The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Let me start by saying that i have never watched any of the Lord of The Rings movies before.I was told to start with the hobbit. I was amazed at how cool this franchise must be as i loved every minute of it.I kinda feel ashamed for not giving this series a try earlier. 8/10 from me ,yeah that good.

I've seen "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" quite a few times now. I like it a lot. The first few times I watched it I found it hit and miss. The movie still takes a couple of dips here and there but those parts don't bother me as much as they used to. Now the only demerit I give this movie has to do with its length. It's a about twenty minutes too long. Otherwise, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is a very exciting and emotional ride. It's also a great looking movie with very good music. This movie is always a welcome visit.

I Remember the first time i watched this movie in the cinema and i did not like it as much i thought i would! Maybe it was because my hopes were very high after LOTR and while this movie gad elements from that, it didn't reach the same level in terms of story and visuals!

Jacksons overuse of CGI sometimes pull me out of it, but its not as bad as the third movie, which almost gives me headaches!

But over the time i have learned to like the movie and look past its flaws! Compared to the first season of Rings of Power this movie is deffinetely not bad, and does a better job of conveying a story with characters you care about! When it comes to the source material this movie doesn't drag as much as the others! The scenes with gollum are "hands down" the best part of the movie!

Overall a great fantasy experience that still excists in the shadow of its predecacors but entertains none the less!

First off I have never read The Hobbit, but from what I gather the book isn't all that long, so the fact that this film is the first of three, suggests they may be milking it a little. That being said however I was very excited to return to Middle Earth for a new story..and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.

This is the Prequel story to LOTR following the adventures of Bilbo Baggins (Frodo's Uncle played by Ian Holm previously) and how he came to be in possession on the ring.

Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. .is quite simply a BEAUTIFUL film! I saw the movie in 3D and at the 48fps that Jackson intended and I was blown away by how it looked. It's a stunning film that left me with the same 'WOW' factor that the original trilogy did a decade ago. Set 60 years earlier than Lord of The Rings, We are introduced to a much younger Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman). He is a content Hobbit, not concerned with adventure of any sort. Until Gandalf (Ian McKellan) suddenly appears, along with a group of unruly Dwarfs and offers Bilbo the chance to be part of a great adventure. The dwarfs wish to reclaim their homeland, which has been taken over by a huge dragon named Smaug, It's a simple concept and one that probably shouldn't be stretched over 3 movies but as with any 'first in a trilogy' film, it sets the stage perfectly. The movie has some great scenes.. meeting the Dwarfs in Bilbo's house, the run in with fighting stone giants and the escape from deep within the goblins' mountain are particular highlights. I loved the scene in which Bilbo runs into a familiar face (for LOTR fans) in the caves: Gollum (who looks amazing with todays MOCAP technology). Much of the movie, is the journey of the troupe back to the mountain, but also the journey of Bilbo himself.. mild and timid at the start of the film, our hero finds his courage, several times over, through the course of this film.

Overall I loved this film, I thought it looked fantastic and the care of attention not just aesthetically but also in terms of continuity were obvious. These are Peter Jacksons films, no doubt. Much like he did with the previous trilogy, bringing us into a world full of heroes and villains, orcs and wizards this film literally (thanks to the 3D and FPS rate) literally transports you into Middle Earth.

I am already excited to see the next instalment but to keep me satisfied until then..i may go and watch my LOTR boxset again . And them maybe this film again!

Great stuff!!

Firstly, I have to make a statement- the LOTR movies, for me, have set an impossibly high bar both in this universe and within the movie world as a whole. Their cinematic beauty and value cannot be denied.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, however, is an entirely different movie. Sure, it's set in the world of Middle Earth, but that's really about all it holds in common with the aforementioned trilogy, alongside a few familiar faces. Many members of the audience I was in complained that the movie took a long time to get going, but it actually was paced rather well, with a suitably sized introduction with Ian Holm and Elijah Wood making way for the current storyline. The first thing you notice as a viewer is that this movie is notably funnier. Whilst the LOTR trilogy had it's lighter moments, The Hobbit revels in the lighter side of life, with lots of genuinely hilarious moments interspersing themselves with scenes of real peril.The visually stunning moments are still there, and whilst I saw this movie in 2D, some moments would have been absolutely perfect in 3D. At first, it's a little difficult to get into, especially when the light-hearted opening with the countless visiting dwarfs gets underway. However, if you can remind yourself as a viewer that The Hobbit was a book written for a much younger, impressionable audience, then you'll likely have a good time watching this. That said, it is far from childish, and although it is a lighter, more fun affair, there are still many parts within the story that an adult audience can relate to.

Martin Freeman has been a firm favourite of mine since his humble beginnings on British terrestrial television, and seeing him here on the big screen is both a welcome and bizarre experience. That said, his demeanour and technique are perfect for the role of Bilbo Baggins, as he exudes the homely, simple manner of a Hobbit very effectively. Ian McKellen is perfect as everyone's favourite wizard, and Richard Armitage (another former British television star playing his trade to the silver screen)is a brilliant Thorin (son of Thrain!), mixing a toughened heart with a tortured soul. If anything, Thorin may turn out to be the true hero of the piece. The rest of the dwarfs are also brilliant, and many of them are the highlights of the movie.

The special effects are once again spectacular, with the eye wateringly stunning rock giant battle a particularly memorable moment. The makeup effects are up to the job, too, and the attention to detail is ridiculous, right down to the individual scratches and weathered look of the weapons the characters wield. If you enjoyed the LOTR trilogy, then Peter Jackson will have you in awe again, although The Hobbit trilogy looks set to be a much more relaxed and 'fun' adventure. At the end of the day, the only complain to be made about the movie is that it simply isn't LOTR. Those movies set such a high level that even Peter Jackson himself can't seem to top them with this effort, but that's a minor complain for what is otherwise I very well made movie.

Cinematic, adventurous, enjoyable and epic- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey knows its audience and caters to them very well indeed.