Back to Middle Earth

Rating: 8/10 (19 January 2013)

The film is an excellent tribute to the original novel, it is a more mature version of it. While The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey does not reach the standards created by The Lord of the Rings trilogy, it fits quite well in the LOTR filmography and universe.
The realization is fantastic, the attention to detail is breathtaking. Yes, there are a few forced elements in the film, like the barfing and salivation of dwarfs, trolls. But unlike others, my main little complaints are related to the small story changes, not from the The Hobbit but the LOTR appendix. The death of Thrór, grandfather of Thorin could have been left as it was in the novel to explain the War of the Dwarfs and Orcs. As well as the role of Dáin II Ironfoot in the Battle of Nanduhirion. If Bolg have been left in the story as it was in the book, it could have helped to emphasize the Orc-Dwarf antipathy by the Orc's desire to avenge his father.
Apart from the above the film is almost flawless. The acting is great, the story development is very good. The score is familiar but perfectly realized. And if you are carried along by the storytelling, you won't be distracted by the CGI. All that discussion related to the effects is over-hyped.
I think some dissatisfaction also comes from the fact that this film lacks monumental battle scene. There is the Battle of Nanduhirion (or Azanulbizar), but since it is a flashback, it is short. Maybe spending a little more time and money on this instead of CGI saliva could have satisfied some, who remained without the taste of grandiose in their mouth.
Of course, another aspect is that this film lacks the novelty factor. When The Fellowship of the Ring came out, it was fresh, nothing ever seen before in cinema. And it was completed masterfully by the two monumental sequels. The little flaws were overlooked. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey does not possess this only the expectation factor. The critics were eager to emphasize the film's flaws.
So, don't mind the critics. The film is very good, Jackson's tendency for quality shines from it. Hope that the sequels will be perfect and the critics will be satisfied.