tolkein fan but now I realise he was the ultimate LOTR nerd. The Hobbit for him appears to have been an opportunity to make another three LOTR movies rather than try to recreate a wonderful tale of hobbits, dwarves, dragons and adventure. Instead the film is bloated by tales form outside of the Hobbit, appendices and stories form the Silmarillion and other places are taken and twisted by Jackson. Azog the goblin is saved from having his head chopped off by Dain (a 2nd cousin of Thorin Oakenshield) and instead is cast as pursuing the dwarves to add action that is just not needed. Unless of course you are trying to squeeze in a few more action scenes reminiscent of LOTR!
Bilbo is played rather poorly by Martin Freeman, although I suspect his direction is more the problem than his acting. Bilbo comes across as a rude Hobbit right from the start, and instead of welcoming the dwarves into his house is constantly trying to get them to leave. He wakes up and we are led to believe he finally can't resist the adventure rather than being pushed into going by Gandalf. When captured by the trolls Bilbo calls himself a "burglar-hobbit" rather than a "bur-hobbit", little things perhaps, but important.
I have been described as Hobbit purist, and I guess that mans I was doomed to disappointment. Film critics gave mixed reviews, Philip French over at the Observer has obviously never read the Hobbit, his review basically explains the story. Scott Mendelson came much closer to my point of view and suggests that the thing missing from the whole production was someone saying "No!" to Jackson. Rotten Tomatoes give 65%.
I will probably wait for the next two instalments to come out on DVD, as a box set, at under £10 and after Christmas...2015.
When you have young kids and can't get out to the cinema often then you really want to make the most of it. The Hobbit was a waste of a babysitter! The best thing about the movie was my wife and I smuggling kebabs and beers into the cinema. Three hours is a long movie. The Malibu & coke-in-a-can was a nice way to finish off the evenings disappointment.
I have not seen this movie, but since Jackson destroyed Frodo by making him a weakling by not being able to resist the Nazgul and needing Arwen to resist them. Frodo was unbelievable after that to carry the ring. So whats the surprise?
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