Film Review: The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey (3D IMAX not 48fps sadly)

First and foremost, don't go into this expecting the Lord of the Rings mk2. This is the Hobbit, Tolkien's first venture into Middle Earth intended as a children's story that became so much more. The book focuses on Bilbo Baggins, Ian Holm in LOTR, this time played amazingly well by Martin Freeman of The Office and Sherlock fame. Bilbo is forced along on a quest by Gandalf, Sir Ian McKellen back in top form, to aid 13 dwarfs reclaim their land of Erebor, as well as all the gold that lies there.

With the 3D, Peter Jackson creates a landscape painting instead of a film, with broad and subtle brush strokes instead of shots. The 3D works exceptionally well in the dark, dank caves where Gollum dwells and the huge underground Goblin kingdom. However, although I didn't stay for the credits, I personally think that New Zealand should get a credit as it's this lush and vastly diverse country really brings the 3D to life. A highlight of this use of 3D is a chase scene involving the baker's dozen of dwarfs with Gandalf and Bilbo running from a pack of Wargs and Orcs across great plains, using the animal-loving wizard Radagast as a distraction. The sweeping cameras along with the excellent CGI really brings Middle Earth back to the screen in full life even after having enjoyed the warm scenes of the Shire.

At a running time of 169 minutes (compared to the Fellowship's running time of 178 minutes) you'd expect Journey to feel heavy and long, whereas, in my personal opinion, it is Jackson's best paced attempt at Middle Earth, with action scenes strategically placed just as the film starts to show signs of slowing down. This isn't to say that the film is fast paced, it just doesn't feel as slow as the Rings film could. This may come as a surprise when you think that one book, only 310 pages long in total (maps included), is split into 3 films the length of the 3 Rings films, which were each a book. However Jackson and his writing team have included a sub-plot that links heavily to the story of the Rings that wasn't mentioned in the Hobbit book, but they've drawn this from the bigger picture of Middle Earth, taking bits and bobs from the Appendices located in the back of the Rings books. Personally, this is a genius decision by Jackson and his team, as in the book, Gandalf totally disappears for about 100 pages with no explanation at all. One minutes he's there, the next he's not. Here, we understand his need to leave, although he doesn't yet in this one, as it helps create a world and not just a story happening. This is where Tolkien's genius stands out. He creates languages and cultures and whole histories for his characters, making them believable people with lives outside of the book or film.

The performances in general are brilliant, as you'd expect, but the star is rather appropriately the hobbit himself, Martin Freeman. I'm pretty sure that the above video was his audition tape, as Bilbo is, to be cliché about this, the role he was born to play. Freeman is Bilbo. He's the words and thoughts of Tolkien in a human form, and plays him with ease and fun. He lights up the screen, and his confrontation with Andy Serkis' Gollum is the unquestionable best scene of this film. It's the highlight of the book, and Jackson, Freeman and Serkis do it justice. This was the first scene Freeman shot as Bilbo, but it really doesn't show. It's as if he'd been playing him for his whole life. In the scene, Bilbo and Gollum have a game of riddles, winner either escaping or eating the other, accordingly. It's funny, beautifully shot for such a dark and wet cave, and Serkis is fantastic again as Gollum, who benefits from an upgrade in technology which allows greater detail in his performance. The humour and chemistry comes out between the two, and it creates a fantastic atmosphere of both peril and each character in their comfort some somewhat. I'd go and see the film again just for this scene.

Freeman isn't the only highlight. The dwarfs are fun and you really grow to like them, and I'm sure you'll love them by the end of the second film. The chemistry between all of the actors shines as brightly as the Sun, and it's clear that they were having the time of their lives shooting the film. Richard Armitage is going to get plenty of attention for his performance as Thorin Oakenshield, who is at the forefront of the dwarfs gang. Thorin, in the book, is greedy and vengeful and rather bitter, and Armitage plays it this way, keeping Thorin's anger and rather closed nature, but playing him with bravado and force.

Once again, Howard Shore's score will rouse everybody and be stuck in people's heads for a long time after the film, much like his themes used in the Lord of the Rings. The songs that are sung in the book stay this time, unlike in Rings where much of the singing was removed before shooting with the exception of Pippin's song. I'm incapable of not repeating myself when describing the songs, but the dwarfs' which they sing in Bag End is particularly good, raising spirits and glasses while also feeling like somewhat of a foreshadowing of the dangers to come. Where some might consider the songs gimmicky and childish, for me they completed Tolkien's world and gave it some much needed light-heartedness.

In my opinion, An Unexpected Journey shouldn't be compared to The Fellowship Of The Ring as it is naturally lighter in tone and funnier, but is purposefully brought down and slightly darker by Jackson just to keep it in league with the Rings films. It's an equal in every way and is genuinely fantastic. It certainly has the rewatchable factor that the Rings films have, and I know for a fact that people will be wanting to play riddles games after seeing it done by Bilbo and Gollum.

For anyone put off from this film or any of The Hobbit films, they shouldn't be. It's a different beast to Rings, and should be treated differently. Certain stylistic differences and similarities make sure that we keep this in mind, but all in all it's great fun. Bring on Round 2!

Score: 9/10




Special mention: Having seen this in IMAX, I was lucky enough to see the first 8 or 9 minutes of the Star Trek sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness, due to be released next year. If that is anything to go by, it may be one of the best films for a while. Michael Giacchino's score is already garnering a lot of praise, deservedly, and the special-effects department have outdone themselves again. Without going into spoiler territory, if you like Indiana Jones, you'll love this preview. I can't wait for the full film. I'm really annoyed that I have to wait to be honest. AHHHH! It looks so good.