I went in 1 hour early to watch The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. 9 am on a Christmas morning I was standing outside the Mall to get my tickets (Could have purchased the tickets online but it doesn’t feel the same!). 1 hour later I was inside the theater watching the movie I have been waiting for a long time!
I had my apprehensions about the movie ever since it was announced that Hobbits would be a trilogy like Lord of the rings and unlike LOTR trilogy, The Hobbits was a book written for kids. I have read the book couple of times. To be honest I have not enjoyed quite a few movies that were based on a book. Having seen directors like Chris Columbus ruin Harry Potter film series (And now he is ruining Percy Jackson and the Olympians series), I wasn’t sure whether Peter Jackson could do it right again. Few minutes into the movie and I knew I was in a for a very good treat. The magic of the Middle Earth for there for all to see.
In the book the dwarves came across as little greedy and very grumpy. There was no way you could like them, like you liked Gandalf and Bilbo Baggins. The best thing about the movie is that Peter Jackson makes you feel sorry for dwarves and you tend to cheer for them. They are shown as normal people with loyalty, who are fighting for what they had lost.
As the movie goes The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is not based page by page on the Hobbits the book. There are lots of changes in the movie and that adds a bit of substance and meaning to the movie and makes it a more pleasurable experience to watch the movie.
Time for a short synopsis:
The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.
The focus is basically on three characters:
Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey: Once again it almost looks like he was always meant to play Gandalf (Mithrandir). He looks complete natural like he did in LOTR.
Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins: Pulled out the role to perfection. There are two stages to Bilbo Baggins. One where Bilbo is scared and doesn’t want to be part of the quest and the other where he finds his courage and fights shoulder to shoulder along side dwarves. Having seen him play small supporting roles in movies like Ali G Indahouse, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. I wasn’t sure whether he was a right guy to play Bilbo Baggins. But by the looks of it, he is just the right guy!
Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield: looked good in his role as the angry leader of the Company of Dwarves and thanks to Peter Jackson’s script changes his anger was justifiable.
Best thing about watching movie in a theater is that you sense what other people felt about the movie. I can vividly remember few scenes in the movie.
1. The scene where Gandalf helps the dwarves escape from the Goblins led by the Great Goblin was truly epic!
2. Gollum paddling from his island (Slimy island) in his little raft.
3. The game of riddles played out between Gollum and Bilbo Baggins. Gollum had everyone watching the movie in splits of laughter. It is really sad Andy Serkis never got Academy Awards for playing Gollum. Brilliant actor!
4. Thorin Oakenshield swallows his pride and accepts to Bilbo Baggins that he had never been so wrong about anybody else and hugs him.
If you haven’t seen the movie, make it a point to watch it. You won’t be disappointed!
