Not well made

Rating: 6/10 (23 December 2012)

When the lights go out there are 9 minutes of cheap-looking CGI with voice-over story telling. Then "The Hobbit" starts. From here the movie seems to move at the same speed as reading a book. Not a good idea generally. Perhaps that is why the opening section is there – to sort of 'make up' to movie audiences for the slow start the real story has.
The next half an hour is set in Bilbo's house, before they leave Hobbiton on the journey – which drags.
The highlight of the movie is Martin Freeman. Well cast, and well played. The rest of the acting is functionary.
I wanted to enjoy the movie but felt that the ticket price is more than it is worth. Unfortunately the production quality comes across as the level of TV movie, or like playing a level of Doom 3 over and over. If I had watched this as a TV special I probably would have said well-done, but not great. As a big-budget movie it is very disappointing.
I imagine for a generation who have enjoyed Harry Potter movies without having read Rowling's books, and who will never read Tolkien either, The Hobbit as put together by Peter Jackson might be just as expected.
For me, sitting in a cinema for this long without being sufficiently entertained was tiresome. Thankfully I read Tolkien's books at a younger age so those memories will always remain.