Those who appreciate attention to detail from the book will love it. It does a great job of touching on all the high points of the book while giving a bit more exposition to certain characters. Yes some things have been embellished upon, but it's tolerable considering the wide berth of people this movie was made to accommodate. I mean, we are talking about what was basically a children's story being turned into a major motion picture.… Expand

I loved this movie. I read to escape. The Hobbit took me on that journey. The movie takes you on well, re-created journey through middle-earth and the first 3rd of the Hobbit with a sprinkling of the Silmarillon. If you walk into this movie expecting more intense or natural pacing as would be delivered in a complete pre-ordained book then you won't be happy. The LOTR trilogy had more material Jackson could pick and choose from, it was more unique and it was truly best in class when thinking of Fantasy material. When relating the movies comparatively, the critics won't be happy. The LOTR trilogy really had some power-house characters (think Aragorn, Frodo, Sam, The king of Rohan). The Hobbit has Thorin, Bilbo and Gandalf. Comparatively, from a dramatic effect, it will suffer. This movie is not a metacritic 58. When viewed as complete Trilogy people will have a much more positive interpretation. I eagerly look forward to the next installment… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. -MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS- Best Lord of The Rings movie yet. Yeah I said it best YET. The character development is actually pretty good especially considering that there is 14 characters consistently throughout going on a very epic journey to help the remaining of the dwarves who didn't get killed by the army of Orcs reclaim the city of Elaboar (Can't Spell this stuff). The battle scenes are epic especially the one where they are on the bridges getting chased by Goblins which also showcases the great special effects and the 3D is very well done (unfortunately I didn't get to see it at a high frame rate though). Unlike most people say the movie did NOT start out slow you saw some crazy stuff at the beginning. OK some issues at certain battle scenes where swords and stuff are clipping through Orcs ect. but it wasn't that noticeable. The only real complaint is flashbacks can be drawn out until you forget there was a flashback or explanation in the first place so I can get slightly confusing and let's face it the scene with the Golem was too long. But overall it was an AWESOME movie… Expand

I think that the people that are posting bad reviews just saw the movie listen to some critics and cry about how its gonna be 3movies and how childish it was.
Let me inform you that the Hobbit (the book) was indeed a bit chilsdish in the beginning with the talking trols and de dishes but thats the book, if that was cut out you would be crying about that.
And the "meehhhhh why is is in threee movieess meehhh''' well beceause most of you **** diden't read the books so now they will show you how sauron was risen beceause you dont read that in the Hobbit. That is why its in 3 movies.

Sorry for the bad grammar!… Expand

This film is not bad. At least, no where near as bad as critics and some of my friends are making it out to be. If you have read the book, you will notice a lot of changes, some probably unnecessary (I'll never understand why they made Radagast the way they did, let alone include him at all) but you have to consider it in the way that it was intended and originally written; as both a prequel to The Lord Of The Rings and more importantly, a stand-alone story. If you go into the cinema expecting a continuation of the Lord Of The Rings movies, you would be best to change your attitude, because The Hobbit is a completely different animal.… Expand

The film was truly spectacular in many cases, it brought many of the scenes that I had imagined in the book to life, and even refined my perspective on them. Initially the 48 fps was very strange, especially when Bilbo was pottering around his hole, but you got accustomed to it by the end of the film, and it worked really well, especially in the battle of Moria scene between Orks and Dwarves. I was disappointed that the Orks were done entirely in CGI, because it'd be great to see them make a return from the LOTR trilogy, and I felt Radagast the Brown's subplot was detracting to the immersion with the main journey. But these were petty complaints to a film I enjoyed greatly, the atmosphere was spot on, and the acting was excellent, Bilbo was done excellently by Martin Freeman. The Riddles in the Dark was easily the best part of the film and done pretty much perfectly (Extra credit to Andy Serkis for getting back into Gollum without trying to imitate how he played Gollum in LOTR). Peter Jackson has done a great job in capturing the soul of the Hobbit. The only worrying element is how exactly they are going to do the next two films, considering that the second one will almost definitely centre around the trip through the Mirkwood, which is basically, in JRR Tolkien fashion, pages of walking.… Expand

Once you realise that this is not Lord of the Rings and a film which stands on its own two (hairy) feet then you will enjoy the journey. I am going to see this again.

I was taken by quite a surprise by the reviews of The Hobbit (at the very least I would've expected the paid reviews to bump it up into the 70s), but I went to see it anyway, and I don't regret it one bit. I think the problem is that a lot of people came into The Hobbit expecting the intensity and seriousness of the latter two LOTR movies--e.g. another gradual buildup to an "epic battle". Instead it is something more playful, adventurous, and character-driven, and it resembles the beginning of The Fellowship of The Ring more than anything else.

To me this was an improvement since this is the sort of fantasy I enjoy--where the emphasis is on the thrill of the adventure, the unexpected, and the experience, but for those seeking something serious and of grave, apparent consequence, this is not your movie.… Expand

It's important to take into account the fact that The Hobbit was written as a children's novel, and is completely incomparable to The Lord of The Rings Trilogy. There are certain parts that have been chopped and changed to fit the film scene and allow continuity; all of which have been sampled from The Silmarillion, Tolkien's un-tweaked finale to the Middle Earth universe. Generic film critics are void of this knowledge, unfortunately. The Hobbit will most definitely climb aboard the wall of classics to sit beside it's sibling saga.… Expand

Short and sweet: If you are a big fan of Tolkien and/or The Lord of the Rings Films, you will really enjoy this movie. Visually, it is absolutely breathtaking, but I can't recommend that you see it in the 48fps (High frame rate / HFR) 3D version ENOUGH. I saw it in HFR and IMAX and the HFR version absoluely trumped the IMAX version in every way. The story is light-hearted in nature but Jackson does what he can to add some drama and epic emotion to the tale. To that end, he is pretty successful, though the quality of writing in some few scenes is not superb. All in all, I had very high expecatations for The Hobbit, and I was not disappointed.… Expand

I love this movie. The only thing that most Tolkien complain about is that The Hobbit is stretched across 3 movies. Peter Jackson did add things to the story, but the things he added were in perfect alignment to Tolkien's original work. This movie was action-packed and entertaining. The story and actors were superb, and the graphics were without flaw. A must-see.

Although there were parts were it didn't seem right the overall movie was fantastic. It was as good or maybe even better than its predecessors. I recommend seeing this movie as soon as possible .

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".

I've waited so long for this movie, and there it finally is. The special effects are even better than the LoTR. And it has an even warmer feeling then the Lord of the Rings-trilogy. But I've to admit that there are some negative sides. The prologue has for a example a bit childish feeling. The humor and the characters sometimes feeling as they are picked from a Disney-movie. And secondly (an expected argument) is that the story less epic than the first trilogy. Over all is the movie very entertaining and I would recommend it to every LoTR fan… Expand

The one thing the most reviewers dislike about the movie, it is that its longer than it should be, that its too long, that its watered down or that it has scenes that never happened in the book or that the scenes them selves are too long. For me however, it was the thing I enjoyed the most. I decided to avoid reviews for once, as reviewers and critics do not make movies them selves or not are the creative type to the height of someone like Peter Jackson. And I am glad. Its the experience that you take it in a small spoon at a time. Not like greedy ADD children that has to eat all the candy at once. More movies (in my opinion) should be made like this, to take in better the environments, the places, the characters, the setting, and the ambience like it should. Instead of having movies that flicker scenes as fast as a disco with drumb base music. Bravo! There is no better reviewer than your self, and you should also always learn to not hype your self like this critics have before watching, reading or playing anything.… Expand

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

I have to agree with what a lot of the other "user" reviews are saying about the "critic" reviews. This movie is a LOT better than the scores the critics gave and it feels almost as though the review was centering around HFR and not the film itself in most cases. And as far as the film itself goes, I felt right back at home in Middle Earth. In fact it was even MORE fun because I felt as though I was *really* back in Middle Earth due to the amazing 3D filming. This is the first 3D film I've seen where I actually liked the fact that the film was in 3D. It was comfortable to watch really engaging. I watched it in IMAX 3D, had a great time and would recommend it to anyone who was a fan of the originals, a fan of the books, or is just looking for a reason to see a movie in theatres that doesn't suck. The critic reviews are wrong on this one.… Expand

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a prequel to Peter Jackson's The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, probably my favourite film series of all time. This film starred Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins. Gandalf enlists Bilbo to go on an adventure with a company of Dwarves to reclaim their gold and treasure from the Dragon Smaug. This movie had some great stars, with Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield) and Sylvester McCoy (Radagast the Brown). The plot of the film drew you in with twist and turns along the way, with Gollum and the ring both showing up in this installment. Overall I do not think this film was as good as any of The Lord of the Rings trilogy but it was still a great return to Middle Earth and recommended. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will be released 13th December 2013, with the final installment The Hobbit: There and Back Again coming 8th July 2014.… Expand

Gollum looked better than ever, and after my third viewing the Pale Orc Azog finally grew on me. It's always disappointing when main characters are CG-- these were the best I've ever seen, but it still leaves one wanting. Overall, a wonderful adventure film that I absolutely loved.

I honestly don't see why so many of you goobers think this movie sucks. Critics seem to be going psycho about it such as crap like the 48-fps camera setup they went with. I'm gonna get to that first. When I watched The Hobbit @ 48fps, it was a little choppy initially, but it became smooth later on. It feels thousands of times more pure than traditional 24fps footage we're used to. All of you gooblings **** about that format need to lay off tha **** cus this new format is totally kicks ass. As for the movie, it's got a different feeling than that of the LOTR trilogy released a decade ago. It's less geeky and more entertaining, so us normal people will be able to get into it a lot easier.… Expand

Superb imagining of a well-loved book. Visual excellence along with a cracking good tale.
Although Jackson has certainly taken some liberties, most work very well and aid or
enhance the whole experience. I was concerned it might be a touch too twee for my tastes, but this was not the case. Worth noting that I did not watch the high frame rate or 3D version of this film - just the standard 2D showing. I'm also giving this a 9 rather than a 10 because I was niggled
at 2 mediocre effects amongst over 2.5 hours of an otherwise permanently impressive viewing treat, and I struggle at the best of times to be kind. And if Gollum was fantastic before, he's gone up a notch now! Watching that face trying to work out riddles was a highlight. Almost as funny as seeing the majority of user reviews being at complete odds with 'critics'. Do they actually get paid for being pointless and confused?… 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

I'm not sure how The Hobbit has a metacritic rating of 58, my friends and I all loved it. I have not read the Lord of the Rings books or seen the past movies, so the first few minutes of the movie I was a bit lost. After I understood more of what was going on, I quickly warmed up to this movie and loved it.

I saw this movie and i was very pleased with what peter did. I didn't go to see Lord of the Rings, i went to see the hobbit. People who expected a new lord of the rings were obviously disappointed. Looking forward for the next 2.

I loved the Hobbit. Great casting and well written. A lot of laughs and still quite a bit of action in there for the Adults. While I've never been a 3D fan before at all, the effects in this film were EPIC. Go and See this film. See it in a cinema, and pay the extra for the 3D version. You won't be let down unless you want the film to be word perfect to the book... and that might be asking just a little too much.… Expand

I saw this in 2D and intend to see it again in HFR 3D
It was beautifully shot - naturally - and while 3 movies were probably not necessary I don't think it has detracted from the film. Adding the content from the appendices in LTR has allowed Jacko to make another trilogy and IMHO it just extends the Middle Earth Universe further.
Very good, and looking forward to Smaug in part 2

Before watching this movie, I had never seen any of the lord of the rings movies. I was totally new to the whole "middle earth" universe, and I loved the hell out of this movie. It's filled with great characters, amazing adventures, beautiful landscapes, and awesome action sequences. Some of the special effects are a little dodgy, but that's one of the only complaints I have. (Note that I watched this at home in 24 FPS and no 3D) Don't listen to the critics.… Expand

great movie, that is length wise the same as lord of the rings. focusing more on a character and his well adventures. but the overall story seems more about dwarves trying to reclaim their lost kingdom...sometimes i get confused to who is the main character, thorin or bilbo. do the characters seem overpowered..or the orcs ARE overwhelmingly stupid as they were made to be. the fight scene between the dwarf and that orc leader was hilarious fail. gandalf does nothing in the early parts so just an old guy walking around with a stick basically. there are some familiar faces in this movie from the lord of the ring movie series. the movie is a bit long, but fills up time with great visuals. it doesn't have that dark antagonist, like smeegul in the lord of the ring series, that would add some nice twists to it.… Expand

I found that if you decide to view the movie as a movie, of itself, and not compare it to the novel or the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, you will get a lot out of it. I did that and was able to realize that I’ve never seen a more believable fantasy world. I’m 19 but when sitting in front of the big screen I got to feel like I was ten years old again, like watching the dark crystal or sta star wars for the first time. This movie is the most beautiful movie I’ve ever seen. It has an applicable, sentimental message coupled with a classic fantasy-adventure premise, fun, new characters, familiar old ones, a beautiful original soundtrack, exiting action, and bold, impressive visuals that made me question the value of CGI. This is one of those rare films that has the power to bring you a little out of your depression, a little like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or the Goonies. It has enough movie magic to feel timeless I’m sure that after people’s biases wear down a little over the years it will be recognized for what it is; an imaginative masterpiece epic that’s never quite been captured this believably or beautifully before in cinema history. It’s so finely made, it seems to make some people uncomfortable. I absolutely loved it. It is one of those films that if it plays on a screen in the corner of a crowded public area, it still somehow absorbs your attention, and you have to at least stop and watch it for a few seconds, whenever it’s on in my home, that’s exactly what I do, I can’t help it. Critics have done it a severe injustice, I can detect no outright flaws with this film, if there are flaws, they’re so inconsequential to the films strengths they’re not worth mentioning. People who dislike this movie fly first class to Hawaii for free and complain about the expiration date on the peanut packages. There’s no shame in admitting beauty, it isn’t over-hyped, it’s fantastic and deserving of all praise. People who dislike this film are not at one with their inner child and probably hate Disneyland and don’t have kids or have altogether forgotten what it was like to be a kid, that’s how I feel about people who talk bad about this movie. Movies don’t get more magical than this, it’s perfect for kids, and the inner-child in everyone.… Expand

Take note George Lucas, this is how you start a prequel trilogy. Fat gags aside, The Hobbit is everything the Lord of the Rings was: personal, stylish and charming yet simultaneously epic. Jackson includes enough familiarity, in the form of phenomenal cast, location and soundtrack, so fans can settle right back into Middle Earth as though they never left. Yet he also brings enough fresh material to give the film a good pace and structure.… Expand

The first Hobbit movie in the franchise is not only exciting, it takes you on a thrill ride with not only some new creatures, but some old memorable character such as Gollum. At times, the story is distracted some cheesy humor, mostly caused by the dwarfs. But other than that it's a great start to the Hobbit trilogy.

I bought this version for my 3-d blu-ray player and I must say that it was impressive to watch in 3-d. The world was alive and had the familiar feelings that The Lord of the Rings had. This movie was a lot of fun to watch and if you are a fan of TLOTR series, you will not be disappointed. The movie did get a bit long, but it was to build the story and provide all of the necessary back story to make the rest of the movie flow. Very good film.… Expand

the best lord of the rings

This movie is really good. If you're expecting a lot of action sequences, then I recommend you stay away for now. This one is charming, looks beautiful, is well acted, and has great cinematography. I'm excited to see where they go with the next two movies (and yes, I've read the book). I think the heightened expectations because of LotR caused the critics to be against it some, so don't let the sway you.… Expand

Overall I liked the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The scenes from the book are done really well better than in Hunger Games or the later Harry Potter films. There is some great acting, camera work, music, and sets. The scenes are really given time to flesh out. The added scenes cause the movie to drag. If some of the scenes were cut out and/or this was one or two movies I would be giving this a higher score. Unfortunately Peter Jackson tries a little to hard to incorporate Middle Earth lore that while cool often is not that interesting and slows the movie down. Its like he was trying to create his own beginning, middle, and end. Despite these flaws though I really enjoyed this movie its flaws are not because the director did not try hard to make a good story but tried too hard, which I appreciate. Maybe if I see it again knowing where its going I… Expand

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

The things that struck me about it were one, it

Take away the Lord of the Rings trilogy comparisons, the length in correlation with the original book and the unfortunate overuse of CGI and look at the bare elements of the film for a second and it's very good. I found the dwarf banter light-hearted and entertaining, the Middle Earth feeling natural and the scenes well structured. The last scene in the mountain was brilliant and capped if off very well! My criticisms come from the fact Bilbo doesn't get too involved in the story for large parts in the middle but from the scene with Gollum, the CGI is definitely overdone in parts and it's probably too long (though this can be forgiven, the time does fly by and the additional elements that have been added do work very well)

So while it's a tiny bit long for what it's supposed to be covering in the book, it makes up for it with an entertaining film. A good watch, not exceptional but I have few complaints!… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Without going into the finer points or minor grumbles I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this film, so much so that even as the final scene faded to black I was still wanting to watch more .
I wasn't convinced with the start of the film but the pace picks up soon enough and you can just sit back and soak up the story. Golum, as ever is a scene stealer!… Expand

Saw this in 2D/24FPS. I enjoyed myself. The movie doles out the quirky charm like nothing else. I would say the cuts against it would be it's somewhat bloated, which causes some repetition (very frequent fights/chases). I believe two movies, rather than three, was the way to go and would have trimmed down some of the fat but what we got is still pretty good.

The Hobbit. Is it worth seeing? Yes. Is it as good as LOTR? No. I think I was just well prepared in that I knew it would be slow at the start and take a while to get going and that its more a kids movie. If you know thats what to expect and love the first trilogy as much as me then I can't see why you wouldn't enjoy this. Martin Freeman is perfect and the return of Gollum is a real highlight. The 3D is brilliant and makes Middle Earth even more beautiful. As with LOTR I'm sure it can only get more epic as the trilogy continues....… Expand

"The Hobbit" was great, of course. The only complaint I have is the same one that critics said about the first three (that I disagree with in respect to those films): It

To be honest, at first I was a little reluctant to spend almost three hours to see thiz movie but I know I will go anyway, just for curiosity

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Saw it first time in 2D and enjoyed it, although I kept throwing myself out of the experience by picking out the differences between the film and the book. DO NOT RE-READ THE BOOK BEFORE SEEING THIS MOVIE. It will ruin your experience. The second time I went to see it in 3D HFR and it was awesome. Without the constant inner dialogue of "that's different oh God!" I could actually enjoy the film a lot more. 48fps was a level of immersion I had not experienced before and I loved it. When the next film comes out, I will just see it in 3D HFR instead of 2D first. Can't wait. (It will most certainly not just be walking through the forest in "true tolkien fashion". There's Beorn, spiders, elves, a barrel ride, and if I don't miss my mark, the second film will have the dwarves in Esgaroth and a little taste of Smaug, plus Gandalf in Dol Guldur.)… Expand

The movie is of well above average quality. I liked the characters, but not so much as the sightseeing, the world of "Hobbit...". I was dissapointed in Thorin and his band, as they try hard to be more than a background to Bilbo, but it comes out flat. Didn`t find them that interesting. It is good that Martin Freeman came through and gave a great performance. The movie rests on his actions so thanks to him ir does a good job showing us a great adventure. I really liked the villains, especially Azog, but all of them are excellent, along with their homes. The music I expected to be top notch and I wasn`t disappointed. The bad think in my opinion are some of the action scenes, which are too much over the top, unbelievable. The dialogues are really good for and adventure - genre movie. 3hours of it didn`t bore me a second. All in all it is a must see lick, although a masterpiece I think it is not.… 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

Now, you're probably pretty skeptical about this movie, it's too long, will you get bored? Is it even that great to watch, it's so long! The answer is yes, it's worth it. The Hobbit does a fantastic job and keeping you entertained despite being so long. There are many great performances and new features in this film to keep you entertained- even though it is a prelude and these new scenes result in a problem as it sometimes goes off track by not following the book well enough. Despite this, it's a great movie overall and you'd want to see it again- in theatures. Now where's my ticket?… Expand

Push the hype aside and ignore the book, this movie is a very good movie. It is clear expectations were super high and I believe that is where some of the negative scores have come from. No movie will make everyone happy, but this movie is not worthy have very low scores. If this had been the first movie released from the series, fans would have thought they found the greatest movie ever. The pace of the movie is a little slower than any of the LOTR movies, but not as bad as some people say. If you must have action every five minutes, yes, you will be disappointed. If you love the book, this should be a great movie for you. If enjoy fantasy films, this should be a good movie for you. The biggest flaw for me was a few of the actions scenes became too cartoon like. One where the heroes are on a bridge that falls down and they ride it like they were glued to it. Not only was that bad, but it looked like something from a 1970s low budget Sci-Fi movie. Not a worthy scene for the movie. I have read some who complain they do not take the time to get the audience familiar with all the dwarfs in the main group. I do not see how they could have done that without making the movie another hour longer. As far as the format choice, it did not bother me. Yes, it does lack some of the slightly warmer feel of film, but it looks very crisp. I think if no one said anything, most people would not have picked up on the unique format. Bottom line, this is worth seeing in theaters if you enjoy fantasy films. If you are looking for an action packed movie, maybe the next Die Hard can help you with that. s it worth going 3-D, that I do not know.… Expand

I have to say that ignorance is bliss; as someone who has not read the novel I seemed to enjoy it much more than my friends who had read it. Though it has a slow start, it quickly picks up and entertains all the way through, breaking any tedious moments with riveting special effects or brisk action. I would recommend watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy first so you can catch all the subtle (and not-so-subtle) nods to its sister series. Definitely a spectacular film and looking forward to the next movies.… Expand

The Hobbit was a very good movie! It could have been perfect, but I thought they used way too much CGI for characters, when they did such a good on costumes and makeup in the Lord of the Rings. Also, I really didn't like the Brown Wizard at all. All his scenes were horribly out of place. They rest of the movie was great! I loved all the dwarf characters and the in depth back story of their race. Gandalf, Bilbo, and Golem were really good. If they went back to costumes and makeup and edited out the Brown Wizard entirely, my score would of been a perfect 10.… Expand

I enjoyed it, not as much as any of the LOTR but it's hard to recreated the majesty of the first trilogy. I was hoping we would see more of the spiders and maybe even a peek at Beorn, but it will make it worth the wait for the second movie.

It was unexpected when they decided to make this film into a 3 part series, but so far they did justice with the first part. I just hope the the next two parts live up to the book and animated film before it. This movie is worth spending some extra $$ to see it in movie theaters.

Many things fall flat in this film. The story is thin, the film is too long, but Martin Freeman brings Bilbo to life more than the novel is itself. Sure other performamces from that of McKellan are grand but none compare to his. The visual effects are incredible except for the orks, the sets, costumes, and make-up are astounding. The Hobbit takes a different tone from the of the Rings trilogy which is smart considering the novel is a children's book. It works out by providing humor, emotional depth, and intelligence with ease. Many things should be fixed for the sequels to come to keep my interest, but this is a somewhat solid start to a new trilogy. I give this film 78%.… Expand

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

A must see for all the Middle-Earth aficionados. A great return to a great universe... The movie is a tribute to all the fans, who missed songs, as well as references to the Silmarillion and other Tolkien's works in the LOTR trilogy. The critics may be right when pointing out some tedious moments, but taken as a whole the movie stands out as a really enjoyable work, shot in a spectacular 3D technology...… 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

I must say, my expectations were not too high going into the movie because so much time had passed between The Lord Of The Rings movies and the Hobbit series. I was not disappointed at all. I enjoyed the movie a lot. It started off with quick intros to characters and moved along at a decent pace. For a popcorn movie, i say if you enjoyed the Ring movies you'll love this one too.

I can't believe that this movie got the reviews that it did. This may be a case where I just love the franchise and I see the movie as being unimpeachable. I still had an amazing time watching it and I was once again sucked into a world that I seriously hope heaven is like when I die. However, I will say that there were some disappointing aspects. There were times where I felt they had taken some liberties with the characters, and I felt they took advantage of the sentimentality and the romanticism that was masterfully utilized in the previous films.… Expand

I'm not a big fan of Tolkien and the original trilogy and I've read the book a very long time ago, so guess I'm being impartial here. I've definitely enjoyed the movie, it's well-filmed (no wonder in that), but it suffers from one thing, and that'd be the book being split into three separate movies. Not just that, but three two-and-half-hour-long movies. As a result, the story gains a bunch of unnecessary and often uninteresting details and the beginning feels awkwardly slow, the first half an hour of the film could easily be shortened thrice or so. But once the beginning's over, you'll get immersed in the world of Middle Earth. Another thing is I think that Bilbo is actually a better protagonist than Frodo - he's brave, modest and funny, another great performance by Martin Freeman. Anyway, it's a really good fantasy movie you definitely wouldn't wanna miss.… 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

First off, THIS IS NOT THE LORD OF THE RINGS!!!!!!!!! You can't compare it to it! Too many times I heard my friends or others walking out of the theater say that it wasn't was good as The Lord of the Rings. That is because it is its own trilogy. Another complaint I heard was that the dwarves looked lame. I watched a documentary of Pete Jackson in pre-production saying that creating the look of the dwarves was the most difficult thing he would have to do. He had to create 13 different looking dwarves so that when one of them was mentioned, you could put a name to a face, not just think, 'I think that's the guy with the beard, but they all have beards...' Appreciate what he did. He was also creating this trilogy knowing that no matter what it was going to be living in the shadow of the LotR trilogy. I was thoroughly entertained and enjoyed it from start to finish. I keep watching it hoping that every time I do, the story will go further. I can't wait for "The Desolation of Smaug" and "There and Back Again". My only big criticism. is the use of CGI instead of actors in makeup and prosthetics. The orcs and goblins in LotR that were actors in costume are far better than the Pale Orc in the Hobbit. But again, that is contradictory to what I said earlier about comparing the two. I just wish they used less CGI and more costumes. But I really like this film. Go watch it!… 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

Putting aside the grumblings about making a trilogy from a short enough book, I still found this fourth trip to Jacksons version of middle earth to be really enjoyable. Its beautiful to look at and has a lighter touch than the Rings trilogy. Even the long running time (surely a bit of editing could have been used to tighten it to 2 hours?) doesnt detract too much. I went in with some reservations but left looking forward to part 2. Cant say more than that really. Certainly no Phantom Menace.… Expand

The Hobbit was actually better than I thought it'd be. My bf told me that he had heard that people who didn't like the fist 3 movies actually enjoyed this one. I, on the other hand, actually liked the first 3 movies and thought this one was good but not as up to par with the others. It was very intense on character development and I can't wait for the next one to come out. I enjoyed The Hobbit.

Beautiful HFR and 3d. Many scenes benefit from this where you see action going on in the background and then it moves to the foreground naturally. The movie was very entertaining with many moving moments and a lot of chase scenes. It kinda reminded me of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom for a while. All in all I enjoyed it greatly but I was ready for it to end when the credits rolled. Over 3 hours with previews is a little daunting.… Expand

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

I seen the hobbit movie and i like it , and there something that i don't understand , in the lord of the rings ,we see Ian Holm as Bilbo gets the ring.

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

This movie was great representation of the book. II found myself worried going to see it with all the bad press, but now I can't wait for the next installments. After reading the story countless times I could have gone without the extra character building in the beginning, but didn't find it unnecessary with people new to the story. If you like the book this is a must see, at least once. If you haven't read the book... well that is just sad, it is only 250 pages, go read it :)… Expand

A good deal better than I expected. Still too long, a few too many characters, certainly too much in the way of epic computerised interiors of caves, and a bit of pandering to the LOTR tragics in terms of gratuitous cameos from elves and wizards. But the bottom line is that it works. Overall, the Hobbit is warm and funny, and it establishes the link with the LOTR films pretty seamlessly. The film is definitely aimed at a younger crowd than LOTR (just like the book of the Hobbit) and is none the worse for that. Rather a lot of suspension of disbelief is required (no casualties or injuries whatsoever from everybody falling off extremely high cliffs, as well as endless attacks by horrible orcs, trolls, wolves, gigantic stone beings and necromancers? Unless you count the mounds of dismembered orcs) but so what? Sign me up for the next one.… Expand

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

Although the film's first act may seem a bit sluggish to some, in my opinion "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" powers through it with plenty of humor, surprisingly well-developed characters, and an always-stellar amount of visual magnificence.

The Hobbit was a great film, it seems that people are complaining about the 48fps however i never found it to be a problem. "best movie I've ever seen about dwarves" - Simon Lane. I would have to agree. Watch the Hobbit now!

A lot of fans, including myself, were taken by surprise when reviews of An Unexpected Journey were mixed to positive at best. People questioned Jackson's decision to return to Middle Earth, and even more questioned the decision to expand the film into 3 films. Now that I've seen the film multiple times, I am confident that Peter Jackson is the only person I trust that can bring Middle Earth to life on the screen. An Unexpected Journey is a highly entertaining and satisfying tale but not without a few flaws. Two of the big problems I had with the film were the slow beginning and heavy use of CGI. This film takes its time in the early moments, but the film as a whole doesn't drag. The Hobbit relies heavily on computer generated orcs/creatures unlike LotR; I personally found the CGI to be poor at times, it really takes you out of the film during certain scenes.

Flaws aside, this is an entertaining adventure and fully satisfying return to Middle Earth. Jackson's vision remains the same, Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, and Andy Serkis return, New Zealand's beauty shines, and Howard Shore's (excellent) musical score ties everything together by reminding us that we have in fact returned to ME. On top of that, Martin Freeman joins as Bilbo and we have a dozen dwarves to meet; not all of the dwarves are fully realized characters, but they're very entertaining and we have two more films to get to know them better. Freeman is the heart and soul of this film, I really could not have imagined a better fit for Bilbo.

2 films would have sufficed to tell this story, imo. As a fan of Tolkien, I enjoyed all the additions to the film, it really makes it obvious where the trilogy is going, but this first film suffers a bit because it lacks its own real narrative, but I am beyond excited for where the next films are going to go.

In short, The Hobbit 1 is not as good as LotR. It feels bloated at times in the beginning due to a lot of backstory/additions to the story and a strange dependence on cg effects, but it is a wonderful return to Middle Earth and will satisfy fans of the original trilogy.… Expand

Short of expectations. I've read the books and love the whole LOTR world that Tolkien has masterfully created for us all to enjoy. Also thoroughly enjoyed the original trilogy. That said, I cannot believe they are making a trilogy out of this one book (the shortest of them all!). Talk about milking it for all it's worth. Anyways, I digress... As for the actual movie: I watched this in the normal 24fps since I had heard bad things about the higher framerate. And it was far too long!! Definitely could have been edited and cut down more. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to get more time spent in the realm of Middle Earth, but this was simply excessive. I also feel like they were trying too hard to capture the same sense of the first three movies, and while The Hobbit's tale is definitely epic but it is simply not big enough to match the same level of the three main books so their attempts were futile. There were a lot of flashbacks and jumping around all over, so it can feel a bit disjointed. My favorite scene is definitely Gollum's part in the movie. Anyway, other than it being too long, trying too hard, and disjointed, I did like it and was entertained by it. Recommended, but I wouldn't set the bar as high as the first three movies done. ALSO: 3D and IMAX 3D aren't worth the hiked up price. Regular IMAX (if that's offered) or simply a regular cinema screen would be better (unless you're really into that). I barely noticed the 3D and felt it was more of a chance to ripoff than something that would make me enjoy the movie better.… Expand

I find that allot of the criticism that this movie receives is very unjust. The Lord of the Rings trilogy set an extremely high standard that very few fantasy films could ever hope to achieve. The High Frame Rate might have been a little bit of a blunder, but the film itself is exactly what it set out to be: The story that happened before LOTR. It's not meant to be as epic or grand. The hobbit is a fantasy adventure story and it succeeds in that completely. If I had to criticize, I would say that it might not have been a bad idea to cut a few of the Dwarves from the cast. Most of them feel like they're there just to form a crowd. Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved every minute of it. It didn't wow me the same way Fellowship of the ring did, but it kept me enthrall just the same. I can't wait to see the next movie.… Expand

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was not exactly what I was expecting. On one hand it was able to deliver what any Hobbit/ Lord of the Rings fan would want, but on the other hand, it was just shy of the greatness the trilogy had established. Visuals looked top notch however, allowing for some of the best CG in movies these days. The new 48 frames per second allowed the visuals to also move smoothly through surrounding environments and react with real world objects. The story telling was very well done even though some of it had been over exaggerated from the book or, if I recall correctly, not in the book at all. Acting was great and believable just as it had been in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The real challenge for anyone watching this movie is sitting through all of it. Unexpected Journey is the shortest movie ever made for the Lord of the Rings universe and it is still too long. Running at two hours and forty nine minutes, I'd be amazed if anyone could sit through this without having to leave for the bathroom. Another challenge, will be breaking this book up into three movies and not trying to flutter the audience down with even more extended scenes that weren't as long as they were in the book. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a great movie! People should really go see it in theaters! However, if you have difficulty sitting down for so long, I would suggest to you that you wait and rent the movie instead of having to miss twenty minutes of it because you had to go to the bathroom.… Expand

OK, I'm rather shocked at the negative official reviews. This film is not the best of Jackson's Tolkien films, but it is certainly not a 60! Part of it may have to do with the frame rate fiasco. I happened to see it in the old-school 2D 24 fps, because I feared the technological fads might mitigate my appreciation for the movie. There is a little bit too much gratuitous combat, but other than that, there are few horrible flaws. Even the press reviews compliment the acting and cinematography. While the scenes added from materials from beyond the book (the LotR appendices) might seem a little arcane to the uninitiated, they made sense given the themes Jackson is trying to emphasize: greed, entitlement, loyalty, and risk. I might not have agreed with all the choices Jackson made, but you can appreciate them as intelligent and researched choices. It strikes me that many press reviews are punishing the film for its technological choices - and, as I said, I'm wary of those choices - but they do not warrant the panning the film is getting. It's a rollicking good time. Don't expect the Return of the King, but you can expect a welcome return to Middle Earth. And as most have said, the Riddle Scene is absolutely perfect.… Expand

Although the story coincides with Tolkien 's work, it's slow start seems to keep the story progression from picking up and lingers too long in Middle Earth at times. The visuals are spectacular, and at other moments it can be quite the opposite, as there is a "BBC television" feel to the filming (especially indoor shots). I'm not sure what's to blame for this, whether it's the i-max, 3-D, 48 fps or bad lighting but it is comparable to being on a live set observing a film shoot, which removes you from the sensation of it being a film at times. Despite it's flaws, and all the harsh criticism, the movie is still entertaining and worthy of being seen in theaters (as well as a future blu-ray purchase). There isn't much to the story of the Hobbit, and I think Peter Jackson has done a lot with a short children's story while tying in plot points that lead to the events of Lord of the Rings. The film manages to maintain the same atmosphere of Middle Earth with elaborate sets, creatures, wardrobe and beautiful cinematography. Well done.… Expand

A great movie that is let down by acouple of pacing problems early on. Fans of the LotR will love this, despite just missing tout on the greatness of that trilogy. No doubt will be improved by the extended cuts and sequels.

To rate this film, the reviewer has to fit the demographic. This may be a prequel, and in sequence to its related films, would be #1 of 6 total, but it is ultimately the first of 3 parts of one story. It is a lighter, less gritty story than The Lord of the Rings, and should be rated as such, and not in comparison. In all honesty, a non-LOTR fan has no business watching this film. If you like LOTR, you're going to like The Hobbit, and if you don't like LOTR, you most likely won't like The Hobbit. The only con I can honestly pick out is the fact that the theatrical rendition feels like an extended edition with some unnecessary scenes, but a LOTR fan is going to love that anyway. The negative reviews are all based off of the story being "padded" and "unfinished". The sad news flash is that this film, in structure, follows suit of the first LOTR film: "The Fellowship of the Ring", where it isn't a full story, but reviewers rate it as its own self containing story. An Unexpected Journey and Fellowship both get their 3-film story going, and are both respective to the overall tone that will be presented. Fellowship is a more epic movie, because it is setting up a more epic 3-film storyline. An Unexpected Journey is a lighter adventure story in comparison, because it is setting up a lighter 3-film storyline. Everything is respective to what it should be, and while I admit this film could have been better if the Hobbit franchise was its original 2 film setup as apposed to the 3 films that Warner Bros stretched it to, it still satisfies the demographic it is aimed at: LOTR fans (which are already a very wide and large fan-base as it is).

Notes on the 48 frames per second 3D version:

I am a filmmaker, so I wanted to see what Peter Jackson's intended vision would look like, being the 48fps in native 3D. Post processed 3D always looks like a pop up book to me, so I only see films if they were filmed in 3D because depth is much more convincing and captured more realistically. All 3 Hobbit movies were filmed in 3D and at an unprecedented 48fps. Anyone who's not a filmmaker isn't able to picture what that looks like, and when they do, they say it looks like a soap opera because it is the only kind of watchable entertainment they have witnessed higher amounts of fields displayed on screen. The best way to describe it, is the 48fps with 3D (only presented together) looking more like something really happening in front of you, and not a movie. Motion blur is almost completely eliminated since frames that would normally be nonexistent, causing that blur, are actually there. The 48fps without 3D would look really hokey, but with the 3D it is an interesting experience that is not very hard to get used to. I saw it twice this way already, and I had no eyestrain. As long as you drink lots of water (not soda or sports drinks) before a 3D movie, your eyes will stay moist enough that you will not suffer eyestrain. So that argument is out of the picture if proper movie-watching precautions are taken.
I personally prefer the 24fps version (normal movie frame rate and look) because that is traditional and seems the least distracting while watching, but the 48fps 3D is worth trying out at least once. The CGI actually looks more convincing in 48fps 3D as well.… Expand

saw it loved it. but if there wasn't any of the other movies i think this would bite the dust. i have seen twice and i don´t remember any of the dwarfs names. then again it has nice scenery and shots overall a great movie but it has its downfalls. but really 58/100

The hobbit had some big shoes to fill.Not just normal sized shoes, giant, hobbit sized shoes(this is just a metaphor,I know hobbits don't wear shoes).There were some very high expectations from most people when they went to see the hobbit part 1.People wanted it to feel like a lord of the rings movie, they expected great visuals, grade A story telling, great acting, and for it to have a satisfying conclusion(like the other lord of the rings movies)but to still feel like it was going to lead to something more in later films since it is, after all, the begining of a trilogy. Peter Jackson succeeded on most of these fronts except for a few.Namely it feeling like a lord of the ring movie and he somewhat botched the satisfying conclusion.The main reason this movie doesn't feel like a lord of the rings movie is the visuals(everything visual,the special effects,scenery,and costumes don't give off a very "lord of the ringish" vibe).But don't take this to mean I thought it had a bad look though,the hobbit is the most visually beautiful movie I've ever seen.The scenery and special effects are so gorgeous that they just don't seem like they could be real.This is a good and a bad thing.It all looks beautiful, but some of it was just too extreme to fit in with the previous lord of the rings trilogy.In the other trilogy, special effects were more 'gritty".It all looked fantastic but it all looked like it could've existed at some point in the real world.The hobbit,on the other hand, looks like it belongs in a strictly "fantasy only" world.The ending was descent, but not very satisfying.The movie speeds up very fast for the last 40 minutes or so but then comes to a jarring stop in about the last 2 minutes and so,consequently, the whole final scene just seems out of place.But it does kind of still get you excited for the next installmet, it was probably just the adrenaline still in my system from the epicness that had just occurred in the last 40-60 minutes of the movie but I still wanted to see more when the credits rolled(not in a "this only feels like half a movie" kind of way but in more of a "I'm going to see the next one when it gets to theaters"kind of way).Despite these complaints, the movie was very good.The acting from Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, and Andy Serkis is incredible(especially Andy Serkis's acting, he only had one scene as Gollum but it was amazing).The story was good, it was a little slow the first hour or so of the movie but quickly picked up once they set out on the journey.Many people were worried about this being the phantom menace of lord of the rings movies.Have no fear, it's not.This movie is very good,not as good as the previous trilogy, but much better than the phantom menace,which was garbage.This movie isn't without its issues, but overall it is a very good and very unique movie.… Expand

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...… Collapse

I understand fans have made comments that the start is slow - I loved it - I agree there are some holes in how we get to when the action really begins at about the 1 hour mark - but every minute is worth watching - love this - know its not true to the book - but Jackson owns this world.

Balanced and enjoyable. I never read the Hobbit. Saw LOTR. Had zero expectations for this film. I was entertained the entire time. Read the reviews before I went and have to say the critics were pretty far off base. It works, and its good. episode 1 star wars comparison is not even fair. Much better, at least as good as E6 star wars.

Unexpectedly good. Martin Freeman is very good, plot simple but fine, special effects good although too many in places. I was getting bored at times in the long middle passages of the LOTR films, but lasted the distance here without checking my watch. Good interplay between characters, and some humour sprinkled here and there. The 48 fps produces beautifully smooth movement and detail, you feel you're really there in the scene. The 3D is fine but I'm now satisfied it really doesn't add much to a film. You stop noticing it after a while, and it doesn't leave any lasting impression, I don't really need it. But there was no motion sickness here, they have fine tuned it well.

Peter Jackson has done it ! I don't know how he will stretch it out to two more films but on this evidence he has got a good plan.… Expand

good film, some comedy and more action, but the whole film is not finished, which probably means the second part will be out a good time from here, like harry potter or twilight, the whole proper end fight is in a different film. But it was good

Why are people reviewing LOTR? This isn't LOTR. It's The Hobbit. Two very different types of storytelling. Don't compare the two and call it a review of one of them. The book was quirky and colorful. The film is no less. I can imagine how it drags on for some people, but I've read the book, and was more interested the page to screen adaptation and timeline of events rather than following a brand new story. I saw the 24 FPS version, and can't say much about the difference between the 24 and 48 FPS versions. It was still gorgeous and exciting.… Expand

It is hard to ignore the vast stylized differences between "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and the Lord of the Ring Trilogy, but if you look past that and make this film its own you will be immersed in a truly imaginative and mesmerizing world.

Great movie! I enjoyed the way the story was told and there was almost nothing left out. It is a movie worth seeing. The CGI is great, for the most part, there are one or two scenes where the CGI looks a little poor to me.

I disagree with the hard critic scores... While "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" does not necessarily surpass the movies from the "lord of the rings" it tells a great tale with the same high quality you come to expect from these movies. But there is also more humor and the tale is told in a little different way than in the previous movies from this world... I was not disappointed.

Although The Hobbit is not as good as the LOTR it is still better than most films that have come out in 2012
eg Avengers Assemble, Keith Lemon The Movie.

The Hobbit was a great movie, the acting was solid and at times exemplary, the visuals were as impressive as the last 3 tolkien movies, the story was gripping. The only complaints i could think of really, were that of length, but really, when you see a Peter Jackson movie, you kind of expect it to be long. I felt that it did seem to stretch out scenes a fair bit, as they spent a very long time in the shire. But over-all, it's no-where near as bad as some critics are making it out to be.… Expand

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is Peter Jackson's epic prequel to The Lord of the Rings films, and after seeing this adaption of the first part of J.R.R. Tolkien's book, I can honestly say I am excited to see the future films. I was scared to see what they would do with this film because there is so much hype leading up to it and we expect something as great as the The Fellowship of the Ring, but now I can take a deep breath and relax because I actually was given a really fun movie. I didn't feel it matched the Fellowship in terms of of its storytelling, but what I think most people need to realize is that The Hobbit book was not as dark and as The Lord of the Rings books, so I always expected that this wouldn't match the other films. Most people were scared that this film would become the next "Phantom Menace" and ruin the legacy of The Lord of the Rings, but in my opinion this movie only adds on to the enjoyment of the old movies and also gives us a new trilogy to be excited for. That being said, this movie did have some issues that I had a problem with. Most of it was the little things such as the overdose of CGI, the slow start, and even making Radagast the Brown a really embarassing person to watch. All this were not big problems and th movie is still great, I just personally would've done it differently. Peter Jackson has returned to Middle-Earth and has shown me that he still knows exactly what he is doing. He has a vision for this film and I was glad that he gave it a lighter and happier tone like the book. The action of this movie will bring back some great memories because you can feel the grand scale of the battles and brilliant cinematography just like in the Lord of the Rings. The final hour of this movie is filled with some great action and memorable heartfelt moments that Peter Jackson is a genius at presenting. The Lord of the Rings trilogy are my favorite films ever made, so you can only imagine how excited I was to see this. So after seeing An Unexpected Journey, all I can say is that this is one great film that has me excited to see the rest of its trilogy.… Expand