I was greatly anticipating this movie since I first heard that it was going to be made. What did I think of it now that I've seen it? I'll put it this way... it wasn't bad, but having been a big fan of the books and previous LOTR movies, I was expecting more. I can't exactly put a finger on it just yet.. but something about this film compared to the previous 3 seemed slightly off, as though to remind you it is indeed a movie. Even the makeup, costumes, and animation seemed more "play" like as though you were watching it on a stage rather than it really happening. It was ok.. but I would say it didn't quite stay in the same league as the first three movies.… Expand

Such a great movie, I went in with a skeptical mind and came out pleasantly surprised. I think Jackson has a fantastic start to The Hobbit and I look forward to the sequels!

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Hobbit was by far my most anticipated film of 2012, and whilst it was fantastic it still disappointed me due to my views on the Lord of the Rings trilogy -- a trilogy I view as perfect films. An argument I have seen thrown around a lot is "It is based off a children's book -- lay off!" However films that are based from books can still delve into dark areas, The Hobbit did not. I will fully explain what the film did well first -- the visuals were stunning. There was a big fiasco and outrage about the film being shot in 48FPS but this did not bother me in the slightest and in fact I found the film to look crisper and clearer for the use of it. I should note I did not watch it in 3D though, so perhaps this would have affected the outcome. So the settings and the visuals were stunning, the soundtrack -- while most was re-used from LotR, was still beautiful and fitting. Ian McKellen shows he can still act Gandalf after a decade, his performance was solid and his age did not detriment the film in anyway. (The same cannot be said for Lee's Saruman, however -- he stumbled through his lines and his age was very noticeable.) I feel that Martin Freeman did a solid job as Bilbo, however he came across as a bit jittery and stuttery sometimes. The trolls scene irked me slightly as the CGI came lacking (especially when one of the trolls holds Bilbo in his hands, that effect did not transition onto the screen very well) and the scene was played for laughs. The same thing again in the Goblin's lair as the King came across as comedic design, and when the wooden walkways fell on the dwarves the "You've got to be joking" line had me rolling my eyes. Another scene I had a slight issue with was when Thorin dismounted the tree and walked to face the Pale Orc. This scene has dramatic music playing, a camera focused on Thorin's determined face framed by firelight and sparks -- and then he is almost instantly defeated by a swift blow to the face. I actually laughed out loud in the cinema at this scene -- surely they could have shown him swing his sword a bit first? Though I have listed all these complaints, I still did thoroughly enjoy the film. Rivendell was beautiful and Galadriel and Elrond and their respective actors had great performances and did not feel hamfisted into the film at all. The Gollum scene was by far the best part of the film and indeed I almost felt sorry for the poor wretch when Bilbo decided not to kill him. I concede that all the comedy added to this film was most probably to distinguish it as a kid's book, but alas then, in comparison to LotR it seemed a bit corny and afraid to get "dark" -- the only scene I would consider dark was Gollum's, and that scene was by far the best in the film. In short, no, this film is not as good as the LotR trilogy -- but it comes close and for that I am very grateful.… Expand

Rewritten review. After watching the video. I have to say this movie is just plain fun. The over the top action sequences are short and even though when I saw the movie in the theatre the late movie action seemed like the Bridge at Khazad Dum scene repeated, after watching the video they are not out of place. Just a little indulgent. Some parts deserve a ten but overall a 9.

Beautifully done movie that was filled with goodies from the book, and goodies from dear ol' Peter Jackson. Many people complain that it is not as dark as LOTR and that is true, because the book isn't either. The humor was a nice change of pace for Middle Earth and I couldn't stop laughing during some parts. I loved the scene with the trolls by the camp fire as it was my favorite scene in the whole movie. I also loved the intelligent goblin king who was designed quite well, but his voice and personality felt more like a Harry Potter character than an LOTR one. The music, once again, sweeps you away like it did before almost 10yrs ago; I do believe is was the same composer so expect excellence. Others complain about the use of CGI... well how else do you get hundreds of trolls, orcs, dwarves into the same scene or get a man into a giant troll costume? LOTR had hundreds of animations and it was great! and so was this movie.… Expand

Oh dear. This is the biggest disappointment in a movie I've ever had. I'm a HUGE Lord of the Rings fan (like a lot of people claim they are), the Lord of the Rings truly changed my childhood. Now more than 10 years later The Hobbit is released. This has been my most anticipated movie since heard it was going to be made in 2008. I couldn't believe I was going on another Middle Earth adventure! And after finally watching The Hobbit I was really let down. So what was wrong with The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey? It's hard to place, but it wasn't intriguing at all. The story felt really flat, the characters didn't develop well, it was too childish and it was trying too hard to be something it's not. At least don't make the goblins damn CGI! The Goblin King was a joke, the viewer can't connect to the dwarfs all, there wasn't a sense of real danger. Even the script was pretty bad! The movie started off pretty good, you felt like you were back in Middle Earth after 10 years but then it turns into a silly Narnia adventure. 6/10… Expand

Standalone review (ignoring lotr) - good although the way the film was set up, the humour was an essential factor to capturing the viewer imo, in my viewing many of the clearly "funny" bits were very awkward and not quite sure if they were meant to be funny, for example the bit where boffur tossed bombur a sausage and for no apparent reason the table broke. the thing is, the book was pretty weird, didn't really stick together like lotr, it was a very all over the place novel with barely any constant descriptions of characters especially the dwarves. i think that's where this film fell short, it had brilliant fight scenes, good character development and good back story but the characters themselves sucked and felt very transparent. they felt genuine and reused. gollum was the only beacon of hope, personally my favourite scene in the whole film, it managed to make me laugh properly and really built bilbo as being brave and humorous at the same time instead of being a bumbling coward. all in all, good little film, although it had no inspiration apart from lotr, lotr clearly took a lot of inspiration from shakespeare and some other films, this film clearly had none of that. think about the way the characters talked in lotr, it was much more medieval, at one point in the hobbit one of the dwarves ASKED FOR CHIPS?? REALLY? CHIPS? IN MIDDLE EARTH? YOU WANT CHIPS?! YOU THINK THEY HAVE DEEP FAT FRIARS IN MIDDLE EARTH????… Expand

When I see this film, I see exactly what I imagine Middle Earth would look like. "An Unexpected Journey" is an amazing film that, for the most part, remains true to the story. Not only that, but it incorporates elements of the story that aren't present in the Red Book -- where do you think Gandalf disappears to all the time? -- the appendices hold the answers! Do not expect the Hobbit to be the same as the Lord of the Rings; if you do, you will be disappointed. The Hobbit is an all together different type of Fantastic tale that stands alone - not as a prequel, but as a story in its own right. The critics are way off on this one. If you love Adventure, Humorous Warrior Dwarves, Wizards, and the Necromancer, then this film will pull you in again and again!… Expand

With only a 65% on RT and a rather mixed reaction from the critics, I was quite worried that this movie would turn out disastrously. Fear not, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a great movie even if it isn't necessarily as amazing as I expected. That being said, the movie is not without its flaws. There are some scenes that feel a bit too stretched out, and better saved for the extended edition. Also, the CGI feels a bit overused at times. Other than that, everything about this movie is great. The movie keeps the lighthearted tone of the book while also having epic battle sequences and decapitations. The character development is really good, especially with Bilbo. The performances are spot on, and the ending leaves you wanting more. If you're a fan of LOTR, fantasy, or good movies, you should definitely see this--preferably during some time in the day, as it is pretty long.… Expand

I really don't know why this movie gets such bad reviews. A 58? There's the obvious and overused complaint "it's too long" but for anyone who has a half decent attention span it wasn't that bad. It was about the same length of Django Unchained or The Avengers but I never heard anyone complaining about those. The special effects were great, the acting was great, and the story, while still great, was something to be expected because the book had been out for a while. Some people were complaining about the abrupt ending but anyone who knew anything about the movie probably found out that they were making it into multiple movies. And don't complain about "It's the shortest book! Why is IT in three movies?" because Harry Potter did it and no one complained about that. My only complaints about this movie were that it was a bit slow to start (not too long, just slow, it's entirely different) and I wish they showed a bit more of Martin Freeman. They still showed a lot of Martin Freeman as he was still the main character but I really liked him so the scenes that he wasn't in I felt weren't as good.… Expand

Does very well to follow the 3rd edition of the Hobbit which includes Gollum's revised character and the pieces added from the Silmarillion. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the film, which is light and much more in style with the feeling of the book. While the second act was quite long, I was never bored and appreciated the addition of Galadriel to give some balance to the cast. Well done, and I look forward to the next one!… Expand

This movie was amazing. The storyline was great and if you are a lover of the LOTR then you will definitely love it. the Scenery and the costumes and make up should definitely receive awards as they were incredible. I particularly liked how Peter Jackson did not allow one particular character to completely take over the movie but bought all the characters together and showed the importance of each one. I do however think that there was about 20 mins cut out of the movie at the cinema that I saw it as there were 2 areas where the scene abruptly stopped and then went to an entirely different scene and i am sure that Peter Jackson would not allow such bad editing. The movie was running behind so i believe that the cinema cut it out, but i am going to see it again on weekend (good excuse to see again) and will see if it does it again.
The music appears to be less in this movie then in LOTR but it also has some of the music especially Concerning Hobbits which is an absolute favourite and parents ringtone. The music is fantastic to listen to and if there was not so much going on on the screen you would be very content to just sit back and close your eyes and listen.
Although this movies goes for 184 minutes you wouldn't know it as I was enthralled throughout it and could have gone on with more. Absolutely wonderful movie and cannot wait for number 2. GO AND SEE IT!!!!!… Expand

A magical movie. nothing new, nothing unexpected but a wonderful epic tale given in the most fascinating fashion. for almost 3 hours you are part of the most worm and magical grandfathers tale. the critics hate it the audience loved it. maybe we have to reevaluate the purpose of cinema.

While the hobbit is not a perfect movie, it is a fun movie. one thing that brought the hobbit a little bit down was its pacing, some scenes just dragged way to long. Another thing that bought it down was that Peter Jackson tried to expand a children's book narrative int a more complex one that stretched things too long. Ignoring the negatives the hobbit excels in visuals because of the 48fps it was shot in and the fighting scenes in the movie were top notch. The hobbit doesn't feel like LOTR but it makes it's on feel… Expand

This movie is an amazing adventure! Peter Jackson put 100% in this movie. i don't whats with the low rating.. but that's just the critics. this movie is a must see!

The Hobbit is amazing. A perfect adventure. Through excellent characters such as Bilbo, Gollum (very good), Gandalf, among others, the film reveals extremely fun. Do not believe the notes of specialized critics, the film is monumental.

I don't know where the critics get off giving this film moderate reviews, the film is incredible. The critics are clearly desperate to pick holes in The Hobbit after The Lord of the Rings Trilogy was so perfect, but anyone that's seen it will tell you that the film is amazing. Best film of the year by far.

I read the hobbit when I was very young and my imagination was the only escape I could use to go to Middle earth, 20+ years later and my imagination is now realized on the screen... and it looks great!
There are parts that felt better reading than when realized in the cinema mostly because reading it gives me time to digest more fiction, The hungry golums and the cooking part, the rabbits sleigh, Bilbo's house dishes cleaning and some other it felt a little bit I am watching a disney fiction, thank God that didn't last long, and the movie does pickup the pace and Bilbo - Smeagol was comforting and well acted.
Overall I enjoyed it and wouldn't have missed it and would recommend any old and new Middle Earthern to go back...… Expand

This film was visually stunning, but the plot was a little weak and as well as the overall choice of dialogue. The introduction was well paced. I didn't think it was too fast or slow. But it seems like the dwarves were saved at the last minute every time: the eagles, the elves when heading to rivendale, and Gandalf after being captured by the goblin king. Additionally, the presence of random humor used by the goblin king as pointless.… Expand

I am a loyal fan of the pre movies and just relating was pretty cool but this was not a really exciting film the Orcs were not as disgusting as before in terms of appearance and it almost appeared to be on stage like a PLAY in other words WE NEED NOT RE EVENT THE WHEEL.

Not enjoyable! Why didn't they do the Hobbit (1 movie) first, then Lord of the Rings (3 movies)?!?! The Hobbit is clearly not meant to be made into 3 movies, what a joke! This movie is a run-on-sentence of a movie, boring. I didn't mind the 48 FPS, everything else is a mess. As one professional reviewer said: The Dwarfs/Hobbit and Gandolf can be thrown against walls, fall down pits, and get up without a scratch and run along. Far too similar to the Fellowship of the Ring, far too boring and redundant. Apparently there aren't even orcs in the Hobbit by Tolkein, but only goblins (and spiders and eagles) instead!! What a laugh.

Too much like Lord of the Rings. Obviously it's the same Middle Earth/Gandolf/ring/etc... but the Hobbit is not as grand a story as the Lord of the Rings. It is a much shorter/concise story. Watching this movie almost cuts into my enjoyment of the Lord of the Rings. As good as LOTR was, the Hobbit is just as bad. What a mess. They really cared about LOTR and Tolkein for the first 3 movies, I think they just wanted more money with the Hobbit.… Expand

Hobbit is a very interesting and enjoyable film from start till end and any Lord of the ring fan would not want to miss this charming and mesmerizing journey.

Fantastic and very well done movie. The critics were/are, as usual, insignificant in their stupidity and love of Hollywoods current obsession with dark depressing ideas. Here's a movie that is beautiful to watch, well scripted, well acted, incredibly grand in scope, meaningful, family friendly yet not boring, and in truth, more exactly fitting to Tolkien's book than was Jackson's previous adaptation of The Lord of The Rings.… Expand

Overall, I enjoyed the film... BUT, why on Earth does Peter Jackson make some of the changes he does to the story is beyond me! Obviously, some alteration was going to be neccesary... however, some of the changes make little to no sense at all... and are entirely unneccesary.

Then there is the fact that this was SUPPOSED to be a 2 movie deal until the Studio decided it wanted to make more money and stretch it into 3 !@#$% movies! This is why the film is overlong with bloat, bloat, and more bloat! The LOTR was three 3 hour movies from about 1100 pages of source material... The Hobbit films are going to be three 3 hour movies from a little over 300 pages of source material (!?) expanded with additions from the LOTR Appendices.… Expand

I went in expecting disappointment. One third of a book stretched into a whole movie didn't seem possible. It turns out I was wrong. The first movie turned about to be pretty good. The first forty five minutes dragged a little, but then the movie kept up a pretty good pace. The performances were strong and Peter Jackson's Middle Earth is as beautiful as ever. The only complaint I have is that the 48 fps makes everything seem cgi. Even the practical effects come off as looking fake for some reason. It may take some getting used to. Overall though, The Hobbit is a pleasant surprise.… Expand

The best movie of this year. Martin born to Bilbo like Ian McKellen born to Gandalf. 48fps are awesome and CGI effect are masterpiece. This movie is great!

I saw The Hobbit after having reread the book and found the movie visually spectacular but otherwise somewhat disappointing. Tolkien

One question most of you are wondering is: Does the Hobbit live up to the Lord of The Rings. The answer is both yes and no. No in that it is not as epic as LOTR (Lord of The Rings) which is almost impossible to do, but is very close. Yes in that it is an extremely enjoyable movie that does well for the franchise. The pacing of the movie starts off slow (similar to the first LOTR) but it explodes into an amazing adventure after a little more than 30 minutes. It is very similar to LOTR in most aspects except that has a lighter and more humorous side to it. It follows the book very well and overall is one of my favorite movies of the year. It's simple: if you loved LOTR, this movie is for you. If you didn't like LOTR, you will probably not like it. I watched the movie in IMAX 3D and found it to be one of the most entertaining nights at the movie theater ever. My only gripe is the CGI doesn't always work. At times it can make the movie look almost cartoony. I wish it were more like the LOTR trilogy. It had a much more realistic feel to it. P.S. if you were wondering, the 3D was pretty great. I thought it was one of the best, next to Avatar. They didn't just add in one or two scenes in 3D.… Expand

A great way to spend an evening! There was a nostalgic feel to the movie since we get to revisit some old locations from LOTR. And see some old friends. If you haven't seen it yet go!

I did see it in 3d and thought it didn't add much to the experience.

The hobbit is a great beggining to what looks like another great trilogy from jackson. It has everything in it that made the lord of the rings trilogy great story, action, drama, thrills and spills. the new and returning actors are all good and play there parts right and this should be watched by all lotr fans and everyone else and once again the critics have got it wrong. my only critisism is that not that much has changed since lotr.… Expand

Yeah a bit late in watching this one. Despite all the mixed reviews about this film, I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the awesome soundtrack. Neil Finn's credits track which is based off the Dwarves' Misty Mountains song is a particular favourite of mine. It took me awhile to get used to the 48fps especially at the start of the film but after that it was fine. True the movie isn't as epic as Lord of the Rings but it's not meant to be as it's a precursor to the dark times ahead. Dwarven history and culture is fleshed out more in this movie along with Bilbo discovering the courage he thought he never had. Now we just have two more movies to go!… Expand

Great movie all around! I have no idea why the critic score is so low but this movie is fantastic! This is just as good to me as tlotr. I cant wait to see the other two that Jackson puts out. If you can watch the movie in 3d its some of the best 3d that you will see in movies!

If you are a fan of "The Lord of the Rings" or just a fan of good movies in general, then this is a must see. Critics need to stop comparing it to the original trilogy and take it for what it is, a fun adventure with lots of humor that sets the stage for the ring and the shadow growing in Mordor.

This movie was another amazing job by Peter Jackson to bring JRR Tolkiens work to the big screen. I thought this movie was amazing however it is cheesier than the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, because the book was written that way.

'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' beautifully showcases Tolkien's magical world of fantasy creatures, lands, and adventures. The effects might just be the best ones I have ever seen in a movie, the plot is bold and simple while remaining enjoyable and gripping, the characters are beautifully presented and overall I have almost no negative comments on this movie.

If I could give this movie an 8.8 or 8.9 even, I would. An 8 just seems too low. I saw a midnight showing of the Hobbit in HFR (high frame rate) in a cinema with active shutter glasses. While active shutter adds some intensity to the 3D, the HFR added even more. Yes folks, I felt a little bit of butterflies in my stomach and this was not a bad thing. After seeing this I'm not sure if HFR is "better" than shooting in IMAX but it defiantly is the only way to shoot a 3D movie as far as I am concerned. On to the film, this prequel to the Lord of the Rings was not as grim or serious as the first three films. It was more like a roller-coaster as one of my friends put it (the HFR helped with that). I think the Hobbit has done what the Star Wars prequels failed to do. Bring a more lighthearted, kid friendly version of the world to the screen. While this movie won't be winning any oscars for acting or best picture, it will entertain millions and be a front runner for moving the uncertain future of a digital age of film forward in the right direction. Without spoiling any of the plot points of the film, The Hobbit is both a lord of the ring prequel and an adaption of the Hobbit novel. The film captures Bilbo brilliantly. Bilbo was my favorite character growing up, and I find myself reinvigorated in the character after seeing the film in my older age.… Expand

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey turned out to be an unexpected Christmas turkey. I saw the 2D version because 3D fx don't work for me. As the movie trudged from one prepackaged fight scene to another, I became increasingly bored at the lack of character development and genuinely good storytelling. As it turns out, I was not alone in my assessment of the film. When the credits started to roll, I heard someone behind me exclaim "What a rip off!"… Expand

I myself really like this movie, yes it was not as good as LOTR but I do not compare 2 totally different movies. The Hobbit is more light than LOTR because The Hobbit is more like a fairy tale and not as dark as LOTR was. I think that this movie and the 2 more to come will be the 'trilogy' for the 21st century generation and kids now will look up to this movie as people from the 20th century looked up to LOTR. So myself being born in 1995 will always like LOTR more than The Hobbit but that's because LOTR is the movie I grew up on and that is how kids now will feel about The Hobbit. I think that this movie did live up to the hype. Plus this is only the first part of 3 and this movie was only an introduction into the next two. So for the people that are still on the fence about watching this movie just give it a chance you will not regret it.… Expand

If you go in thinking, Lord of the Rings, prepare to be disappointed because The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is inferior to all three of the LotR flicks. That said, it's still a well-composed, fun, beautiful and exciting film full of light-hearted whimsy, which is refreshing for a fantasy film. The plot just lacks the stakes of apocalyptic doom, which is more of a downfall of 'The Hobbit' being primarily a children's story as opposed to Lord of the Rings deeper, darker, more symbolic narrative.… Expand

I didn't expect the movie to be this good. Seeing Gandalf, Bilbo, and Smeagol/Gollum really bring back old memories from the Lord of the Rings series. The dwarves were awesome too, each dwarves has different personality and characteristics, some were cool and funny. I don't know why but I was more excited about the story in this one than the Lord of the Rings series. The story cover up so much details, some references from LOTR which was cool. Visually, the best looking film I seen so far..breathtaking visuals and effects. Settings were amazing, from pretty looking grasslands to the breathtaking mountain tops and caves. Scenery was just amazing. My only problem with the film was that there were some scene that felt unnecessary, like your wondering why that scene even existed? just a minor complaint. Overall, a great film and for those that are fans of Lord of the Rings, you will love this film. Three words describing this film, EPIC, BREATHTAKING, AND EXCITING.… Expand

Writing this at 4 in the morning after sitting in line for 7 hours isn't easy but I can assure you it was worth the wait. Ignore the critics if you're a fan of the books or at least the movies you'll love every second.

Yes, the story might lag a little, but I'm glad it's as long as it is. I really enjoyed the visuals and story setup. Go into this understanding that they are marketing The Hobbit to children on Disney and Nickelodeon, and you'll be satisfied. Thoroughly enjoyed, best movie we've seen this year.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is not what I 'expected', it was indeed an 'unexpected journey' I went on when I saw the film. As a big fan of The Lord of the Rings I forgot that the books were maybe written by the same Writer but where not meant for the same audience. I was expecting an en epic fight with the same dramatic quest to save the world but what I saw were (like in the book) just the beginning and the base of what will become my favourite movies and books. The Hobbit is a good movie and I thank God that they decided to include several other story's from Tolkiens Middle-Earth into it but this movie is not always appropriate for children (like the book), Peter Jackson also tried to make it appealing for teenagers and young adults and to be quit honest he failed on that part. He should have gone one way or the other but not try to mix a children's book with the style from LOTR. Still, the visuals are perfect, I saw the movie in 3D/HFR and was blown away by it! I saw Middle-Earth as I never saw it before and I can't wait to see the next part(s)! The Score was epic and I loved how they brought some elements from the LOTR score into the score of The Hobbit to give us this nostalgic feeling.… Expand

I'm certainly not going to tell you to not see this movie. Peter Jackson proves that he's at a higher caliber of production than most filmmakers these days. However, compared to his previous works, especially The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit is lacking. The pacing is jagged, and flip-flops between fast jumping thst rips you out of the plot and drags in many combat scenes. Beyond that, the writers have taken plenty of liberties with the plot that only weigh it down; keeping track of all the extra info can be frustrating. However, the acting is superb, and it's hard not to invest yourself in the characters as they trek through Middle Earth. It's definitely worth seeing, but don't expect to be blown away like the first three.… Expand

Truly awesome, on par with fellowship! Brilliant acting from all cast members. Bilbo, Gollum, Gandalf and Thorin and absolutely perfect. The ending will have you leaning forward out of your screen as Tolkein's Novel and Jackson's new material come crashing together in an awesome finale!

And epic adventure of 13 unlikely heroes, The Hobbit is a great movie worthy of Tolkien's work, and one of Jackson's best movies to date. Watching in awe as the camera flies through the majestic mountain kingdom of Erebor was enough for me to be satisfied with the film... and that was only the first scene!

Gosh, I just saw this with my wife. We just loved it. We're fans of the book versions of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings and the original LOTR trilogy. The Hobbit movie just knocked our socks off. It was beautiful, sensational, exciting, and novel. There were fictional embellishments that deviated from the original book, but not from the story of Middle-Earth leading up to the LOTR time - the alterations Jackson and his crew have made to the events of The Hobbit are excellent additions that meet the requirements for a rich fantasy adventure that does not betray the original author's intentions for the goings on of the world around the central characters.… Expand

Gandalf,Bilbo,Thorin and other dwarves began an adventure to take back Erebor. Once more Peter Jackson gave us an masterpiece with great acting and humor. We are talking about a three hours film. THE HOBBIT shows us how everything began in LORD OF THE RINGS.

This is the movie of the year for me, I had great expectations for this movie and it delivered everything I wanted. The return to Middle Earth was an amazing experience, and I loved the whole feel of the movie. It is different from LOTR and it should be different, this is pure fantasy at its finest. Critics complain about length, humor and CGI. These are baseless and so far out it annoys me, the CGI is top notch, and it makes everything look fantastical, even though I like makeup and prosthetics, I do find that for fantasy movies, great CGI makes for a great adventure movie, Avatar would never been such a great movie had they used makeup and prosthetics. The only criticism I can give this movie is that it was to short, in contrast to many critics I found the movie to be short, I guess I was just having to much fun with it. The introduction was the perfect length, could have been even longer as it is a long journey and a good buildup is essential. The music and songs really set the mood for the film, to travel on a quest over misty mountains and into dark and dangerous caves.

This is a 10/10 movie for me, I can't wait to watch it again soon, and I hope for a Extended edition. And the coming year will be hard as I really look forward to the next part of this grand journey. If you like fantasy and are looking for a great adventure movie, then this movie is for you.… Expand

I don't understand why this isn't getting the best of reviews. I loved it, and cannot wait for "Desolation of Smaug" If this looked good to you and you were looking forward to it, then don't be turned away. I loved the LOTR series and I love "Unexpected Journey".

Everything that I expected and wanted! A movie made for people who love the books. I don't like how the critics say that the movie is drawn out because they are the same ones commending the LOTR movies for their ability to tell a detailed story. The cast of dwarves is perfect, they portray the characters exactly the way Tolkien wrote. I'd argue that Freeman played the role of Bilbo better than Wood ever played Frodo; s always Sir McKellen was superb. The only criticism i have is Jackson's decision to change the orcs to CGI.… Expand

"The Hobbit" is a nice movie to watch if you want to fall asleep. Personally I've in it when it was released and I almost fell asleep. The action and everything else is pushed to the limit, in other words they should have made only a movie from the book and not 3. I do not think it is normal to take you less to read the book than see the movies. Of course it may be my fault for expecting too much from the movie and I was disappointed. Although it is quite boring, "The Hobbit" has some scenes that are worth seeing for the lovers of Tolkien's books as I am.… Expand

It's beautifully made, but the 3D let the characters made look like plastic. The biggest downside however was the story. It was cliche and boring. When the movie ended I had the feeling I was only at the half of the movie. Yes, there are coming sequels. Yes, it's based upon a 70 year old book. But that doesn't change my rating. It's so sad that the story really sucks because most other things are just great!… Expand

Many people forget that this is going to part of a much longer film franchise, expecting around about at least another few films coming out from it, the humor aspect which some people tend to claim poor or childish need to be reminded that in the book, it was to be known to be childish, due to the Dwarves happy go lucky nature, as well as a serious side for their people and the task they have at hand. Again perhaps the critics should take into account that this is part of one, many people we're disappointed with the ending of the first LOTR film, then found the following 2 films to be an exceptional ending to the film franchise. The only thing i can fault this film for is possibly not covering all of the detail, this is unavoidable however, before the film becomes to dragged out to those that may not know the full story… Expand

It was a great movie. Not as dark and not as serious as LotR, and Martin Freeman is a brilliant and humorous Bilbo. I liked this first part, Peter Jackson's take on Thorin was good and as for Bilbo, we can see the transition from respectable country esquire to adventuring burglar. Top notch, clearly, and looking forward to the next instalment.

This is a stunning visual experience at times. What ruins it for me is the lack of unique content.
I got the same experience as I did with the first movies. This film also features some of the most ridiculous CG sequences I have ever seen in a high budget movie. It looks utterly fake, and it is about time the people who animate these things, take a physics course. At the very least, try to make gravity appear uniform.… Expand

This is a must see. The critics have no idea what they are talking about. If you liked the Lord of the Rings movies, you'll love this. If you didn't see the Lord of the Rings movies, you'll still love this.

Case in point My GF has never seen the Lord of the Rings movies, hates fantasy stuff with a passion; I took her to see the hobbit, and she gives it a 10 score simply based on the story.

This film is a grotesque frankenstien monster of an adaptation. The sections of this movie which follow the book are entertaining and (barely) decently done, however the remaining half is a butchered and chunky concoction, incorporating elements of Tolkien's other works, 'Adam Sandler' style slapstick stupidity (such as a dismembered Goblin-King fat enough to appear on 'The Biggest Loser' falling on top of our gang of dwarfs, much to the delight of my 7yr old brother I should add) and an extra large portion of Peter Jackson's inflated ego. The resulting plot is a grotesque and thinly veiled carbon copy of Jackson's excellent 'The Fellowship of the Ring' to which The Hobbit's plot has been brutally affixed, even going so far as to tediously extrapolate a non-existent prologue to mimic the fellowship's opening scene. The worst part is that there are still two more films to come, and I wouldn't be surprised, given the quality of this one, if the last part were to rival the last film in the Twilight series for its extreme tediousness and fetal-position mind-numbingness.… Expand

I was pleasantly surprised by this film. Even though I had really enjoyed the original Lord of the Rings trilogy of films, I suspected that this adaptation would feel too similar to those, and could feel like 'money for old rope'. However it felt fresh enough, and actually quite nice to return to Middle Earth. Martin Freeman was magnificent as Bilbo, who is hugely more likeable than Frodo in the original trilogy. The special effects felt familiar, but somewhat improved; the part with the Stone Giants in particular was spectacular. I have to say I did roll my eyes once or twice (Eagles to the rescue...again), but all in all I was captivated for the whole two and a half hours. Roll on the next part!… Expand

I couldn't agree less with the critics on this one. I'm usually on their side, with the exception of Looper (disliked it). I enjoyed absolutely every second of this film. You can almost fall in love with it.

First of all, I think if you are not a fan of Tolkien or fantasy in general, you won't like this movie. That being said, I thought the Hobbit was great, better than the first movie of LOTR in my opinion. I really don't think this needed to be 3 movies but more is always good and I think Jackson did in fact make this for fans and had fun doing it. I don't think he intended this for the average movie-goer who eats up the "Saw" franchise or anything with Adam Sandler or Will Farrel in it. Movie snobs will hate this movie too... bottom line is if you are a fan of Tolkien, go in with an open mind and just enjoy it because there was a lot of attention to detail and faithfulness to the book.… Expand

My definition of cheesy is a movie that comes off as silly while taking itself extremely seriously. Gimli was comic relief. A pack of dwarves is grating. This movie tries so hard to be epic that it loses any sense of timing. It's too long and self-indulgent. 90 minutes would have gotten the job done and left me satisfied and looking forward to the next one. The video game quality of much of the CGI challenged my suspension of disbelief. One example of boredom-inducing Hobbit techs: Let's watch a guy fall from some high place, catch on by his fingertips, then fall again, and catch on again, repeat, repeat, repeat. You'd think gravity was the only danger in Middle Earth Peter Jackson could imagine. And then, ironically, any time people actually do fall from freaking high nobody gets hurt. Cheesy. I don't think I can take six more hours of this.… Expand

Great characterizations. The dovetailing with the events from the Lord of the Rings movies is artfully done as well. Mr. Freeman's Bilbo is great. We get a chance to see a different aspect of Smeagol/Gollum as well.

However, there are a lot of non-canon scenes and sub-plots that have been injected to a) stretch the plot material to last for three movies and b) show off the 3D technology. There are many action scenes that are frenetic and pointless.

It's all well -done and I can't think of anyone who could have done a better job with the story than Mr. Jackson.

In hindsight though, I think making only 2 movies and sticking more closely to the book would have been best.… Expand

Screw the haters, this movie was amazing. The scenery was extraordinary, and it never felt campy at any portion of the film. Some pieces are different from the book and some pieces are a bit drawn out etc. but it's great stuff overall and I enjoyed every minute of the film.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Monotonous, dry, bland, unimaginative story telling, as much fun as a trip to the dentist, please deliver us from Peter Jackson. The visuals have been overplayed in the Lord of the Rings and the screen play lands flat and robotic. None of the characters resonate and Richard Armitage looks and acts more like a poor copy of Viggo Mortensen's Aragon than a dwarf royal or not. Huge waste of time and money, this telling lends nothing to Tolkien and appears lifeless even next to the cheesy 1977 animated Hobbit. Jackson only has 2 tools in his tool box, endless sweeps across the landscape of New Zealand and excessive CGI. Both are used to great effect to kill pacing, distract from the story and swallow the characters, not that another whiny hobbit or a band of forgettable dwarves that cannot sing would be missed. The ending is also disappointing, not that I expected any kind of resolution in a film from Jackson, but I really wanted to see Smaug kill off the cast, turn on Jackson and leave us to all live happily ever after in a world free of crappy directors and pretentious film making.… Expand

Cannot understand the critics. Yes, it is a bit more childish than Lord of the rings, but the book is a bit more childish. On the other hand, The Hobbit has the unique LotR feel to it, beautiful to look at, and engaging from beginning to end. I am a 100% satisfied and believe Jackson made another superb movie!

The Hobbit is a great book. The movie has great special effects. I knew I would like the movie and I did. I'm not sure I would have chosen all of the scenes that the movie makers did. Some of them were welcome and interesting, some of them were not. My biggest disappointment was that it was somewhat mainstreamed, and it includes some of the canned humor that generic "family" movies often have. Most of it was not particularly funny and only took away from the mood. There was only one line out of probably twenty that I found funny. Think the dwarf scenes in LotR. Think the C3PO scenes on the conveyor belt from Star Wars. The delivery was not perfect by the main character, which may have caused problems. Still, it's the Hobbit, it had great special effects, and there are some very well done scenes. There are parts that are definitely worth watching. You definitely ought to see the movie, but it was no masterpiece.… Expand

This movie is simply amazing in every way. Its absolutely perfect. There is no part of this movie that I don't like. I've been a bit fan of the IP/mythos since I was a child. I've read all the books and other source material.

I've even seen the movie in both classic and HFR (48fps).

Frankly I'm shocked at all of the poor critic reviews. Its as if they wanted to watch LOTRs instead of The Hobbit. Make no mistake, its not a childrens movie. There is a lot of death in this movie, but surprisingly, very little actual blood or gore. Mostly just stabbings and beheadings without meandering on the wounds or casualties.… Expand

I like this kind of movie/book, but I actually didn't care for the Lord of the Rings trilogy or this book, when I read it back in my teens. That said, I thought this film was excellent! They changed a lot from the book, which normally would drive me nuts, but it was well needed here and well done. The settings and special effects were first rate, and I really enjoyed escaping our world for this one. Critics say that it was really slow and dragged in the beginning, and I agree, but it was worth the build up, in my opinion. Peter Jackson's best so far!… Expand

Movies are done for FANS not for critics journalists! This is a amzing movie, if you are a Lord Of Rings fan you will fall in love with this one. Peter Jackson is a great director.

I just loved the movie from start to finish. Of course I loved the original Lord of The Rings trilogy as well. The action sequences are tight and entertaining, the characters are well defined and the loved the light humour here and there. I would recommend this movie to anyone who loved the fantasy or fiction genre. It has superb production value. And amazing scenery.

I was hesitant because of some of the negative reviews, but they were easily set aside within the first half hour. This is a fantastic film. I sincerely think the "professional' reviewers are seeing a different film than I saw, because the one I saw kept me glued in my seat from beginning to end. It was surpassed Fellowship in a lot of ways: better pacing, tighter story, more action, a bit more whimsical, and the characters! I'm a huge LOTR fan, but the dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf all really shine here. They have much more personality than was presented in Fellowship (and I do love Fellowship).

Overall, don't listen to the negative reviews a lot of sites are posting. This is one of the best fantasy movies I've ever seen.… Expand

I was so excited when this was first announced. I, as most others, LOVED the Lord of the Rings yet this sadly disappoints. It never quite hooks you like the original trilogy did. The characters for the most part are forgettable and don't stand out. The only parts that provided a positive experience for this fantasy nerd were the scenery and the Gollum/ Bilbo dialogue. To be fair the source material of the hobbit is not near as good as the LOTR trilogy and I don't know why in the world they decided to turn this into a trilogy creating three movies full of unnecessary fluff, two maybe, three no way. Wait until the dollar theater or redbox and go catch Lincoln, The Perks of being a Wallflower, Wreck it Ralph or Life of Pi.… Expand

I must say that if you must not go in the theater to watch this film with Lord of The Rings in your mind. This film is absolutely different from the previous three films in LOTR trilogy. This film is not based on the victory over evil but it is a film that tells us about the lives of different races in Middle Earth. So,I must surely say that this film is a must-watch for you.

Absolutely brilliant movie that exceeded expectations. Do not listen to the mainstream critics who would give a piece of crap black and white silent french film commenting about the nature of existence a 10 but rate the Hobbit a 5 (Wtf??). If you like good movies, see this!

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Hobbit is based around Bilbo Baggins in his prime, where he goes, well, on an unexpected journey. After watching the enitre LoTR series, i found myself to despise Bilbo for his distasteful obsession with the ring. But after watching The Hobbit, i no longer disliked him, but actually began to like him, even more so than Frodo. The whole 48FPS deal was in my opinion, completely brilliant, although not much technical work has to be put into it to bring up the frame rate, it made the movie look much more realistic, and at times I had trouble depicting whether something was CGI or real. The 48fps makes everything much smoother and makes the cgi have life-like movements. The story for The Hobbit was not as strong as the story in the LoTR series, but i felt that it came pretty close, the movie does not contain nearly as much dialogue as the LoTR series but it definitely fulfills why we all love these movies, the fantasy aspect. Overall, i'd have to say that i enjoyed this movie slightly more than the LoTR series, In most aspects. If you are a LoTR fan, GO SEE THIS MOVIE, if you have never seen any of the LoTR movies, GO WATCH THEM, and then GO SEE THIS MOVIE.… Expand

Way too many gravity defying Disney moments, breaks any immersion film could of had. It's simply over the top and way too cheesy, Middle earth probably has low gravity or something...

The critics are smoking their socks! I loved this movie, as I did the Trilogy. It obviously has a completely different feel to the LOTR trilogy in the sense that the general atmosphere isn't all doom and gloom. The emphasis is on adventure, and an adventure is exactly what the film delivers. The fact that the book has been split into three films means that the movies are more detailed than ever. How any of these critics can say that the movie is drawn out I have no idea, I felt the film was well paced and as a result it completely draws you in. Disregard the critics score on this one and substitute it with the user score, simple as that.… Expand

Amazing movie. I don't see why it's getting bad reviews , the story is great the characters are great the locations are great. If your a fan of lord of the rings you will love it as I did!!

Critics pushed me to write a review. First of all, I must say I haven't read any LOTR or Tolkien books. That being said, I enjoy the world of Tolkien. As a kid I used to play Warhammer countless hours. I am a big fan of the LOTR and the hobbit realy lived up to my expectations. I can somewhat understand why people whine about FPS or "humorous beheading sequences played for cheap laughs" but I gotta say to these people "GET A F**** LIFE*. If you start to complain about little things as such, well I feel sorry for you then. Honestly, I HIGHLY recommend this movie - especially if you like that type of fantasy. I have friend that said this movie was OK but they are more into anime/japanese stuff which I enjoy too. Anyway well done Peter Jackson!… Expand

Summary: Half this movie is a pretty good prequel to LoTR. The other half is like watching someone else play a video game. The Good: It's nice to see the old LoTR characters and settings again, and the actor playing Thorin does an excellent job. Andy Serkis does an amazing job as Gollum in his big scene. All the production values are excellent, as you would expect. The LoTR screenwriters expanded Tolkien's novel into a Japanese-style tale of warrior honor and revenge. They introduced some new major characters, and they plan to expand on events that the novel only hinted at. And that all would have worked fine, because it would have been difficult to make a movie based on the novel's themes of hunger and fatigue. The Bad: What should be a 90-minute movie is bloated with an hour of meaningless action sequences. The dwarfs fight. The dwarfs run. The dwarfs cling helplessly to a large moving object that threatens to plunge them to their doom (three times!). None of it advances the plot. With LoTR, I looked forward to and enjoyed the extended edition. With this first Hobbit movie, I'll only watch it again if they release a shortened version. I won't sit through those tedious pointless action sequences a second time.… Expand

I wasn't expecting much since I knew there were coming a three pictures. Money. The movie starts a bit before lotr trilogy does and ends in about 60 hears ago. Operator's work is too modern. New actors aren't good enough. Exept Martin Freeman, he is a good choice. There could be one good film. But instead of this we got a bad start of a new trilogy. I hope the next part will be better.

Only goes to show just how pointless being a movie reviewer is. Movie reviews are very subjective. The critics that bashes this movie, comparing it to the milestone that was LOTR, should go find a real job.

Its an excellent movie, by all standards. Only minus is the overuse of CG, wich im not that much of a fan of, but it was still well done.

Saw the movie tonight. After reading the first reviews here on MC and seeing a trailer I was worried if I would dig it, but now I can say I enjoyed almost every minute of it! The relatively slow pacing in the beginning made it even more enjoyable as a whole for me. If you like the material and take time, it's definitely worth it.

People will always be buthurt about things, that is beyond doubt. Sometimes the buthurt has a good reason to be there like the prequels to starwars or all of mass effect 3 but in the case of the Hobbit the buthurt has credible stance to take in the bashing of this glorious film. The Hobbit is made from an earlier book of Tolkien's, a lighthearted approach to Lotr, it is not a carbon copy of the original trilogy nor is it a movie made for children. The film has more concentration over visuals then the previous films yet it does not sacrifice the plot in any way, the actors blend in with the CGI very organically. The film may drag on for a bit but so did the fellowship, two towers and return of the king. The 40 fps looks good and the criticism for it seems a bit unfounded.

I don't want to sound like I am praising this film too much because it had some minor issues of pacing at the start and the ending made me wish that I would not have to wait a year to get to part 2 of the trilogy.

Over all its a great film, I think peter Jackson just forgot to bribe the reviewers, To put it into some context the "critic" score for this film is only 2 points higher then that of the first twilight which is very very strange to me.… Expand

As a long time Lord of the Rings fan, this movie was absolutely perfect. They spent so much time explaining the bits and pieces of where things came from. The acting was extraordinary, and I am so glad this time around, villains and heros are not dead within a matter of minutes, instead they explain the background behind everyone. The Witch King and the Mouth of Sauron for instance in the other movies were completely rushed, and died with feeling of little importance. Don't expect that in this movie. To compare this movie to any others of the series, it is much alike the Fellowship. The armies are not as big, and it is not fight after fight the entire time. It is about the story, and the politics of Middle Earth. I was honestly scared to see this movie because I thought they would mess up the series, and goodness was I pleasantly surprised! Please do not make the next movie biased on the fact that critics are naysaying this one. It was so well done.… Expand

It is an awesome FAN movie made by a true fan; If you didn't like the Lord of the Rings previous movies... Then this movie is NOT for you. 10/10 The image, the music, the characters everything is great!!

This movie seems to depart from the previous LOTR franchise movies in that it is not always all that serious. It is awash with comic relief, and by the end of the movie, in the midst of the battles, you know all the good guys will make it through, somehow. How could you know ? Because such moments as rife within it, such as when Gandalf magically teleports in the midst of a battle or when oversized eagles save the day and carry all of them for a while. Not to mention when Bilbo saves the dwarf king, in what is yet one of those moments again. Why did they have to walk for three hours (of movie time) only to have Gandalf call the birds in the end? Could they not have used the birds in the beginning? But that is besides the point. And there was this other wizard, I honestly do not even know what to think. That bad. The scene where Bilbo finds the ring is overly long and boring, and for some reason he has to engage in a riddle game with that stupid "my precious" guy. Probably one of the most useless moments in a film I have seen to date. One last cry I have about the movie, apart from the strange cgi characters, is that the dwarfs seem somewhat tall.There is this inconsistency, in some shots they seem taller then in others, and a few of them look, well, human. In conclusion, the Hobbit part1 has plenty of nice moments, but in a complex device, such as a movie, everything has to be done right, not just some of the things.… Expand

Go into this movie making sure you do NOT expect it to be the Lord of the Rings. Unfortunately, the movie's biggest flaw is inviting that comparison (pay close attention and you can take screenshots that will nearly match LOTR exactly). The movie is great for what it is though. Exciting, funny, and adventurous. This is a movie about an adventure, not an epic quest of good versus evil. It also seems to be more Tolkein-ish, more like a fantasy. By that, I mean you see more creatures and they are not just "war things": you see a good amount of goblins and trolls and learn about how the creatures are outside of just using a weapon. There are also foreshadowing minor bits that hint at the events of LOTR 60 years in the future. All in all, this movie was highly enjoyable--especially with such a magnificent cast!… Expand

Reading the negative reviews can be angering... The Hobbit starts the series possibly stronger than the Fellowship of the Ring. The dwarves had tons of character, Gandalf was great as ever, and Thorin and Bilbo stole the show. It was entertaining, and overall a great film.

People got what they wanted. A Peter Jackson directed Tolkien film. The fact that so many critics are bagging on this fun adventure is incredibly weak.
Does no one have a sense of Fantasy these days?

Marvelous! It felt like we never left middle earth! Directing is remarkable, acting, visual effects, 3D effects, make-up, costumes, cinematography and the music are spectacular as expected.There's only one bad thing about the movie: We will wait a year to see next.

The Hobbit is an amazing movie, although it isn't exactly as good as The Lord of the Rings people need to stop comparing the two because they are two different movies. The Hobbit was written for younger audiences.

Great movie! The problem is that all those possibilities the movie had in the buildup, really didn't make it to the end of the movie. Also the physics were pretty unrealistic. They should've added some more realism to that.

Maybe the buildup for the movie will have a reason when I watch LoTR

I went to see this movie with many family members, the oldest being 57 and youngest aged 10. I am the only Tolkiendili in the family although my 17yo sister read The Hobbit. We all saw Lord of the Rings prior to this. Our overall reaction after the movie was that it wasn't as long as the critics claimed but to our surprise we found out that it was indeed a long movie - it simply was far too entertaining for us to see time go by. I don't understand reviewers, especially the pros who "read the book". How could you expect The Hobbit to be more epic and superior in emotion than Lord of the Rings whileobbit, as a novel, is inferior in both content and quality to the Lord of the Rings? It was an impossible task for Peter Jackson even if the trilogy was made into one single movie. The Hobbit as a novel is a light, contemporary fairy tale with plenty of cartoony events and surprising characters. The Hobbit as a movie is the exact same thing and for this reason I applaud Peter Jackson for preserving the innocence that makes The Hobbit a charming story. The visuals are superior to any I have seen, even better than Avatar. The crystalline details and top-notch focus on the characters, scenery and landscapes is simply unsurpassed. Many additional details made up for the sake of the trilogy still remain canonical, such as the meeting for Saruman, Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf. As for the others, they never go very far from the original thing and it makes the story more interesting for the viewer. The actors were well chosen and while Thorïn is a lot more polite and friendly in the book, he is still a fascinating character in the movie. The fight scenes are indeed over the top, all sorts of things that you see contrast from the darker Lord of the Rings, but listen, this is not Lord of the Rings. It is the Hobbit. Even for Tolkien, The Hobbit is in a different category compared to Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion. The childish spirit of the Hobbit remained untouched and this is how the movie was supposed to be made. The only bad thing about this movie is the fact that there is very little original music, most songs you will hear are from the previous trilogy which makes The Hobbit sound lesser than it actually is. Other than that. this movie is as entertaining as it gets and it respects Tolkien's will, no matter how many of the Tolkien fans or members of the Tolkien estate are against it.… Expand

This is just one of those movies that may not meet expectations of previous non-fans. I have read "The Hobbit" around 10 times in my life and I knew going in that this was not going to be as serious of a movie as The Lord of the Rings films, and I was OK with that. I felt this movie captured the book successfully and I'm excited about the future movies (which I believe will be more serious in nature). It is unfair to compare this movie with The Lord of the Rings. As a life-long Tolkien fan, I was pleased with this film.… Expand

The Hobbit is a great nostalgic ride and a brilliant movie, it delivered at the level of quality i expected it too and it does leave a great desire for more after watching it. Many critics are complaining too much, most expected it to be like LOTR and now that it was they ponder in regret and disappointment, talk about a double sided sword situation. We all know one single movie wont satisfied most us fans but i do believe a trilogy is stretching the boundaries of the plot, two would be the perfect mark but who am i kidding i loved LOTR and i want that same journey again for my selfish needs. So Mr. Peter Jackson is now going to attempt to do just that with The Hobbit Series, hoping we can get that same feeling we had when LOTR was delivered to us and damn he sure did a good job. In my honest opinion i felt this was the beginning of hopefully another great adventure, the best thing for me about this movie was the Score, the playing of "Old Friends" reminded me of "Concerning Hobbit" and sent nostalgic waves through my mind and was utterly soothing when revisiting The Shire, it was like meeting a old friend ironically. Like always the music was done to a perfection and they carefully bought back some renewed LOTR music at key moments throughout the movie, another great mention was the track "Misty Mountain" it sent chills down my spine giving me that "Skyrim" feel to the movie which was brilliant. Howard Shore sure knows how to deliver a prestige score.

The locations were perfectly chosen, showing the world another view of beautiful scenery in NZ as well as revisiting some of LOTRs most memorable and beloved places like The Shire & Rivendale. But what really got my attention was the beautiful scenes of where our main cast were shown traveling on beautiful but daunting mountains and warm homely forests. The Goblins home was a grimy location and i felt like it was another nostalgic moment reminding me of the chase in Moria from The Fellowship of the Ring.

We are spoiled with the amount of characters in this one, starting with the 13 dwarfs who all have their own unique personalities but i felt some out shined others due to the lack of depth & screen time moments (besides the introductions). The re-occurring roles in the movie were great moments for LOTR fans and a young Bilbo sure keeps standards high from where Frodo left off as the helm of the cast. The villains played a big part for the plot, from a unknown & unsettling Necromancer to the scary & ruthless Pale Orc known as Azog the Defiler. Radegast was a clever character but i felt the his appearance was a major disappointment in terms of presentation as well as his depth which i felt was barely justified in the movie. The return of Gollum sure lead to one of the best scenes in the movie, a funny but charismatic riddles challenge with Bilbo which also shows a more aggressive and surprisingly more hostile Gollum, similar to the Gollum we witnessed at the end of Return of the King.

The first hour of The Hobbit is obscurely slow and felt it dragged some unnecessary scenes but the next two hours surely picked up the pace and was what we all came to expect, a well oiled journey fueled by short sweet humor and cluttered action scenes. Some scenes are breath taking like the revisiting of Rivendale to the unforgettable scene between Gollum & Bilbo and some scenes just felt dragged. The fps was surely odd, it felt some scenes were too sharp and felt like i was watching a TV Movie, some scenes were also outrageous like the battle between stone giants which i felt was breath taking but a bit over the top & ridiculous. But all in all The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is sure a great first step to hopefully another promising trilogy. 8/10… Expand

Despite the harsh criticism about how, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" did not live up to expectations and how it was not nearly as good as "The Lord of the Rings", "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" should be looked upon based on its morals, and not purely on comparison. It is simply not fair to base a movie on its sequels or prequels. A film should be based on how it stands as a film alone, nothing else.

This film is full of amazing set pieces and epic battle scenes that provide great entertainment. While nothing is R-Rated, there are some nasty bits of arm-cutting and head-rolling, but nothing too gruesome. After all, this movie is mainly a kids movie. The film has a much lighter side to it than the Lord of the Rings films did, rightly so.

The character performances in this film are mostly superb, even though some may be a bit corny. The CGI is great for the most part, and are surprisingly detailed. However, the best and most entertaining scene in this film is when Smeagol comes in. The game of riddles is highly entertaining and was one of the highlights of the movie. Sometimes, Smeagol can appear a little too real.

One thing that I did notice with this film, is that Peter Jackson decided to create it with the future in mind. Meaning that everything in this movie is designed to fit what is to come. I can't really give examples without spoiling anything, but when or if you've watched it, you'll probably know what I mean.

Overall, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is an unexpected joy to watch, especially for fans of the book. Even for those who aren't, there is still much to enjoy. While not a masterpiece and while it does suffer from some stupid scenes (SPOILERS), such as trolls dangling the dwarves and the hobbit from their fingers and for some reason deciding not to kill them... and Gandalf always popping in to save everyone last second, this movie is mainly a building block for what is to come. I would still watch this movie again just for Smeagol.… Expand