Exceeds expectations

Rating: 9/10 (14 December 2012)

As a huge Tolkien fan, it was with mixed fear and excitement that I went to see the Hobbit: an unexpected journey, last night. I was really worried about how Jackson was going to extend the Hobbit into three films. But in retrospect, there was no reason to worry at all! There is not a dull moment in the entire film.
The story is not as dark as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but it still have the same feel to it. You do feel like you're back in the same Middle-earth as before, but things are not yet as grim and desperate as in the old films. Some people might complain about there being too much comedy and slapstick but you need to remember that the Hobbit was written as a children's book. I like the fact that they expand upon some story lines that does not have the same weight in the book, such as the white council and some of the issues between dwarfs and elves, but it still remain true to the original story. Obviously the film is visually stunning and the 3d and 48 fps work really well.
I enjoyed it a lot and look forward to the next part!