Monday 28 January 2013

The Hobbit movie - thoughts




  I finally got to see The Hobbit  this weekend.  I went with a good friend from work, and my daughter Holly-Anne.  We got there on time for popcorn, except the theatre opens way too early in the morning - morning movies!  10:30 am!!  so there was already a huge lineup for popcorn ahead of us. At least our viewing of The Hobbit was at 11 a.m, which is semi-decent.  So, we missed the very beginning of the movie, which included the trailer for the new Star Trek movie (boo!  I am so looking forward to this!!!) , as well as the opening part of The Hobbit.  We arrived just as the dwarf kingdom was being destroyed by Smaug.  So I got to see the best of the very beginning part.  And from that moment on, I was hooked.  I managed to spill my popcorn right away - yes, after standing in line for almost 10 minutes and missing the beginning of the movie, for popcorn, I then spilled it all!  I thought I would sneak out to get some more.  But you know something?  I never wanted to leave the movie, I was afraid I would miss something.  That's how good it is. And my friend shared some of her popcorn with me, which was very kind.

I really enjoyed The Hobbit.  I was afraid going in that it would be muddled in some way with all the extra information added.  I should have known better.  It was coherent, and made sense, so that even my daughter who doesn't know the story yet, was able to follow it perfectly.  She has seen Lord of the Rings a few times now, so was delighted that Frodo and old Bilbo were there in the beginning, as well as Gandalf.  And she was so disappointed at the end when all we saw of Smaug was - well, that awesome suggestion of what he will be, when he is finally revealed.  Already we are counting down the days to when Part Two will be showing next December!!

                                                   

Except for Rivendell, which I found a  little slow, the pacing was excellent.  The almost 3 hours flew by.  It didn't seem that long at all. I liked the inclusion of Radergast  the Brown, and am very glad that Mirkwood is not here yet.  *shiver*  The scenes with Gollum were just right.  The ring coming to Bilbo, and how he escapes - so well done. 
                                
I really enjoyed all the dwarves, and thought Richard Armitage made a convincing Thorin
 Oakenshield, and I hereby confess to a crush on Kili.
 

Most of all though, are Gandalf  - Ian McKellen who makes this film real, as he did in Lord of the Rings, and Martin Freeman who plays Bilbo perfectly, from the bumbling, middle-aged,  contended and bored-though-he-doesn't-know-it hobbit, to the hobbit who finds the reason why he is accompanying the dwarves on the quest, by the end of the movie. 
                                   

It's an adventure ride, it has thrills and chills, it has a lovely song sung by the dwarves, and it made me remember the excitement of going on an adventure. Plus, it has a dragon.  Didn't you like, if you saw the movie, how Smaug is all covered in his gold? 

So what did you think, if you saw the movie?  Did you like it? 

You know, I really have to see the very beginning.  I can't wait for it to come out on dvd next Christmas.  I'm just going to have to go and see it again, don't you think?

12 comments:

Jeane said...

I haven't yet seen it but oh, I am glad to hear that Smaug is in there! I was disappointed when I learned it was filmed in two parts because as the dragon doesn't appear until the end of the book, I feared I wouldn't see him until the second movie, either.

Sharon said...

My daughter and I kind of put off going and seeing it, feeling that stretching the story into three movies was just a bit exploitive but we just couldn’t resist in the end and I am really glad we went, it was excellent and now I am also thinking I need to go again, it was a great movie, great cast and despite my reservations a great script!

Sarsafrass said...

I loved it - so much so that I've seen it 3 times so far! Twice in 2D and once in 3D. My favourite part was the eagles - I always cry at that part in the book, so seeing it so faithfully done in the movie really meant a lot to me. I'm supremely excited for next December, and the December after that!

Daphne said...

I saw it a couple weeks ago and really loved it too. I liked the inclusion of more of the back storyline. I thought Radagast was funny, but not necessary (although the bunny-sleigh was ADORABLE). I was really really looking forward to Smaug but at least we know it'll be worth waiting for! Glad you got to go see it. I was also pleased that the audience was mostly respectful without too much whispering, cell phones, etc. I mostly avoid movies for that reason but it seemed that everyone just wanted to enjoy the movie.

Emily Barton said...

I haven't yet seen it. I've been a bit concerned by the fact that such a short work has been turned into 3 movis, but then a friend of mine rightly pointed out, "Well, Tolkien packed a lot into that one book!" She said it was great, and with your review, well, I just might have to change my mind.

Susan said...

Jeane: It's a glimpse, I can't say any more, but wow, it is exactly perfect. If you can, you have to see this, just to see how it is on the big screen.

Arabella: I didn't make it last week, so possibly this week. I do want to see it again! Yes, I agree, the script was good because it kept for the most part to The Hobbit. I loved Bilbo in the larder scene too, and at the very end with Thorin. I'm thrilled you enjoyed it also :-)

Sarsafrass: my son says he saw it 2 and maybe three times (he can't remember, between school and working and seeing the movie so often in a short time!) He really likes it also, obviously. What was the difference between the 2d and the 3 D, for you? The eagles were gorgeous, breathtaking, and perfectly done. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much too!

Daphne: Radagast was there for the shadow creeping in the land, the dark figure that is the slow rise of Sauron (which you know anyway, I think!) I also think because those spiders end up in Mirkwood, so I thought it was a nice link to when they appear later in the trilogy. You're right, that bunny sleigh is adorable! So were the hedgehogs, that my daughter and I loved :-)

We went so early there were lots of kids there, and for the most part they were really well behaved. No cellphones. Is it a big problem there?

Emily: Yaaay! I think it might be just the thing, to remember there are still wonderful things in this world. It makes the dark things a little easier to bear, though then I find myself sad again at the realization the little ones won't get to see this or so many other things....I want to make each day have more meaning because of what happened, and being happy is part of that for me. I'm so happy we went. I hope you and Bob do too.

DesLily said...

I saw the movie twice and loved it each time!.. I adored Radagast! He was "funny" but very heartfelt with saving the animals.

ah well Thorin and Kili both were the best looking dwarfs I've ever seen! lol

and Ian.. well.. he is the reason I watch the movies so much! Such a fabulous actor, and so believable!

Susan said...

DesLily: I enjoyed Radagast too. I like how Daphne put it that the scenes were added (to the story) but that bunny sleigh is awesome, isn't it?

Thorin, Kili...*sigh* I keep replaying parts of the movie over again. I like how it was done, and acted. Gosh December is still so far away!

I said to my friend after, that Ian makes the movies real...he brings gravitas and enjoyment and adds so much to the movie. You are so right, Pat, he is a big part of their success. Wish you and I could see it together, and the Star Trek movies!!

Kathleen said...

I definitely want to see this one with my son. We loved the Lord of the Rings trilogy!

Cheryl @ Tales of the Marvelous said...

Martin Freeman definitely made this movie for me too (which may account for my Martin Freeman enthusiasm in my own review...) with Gandalf coming in as a second favorite. Mostly I just loved the WORLD so much. It was such fun to revisit Middle Earth, and in the hands of the same people who took us there last time!

Susan said...

Kathleen: I'm sorry, somehow I missed your comment before now. Have you seen this movie now? I hope so. It's a bit different from LOTR, though it's as good and a bit lighter in tone, like The HObbit is. Some dark moments though, lovely and creepy. Both my kids really like it now, too.

Cheryl: LOL! to the Martin Freeman interest! Did you know him from the British The Office? He's funny there too. I do like him in The Hobbit. I didn't think of Bilbo as quite that quiet, but it works in this screen version, a contrast to Gandalf and the dwarves. I really enjoy how he comes to support the dwarves too.

I want a hobbit hole! I wanted one while reading the book, and every time I look at his round door and windows, and that lovely kitchen and the study, I want one too now!! And isn't Smaug awesome? I often wondered where I'd live, if I were in MiddleEarth. So long as it wasn't where the spiders are. *shiver* Where would you live? I always wanted to see Rivendell, too.

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