Viewed in
2012
Formats
IMAX 3D 48 FPS theater.
Premise
First part of Peter Jackson's trilogy based on The Hobbit and Return of the King appendices, Martin Freeman stars as Bilbo Baggins who joins Gandalf and 13 dwarves on an adventure to reclaim the dwarves' homeland.
Loved
Epic third act, cast.
Liked
Revisiting Middle Earth.
Disliked
Slow parts.
Thoughts
Long, but enjoyable.
The last hour nearly made it worth the price of admission. As a spectacle, there was just crazy good action of dwarves going H.A.M. on orcs with much panache and excitement. Sandwiched between orc-kill-fests was the famous Bilbo-Gollum showdown that was intimate and intense and lived up to the hype. The climax also had the most badassiest of badass slow-motion shots I've ever experienced that made me tingly below.
Once again the cast was impeccable. Freeman knocked it out of the park as our reluctant hero. Completely believable in action and comedy, owning Bilbo while subtly channeling Ian Holm and his inner Took. As expected Sir Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis reprieved their iconic performances as if it was only nine days since they shot Lord of the Rings. While I couldn't really tell the minor dwarves apart, Richard Armitage was a great addition as Thorin Oakenshield, a charismatic brooder with the weight of his lost kingdom on his shoulders.
It was definitely fun to return to that beautifully-realized world, although at times it was a bit too indulgent or fan-service-y. For example, there's the moment when Gandalf requests for help from the (BAMF) Eagles, but it's the same pace and shot as in Fellowship. We've seen that before, so repeating it doesn't exactly have the same bone-chilling effect. Every twenty minutes or so, the movie would pause to ominously remind us that very bad things might happen 60 years down the road. Less is more, and would've made the beginning go quicker. Having said that, I couldn't help but smile to see familiar faces like Frodo, Galadriel, Elrond, along with a few more surprise cameos.
Those wishing for a much more light-hearted affair akin to the book will probably halfway approve. When compared to the 2001-2003 films, it's much more of an adventurous romp, unafraid to chill for a little song or poetry, filled with dwarven shenanigans. But compared to the original source, it's still darker and more violent than expected, especially in the staggeringly large volume of CGI-orc dismemberment and decapitation department.
As for the controversial 48 fps 3D, I had mixed feelings. To call it stunning or crystal clear is an understatement, and it seemed to enhance the three-dimensionality of the format. The high-frame-rate was at its jaw-droppingly gorgeous best during epic wide shots of scenery and slow-motion shots, like the badass shot mentioned earlier. But for the most part, it felt like watching a video game (especially true in the CGI-heavy parts), British TV soap opera, or an video stream that's catching up from buffer lag. I found the intimate talking scenes unnatural.
One reason for my so-so experience was that my eyes never got used to the HFR. My friends (and neighboring strangers) got use to it very quickly, and were instantly won over. For me, my viewing vacillated from natural to unnatural. I don't think it's an abomination, after all, there's kids out there who grew up looking at 60 fps monitors, so imagine what they feel about 24 or 30. Now over time, maybe I can train my eyes, as more movies might come out in this format.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey as a stand alone was a pretty fun ride, thanks to the top-notch cast and spectacular last hour. It just took a bit of time and eye-conformity to get there.
