A Stunning Piece of Art

Rating: 10/10 (17 December 2012)

Peter Jackson once again proves his aptitude for making films, and in particular the works of Tolkien. The cinematography was stunning, the acting (especially by Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis) was impeccable, and the story was exhilarating. For all the moviegoers who will enter the theater expecting to see another Lord of the Rings film, I can tell you right now you will be greatly disappointed, for the Hobbit reigns in a new feel of middle earth, one based on creatures, comedy, and cinematography. Not only does Jackson succeed in portraying the characters of a new Middle-Earth film, but he proves his ability to adapt to a completely and totally new style of literature. There are no ring wraiths, no groundbreaking betrayals, and no evil dark lords. Instead, a group of trolls, a pack of hungry wargs, and a comedic looking goblin king fill the screen. The scale of The Hobbit, which is reflective of the book, is reduced from that of Lord of the Rings. One quest bore the weight of the world and the other derived itself from a Hobbit's unavoidable desire for adventure.
Many criticized Jackson for butchering the Lord of the Rings (I personally do not, having read the series twice I think he did an incredible job portraying Frodo's journey). Those critics, who believed he left out key parts, are sure to enjoy the detail, accuracy, and precision of the film, which even incorporated new characters and parts to make the three movies flow with more connectivity.
I would be remiss if I wrote a review about the Hobbit and didn't speak directly to the scene dubbed "riddles in the dark". The acting between Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman here is nothing short of stunning. It is quite possibly one of the best scenes I have ever seen captured on film and undoubtedly the best performance capture excerpt in any movie. A second scene which measures close in stature occurs in Bag End, when the dwarfs sing "The Misty Mountains Cold" by the fire.
Go see the movie, it is nothing if not a stunning piece of art. Bound to make you hate Jackson for one thing--not releasing the next film for a whole year.