Thursday, January 03, 2013

Hobbit the Movie

I have finally seen The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.  Much that I would say has been said, so I will make just a few points below that I think need to be emphasized or that I haven't seen elsewhere.
Spoilers are included, so be forewarned.
  • This is a fun fantasy adventure movie.  I didn't really notice the hours go by.
  • It is not Tolkien.  It is one of those movies BASED on the book; it is not an adaptation of The Hobbit, or a retelling, it is something "based" on the novel using kinda the plot line, characters with the same names, 
  • Peter Jackson loves a fight scene
  • He also loves to make things fall from heights....rather like a ride at Disney
  • Surprisingly, Jackson has read T. H. White....or watched the Sword in the Stone I suppose.
  • Jackson's Thorin like his Aragorn and Elrond....well let's just say they all follow a story arc cooked up in a *bad* creative writing class (there must be tension, oh, something happens, tension resolved and change of heart.  OMG!)
  • Thorin is more like Aragorn should have been
  • The movie is far darker than the novel.
  • I wonder if the goiter on the Great Goblin was over done homage to Dame Edna?
  • Two things stood out as fabulous: the landscape and the sets.  The Hill, Rivendell, the wilderness, even the goblin's cave was well conceived
  • Overall, overlooking the unnecessary changes to the book, the scene with Bilbo and Gollum was well done
  • That said, what is truly missing is the important inner dialogue of Bilbo as he's lost in the mountains
  • Uh...the Witch King and the nine aren't dead.  Can't be by definition.  So no tombs.
  • somethings simply don't follow--I must say that Middle Earth is much smaller than Tolkien imagined in the movie
There might be more later.  Great romp if you're looking for entertainment not too tied to Tolkien.

4 comments:

Troels said...

“Uh...the Witch King and the nine aren't dead. Can't be by definition. So no tombs.”

One would think that calling them undead would sort of give a hint . . . :-)

Curt Emanuel said...

Based on this, as I expected, I better wait for the DVD to come out.

That way I can watch it twice - the first time I'll whine about how it's not true to the book and the second time I'll have that out of my system and will be able to enjoy it.

theswain said...

Hey Curt,
I'd go ahead and hit the theater....the landscape and some of the scenes I think do deserve viewing on the large screen at least once. To make yourself feel better about it, go to the late afternoon matinee and get the cheap price.

Curt Emanuel said...

I may try it - have to find a relatively deserted theater. My reason for not seeing these there is concern for others. I have a hard time keeping my grumbling to myself.