Really lives up to the hype!

Rating: 10/10 (14 December 2012)

As a huge LOTR fan I was really looking forward to the Hobbit. My childhood memories came all back when I saw the first trailer, I was a kid again. I really loved the book of the Hobbit and couldn't believe that they were making this film.
If feels like going home in the beginning, the Shire is one of the most beautiful film sets ever created, and I hope one day I will be visiting it. When I watched the opening credits and the scene's with Bilbo and Frodo I was already sold. The film looks beautiful. The prologue at the beginning was stunning and really interesting. It gave a good perspective and background story to some of the dwarfs, especially Thorin. When the unexpected party arrives at Bilbo's home you'll get a good introduction with some of the dwarfs, although I wish some of the dwarfs were given more screen time. But a great intro to the film and to the journey. The journey itself is one big action-packed ride, going from one beautiful location to the other.
Martin Freeman does an amazing job portraying Bilbo and you really see that during the movie Bilbo grows from a home loving and simple Hobbit to a brave and loyal companion to the dwarfs. Ian Mckellen is of course again superb as his role as Gandalf, just like Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett. I was really impressed with the performance of Richard Armitage as Thorin. A really hardened and angry dwarf with an interesting past. I think the relationship between Thorin and Bilbo was really well executed and you'll see it progress during the film. And as for the dwarfs, I loved them all. Really fun and interesting characters that keep a smile on your face right until the end of the film.
Peter Jackson you've done it again, you created a masterpiece. This film kept me entertained right to the very end. I can't wait until the next one.
Brilliant and beautifully executed! 10/10