REVIEW & PREVIEW: THE HOBBIT REVIEW, DESOLATION OF SMAUG PREVIEW

Yes, I FINALLY saw the first movie again (fully awake this time) and ALSO have the preview for the next one!

In December 2012, Peter Jackson graced us with what fans of the J.R.R. Tolkien stories had been asking for: a film depicting Tolkien's book "The Hobbit."

We were given not one, but the first of another Middle Earth trilogy beginning with "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey".

Disclaimer: I WILL NOT go into comparisons with the book as, just like in Lord of the Rings, there are too many differences (both subtle and obvious).  I will, instead, talk about this movie from the position of a movie fan and a fan of the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.

Months ago I posted about The Hobbit movie stating how basically the perfect storm caused me to be disappointed in the movie.  It was very late, I had just eaten a large meal and I accidentally bought tickets for Mr Jackson's 48 frames per second pet project which made the movie (in my opinion) look like a Broadway show.  Now I love Broadway shows, but not when coming to see some Middle Earth sword fights.

What The Hobbit in 48fps looked like to me

So with the 48fps throwing me for a loop, the large delicious meal permeating in my stomach and the very late hour, I was in and out of sleep with more sleep than awake time.

Here we are six months later and, low and behold, the trailer for the next installment of the trilogy surfaces.  So naturally as a fan of the Middle Earth movies, I decide it's time to give the Hobbit a second chance but this time in 24fps (which is what we are used to).  Man oh man was I happy I did that!!!

The movie was awesome!!  Classic Middle Earth action that made the original Lord of the Rings movies great plus crisper special effects and (in my opinion) a much brighter movie with many great action scenes being much more visible in daylight or just very brightly lit places.

The story itself is well told and paced along with a great cameo by both old Bilbo (Ian Holm) and young Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood).  For those who haven't seen it, read the book, or watched any of the million different animations that have been released over the decades; the story is about a nation of dwarves who discover great treasure in their mountain kingdom.  As they accrue wealth, the king dwarf becomes more and more obsessed with the treasures.  One day, a mighty dragon named Smaug comes and destroys the kingdom, drives the dwarves out and claims the treasure for itself (as dragons are known in Middle Earth to be very much in love with shiny boatloads of gold).

Many many years later, the bitter grandson of the king bands together with some of his comrades to take the kingdom back.  Aiding them is elder wizard Gandalf who suggests that they will need the help of a creature the dragon is not familiar with that can go undetected in many places: a hobbit.  Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) is recruited and the adventure begins!  Along the way are treacherous lands and dangerous enemies from the dwarves' past.  Will they make it??

Two highlights of the movie: First, Gollum's appearance was EPIC.  Second, the makeup people did a tremendous job of making Ian McKellan and Christopher Lee look like they haven't aged a day since we last saw them in Middle Earth.  Can you believe the last Lord of the Rings movie was TEN YEARS AGO?!

Click here to check out a small budget, fan made 40min movie that is an unofficial prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  It follows Gandalf and Aragorn in hunting Gollum. It's nowhere near the production value of the Peter Jackson movies, but just the story and execution of this movie are really good.  

I would definitely recommend this film as I have a great love for the Middle Earth series and this movie delivers!

My Rating:

4.89388934 out of 5 stars

For fans of elves (mainly Legolas fans), don't look for the beautiful athletic creatures in this movie to do anything.  They're merely display items in here.....but the next installment "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"

Check out the trailer:

All I can say (after seeing the first movie the way it was supposed to be seen) is WOW!!  I, for one, cannot wait!!  Legolas (Orlando Bloom) is here and it seems we have ourselves a dragon to slay!

What did you think?  Will you see the movie?  Do you think we'll see more characters from the Lord of the Rings trilogy in the last installment?

Let's hope so!!


Jay