THE HOBBIT - AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (2012)

[tracy]

We went to see this yesterday and all thoroughly enjoyed it. I really liked the extra info they've put in and now can't wait to see the next one. 5 out of 5.

[Jim H]

I enjoyed this one more than I expected.  It's definitely overlong and should have been pared down, but honestly most of the scenes that most obviously should have been pared down..  It'd have been tough to do a lot of it as they're all tied to the main story (even if loosely).  Pradergast shouldn't have even been in the film, and I think they should have cut the number of dwarves in half for film purposes. 

That said, even though it felt overlong, I enjoyed almost every scene of the film on its own - I was never bored.  It's not another LOTR, but it's a fun fantasy romp. 

8/10.

[indianasmith]

The whole reason Bilbo was chosen was to avoid the unlucky number 13, so cutting the number of dwarves would have mangled the story.  Radagast could have been cut, I suppose, but I kind of liked him!

[tracy]

The whole reason Bilbo was chosen was to avoid the unlucky number 13, so cutting the number of dwarves would have mangled the story.  Radagast could have been cut, I suppose, but I kind of liked him!

He was interesting.....but not essential.

[Jim H]

The whole reason Bilbo was chosen was to avoid the unlucky number 13, so cutting the number of dwarves would have mangled the story.  Radagast could have been cut, I suppose, but I kind of liked him!

I don't remember them even mentioning this in the film, and they focus a lot more on his ability to be a burglar and stealthiness and the unnoticed nature of hobbits. 

I know there's no way they were going to just cut out half the characters from the film, but the number of dwarves really does seem pointless and silly.  And the book is rather silly, but the movie is much less so (as a nine hour epic, it probably should be a little more serious), and having so many characters just detracts from this. 

That's the films biggest problem, on a whole - it tries to be epic and serious like LOTR, but also silly and kind of kiddy like the novel.  It's an awkward mix at times.