The Hobbit: The Unexpectedly Good Film

 B+  or Exceeds Expectations

I had some doubts.  Skimmed a couple of reviews from "the very good but" to meh variety.  Friends of mine have sworn it off in protest..at least until it hits the second run beer theatres.  I shared their doubts that one book should be stretched to three movies.  But I gave Jackson the benefit of the doubt since he was approaching it as a prelude to the War of the Ring.  Because in another lifetime I felt I was the biggest Tolkien geek on the planet.

How big?  I know dug up the names of the two blue wizards,( Alatar and Pallando) back in the early '90's when you had to comb through The Unfinished Tales and the Lost Tales for such rare gems of geek knowledge no one else outside fandom would care about.  So, being familiar with the events concurrent with "There and Back Again",  I don't think Jackson's reasoning behind "stretching" the book into three movies is flawed.  "The Hobbit" is part of the War of the Ring, a cold war before Sauron revealed himself.  That's why Gandalf was always haring off, trusting the dwarves to their own devices for weeks at a time.  He had to work with the White Council and deal with the Sorcerer, who turned out to be Sauron testing the waters, and this is happening at the time of Bilbo's adventure.

But I also respect the criticisms; The Hobbit could have been a perfectly serviceable single movie, following the story as written.  Expanding it was a risk, it could have easily have become bloated and unwatchable.  I am happy to report it is neither and I'm finding myself enjoying it in some ways more than the LOTR trilogy films.  Of course, it's not over yet.  Two more films to go.  I confess, after rereading the Hobbit recently, I can understand getting two films from the material;  three I'm dubious about but let's hope all's well that end's better!

Spoilers Imminent:  You have been Warned

I was prepared for a substandard film and just surrendered myself to the idea I would enjoy it even if annoying liberties had been taken with the source material, a la Faramir tempted by the Ring(I still find that bit hard to watch in The Two Towers).  As it was the only truly silly bit is the rabbit sled (don't ask).

Highlights:

Radagast: inspired performance by Sylvester McCoy(that funny noise is a Type 40 taking off.  He is a VERY great wizard.)

Saruman: Christopher Lee's performance as the arrogant condescending Istari POS is always enjoyable, especially chuntering under his breath about what a disgrace Radagast is to the Order.
Galadriel telling him to STFU(you know, nicely) is equally enjoyable.  Lee is a big Tolkien geek himself and will correct your Middle Earth grammar at a drop of a hat BTW.

Gollum: our favorite Middle Earth nutcase returns.  Serkis is clearly having fun.

Smaug: taking a page from the first Jaws movie, Jackson only shows us hints of Smaug:  thundering feet, an eye, and of course FIRE.  It's more effective and conveying Smaug's size and terror than showing him full size.

Wargs: finally done properly.  Sorry, the wargs in the LOTR films looked like hyenas or sabertoothed tigers without the teeth.  Or half wolf bear things.  Seriously, wtf?

Thranduil:  OutFrackingStanding.  Especially on an Irish Elk(Megaloceros giganteus).  So cool, words escape me so I'll let a pic do the trick:

Not in source material but too cool to care

Thranduil is cast well, not just as a hot elf, but as Legolas' daddy:

Dwarves: the biggest and most ambivalent surprise personally .   Remember Gimli from the first films?  Of course you do:

Gimli was perfect as a dwarf.  He matched the source material and fan expectations:stout, stocky, strong, long beard, craggy features.  The dwarves in The Hobbit film...vary.   Half of them fit this description.   Another couple are acceptable variations.  But  Fili, and Kili (and to a lesser extent Thorin Oakenshield) are downright elven svelt, even pretty..nay I say hot... for dwarves:

Dwarves

Thorin Oakenshield

Who does hot dwarves? Seriously, Thorin looks like a burly Aragon, compare:

Aragorn

And the weird thing is...this isn't bothering me.  Or effecting how I imagine the dwarves in the book(still with long beards, etc).  It's like a religious experience: I can enjoy the book and film as two separate things and they're not getting in each others way.

This might not work for everyone, but it's working for me, and I eagerly await the next installment.

Music: Outstanding. Was pleased to hear the main LOTR theme used to set the film's mood.  I was mildly anxious someone would do something weird and recompose the entire theme, breaking the musical continuity.  I'm pleased to report my fears were unfounded.

Finally note: most showings are in 3D.  I saw it in 2D, like a normal person.   From discussions with people, it's possible 3D, while being excellent as an FX enhancer, is getting in the way of feeling the story.  And there is a good story here.

If you chose to see The Hobbit, happy adventuring.

Favorite Film Quotes:

[In Bagend]

Gandalf to Bilbo: “The world is not in your books and maps, it's out there."

[Rivendell ]

 Galadiel: Why the Hafling?
 Gandalf:  Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.

Galu!