Small Beginnings

Rating: 9/10 (29 December 2012)

A new movie about from the hand of Peter Jackson about the Hobbits, what a pleasure to see. I was too young to go see the Lord of the Rings movies in the cinema, but have seen them later (multiple times) and I thought that trilogy was one from outstanding excellency so I was eager to see how this one turned out.
The first thing I wondered was how Martin Freeman would do as Bilbo Baggins. The role I have seen him in, Watson in the Sherlock series, is naturally completely different. I was positively surprised. Freeman puts down an excellent Hobbit, scared at first to explore the wide world with a bunch of wild but noble dwarfs but evolving into a hero and companion. All the roles that have appeared in the LotR franchise are still excellent, Gandalf the Grey, Elrond, Galadriel and of course the creature Gollum(who was welcomed by the people in the cinema with me with cheering). The new characters that you meet in this movie stand strong against the already strong cast as well. The dwarfs in this companionship are fierce, funny and a joy to watch.
Once again, I take a deep bow for the effects and scenery in this movie. Everything is worked out in the finest detail, even the most minor details in the background. The landscapes are beautiful, the city of Erebor is beautiful and the underground mines with the countless rope bridges and the place Gollum resides look spectacular.
The storyline, while still not finished at the end of this movie, is of good quality, like we're used to from Tolkien. What I heard before watching this movie was that the story is stretched out way too much over the movie, people were saying they got bored because nothing was happening. I didn't get bored for the full 3 hours of the movie, which is a remarkable achievement by the director.
I welcome a new era of Hobbit movies and eagerly await the next 2 movies.