Fantastic, but gory!

Rating: 9/10 (1 January 2013)

I have seen the first two movies of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and have read the Hobbit when I was in elementary school. I didn't realize the film was done by Peter Jackson, until the end. Nonetheless, I was expecting a good movie and that's what I saw. This was my first time seeing a movie in high definition and it was quite amazing. The acting was powerful, the scenery breathtaking and the sound effects were incredible. I don't remember the book well enough to know how true the movie stays to Tolkien's text, but I do know that the book wasn't as gory or violent as the movie. This is my only complaint about the movie; when you take a children's book and make it into a blockbuster film, parents will think it's safe to bring their kids to it, and it's not. There is already enough violence in Hollywood films, and I was disappointed that the movie intensified the fantasy violence in the book. Other than that, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a great film and if you're over 18, I would encourage you to see it.