Excellent for Middle Earth Fans

Rating: 9/10 (4 January 2013)

Movie Critics don't deserve to watch movies based on JRR Tolkien's literature. They are ignorant movie goers and don't understand the subtleties of the Tolkien universe.
I really don't understand what any or all of the critics expected. Almost every single critic that wrote a review on the Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey goes into pointless ramblings about how long and boring it is. I mean, did these guys even see the extended version of the Lord of the Rings? Its in the same universe as those movies. Seriously, 2 hours and 45 minutes is not that long. And, I don't understand how everyone is let down either. This ISN'T the Lord of the Rings. Don't expect it to be. Its a different story entirely. If you read both the Lord of the Rings, and the Hobbit, you will realize, they are COMPLETELY different styles of stories. However, they are both from the same Tolkien universe. So, for Peter Jackson to have done what he did with the movie, I say bravo. For example... In the books there is about 1 to 2 lines about the fight between the large stone giants in the mountains. How do you make that short in the movie? Impossible. The way that Peter Jackson handled it was extraordinary.
Yes, this movie seems longer as well. Do you want to know why? It is because the plot is not as urgent. It's true. Its not, but that is the way the story was written. Its not the end of the world, its just a journey of one hobbit to a lonely mountain. Secondly, this is one story unlike the Lord of the Rings which is at times 4 or 5 stories going at the same time. So obviously its going to seem a little bit long. Yet, if you see it truly as a journey of a young hobbit to find out who he truly is, then you can see why it might be necessary to elongate it. You can't change quickly and the things that happen to Bilbo on this journey, that were contained in very few sentences in the book must be represented by longer scenes in the movie to fully understand them. Anyone who truly understands JRR Tolkien's literature will understand the subtle or not so subtle differences between these two books and will recognize Peter Jackson for the true genius that he continues to be with this latest installment of the middle earth saga.