The magic is back

Rating: Null/10 (19 December 2012)

For some deep, metaphysical reason, 9 is the number of years to wait to get a long-craved sequel of an absolutely top-notch movie. Those of us dying to follow the story and Jesse and Celine waited for 9 years from "Before sunrise" (1995) to "Before sunset" (2004), and now in sheer ecstasy wait for "Before midnight" (2013). Likewise, 9 years after the release of the finale of the LOTR trilogy, Peter Jackson brings back the magic with another trilogy, starting with "The Hobbit: an unexpected journey". The next two years will have us waiting eagerly for "The desolation of Smaug" and "There and back again".
Yes, this is a prequel rather than a sequel. Those who are familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien's works of unparalleled imagination will understand that the movie "The Hobbit" offers far more than the book. "The Hobbit" was written in 1937 as a children's book. Then, in publishing "The fellowship of the Ring" in 1954, he preceded it with a "Forward" starting thus: "This tale grew in telling, until it became a history of the Great War of the RingÂ…". But that's not all. Published posthumously by his family, compiled from an immense treasure of notes he left behind, were numerous titles providing stupendous depth to Middle Earth, including "The Silmarillion" in 1977 which started from the very beginning of mythical creation, long before Middle Earth came into existence. To reiterate, the movie "The Hobbit", while based primarily on book at least insofar as the main plot is concerned, is more, much more, with material drawn from this vast treasure.
To those who have watched the LOTR trilogy numerous times ("extended" DVD collection) over these nine years will be "coming home" first and foremost not through visual images, but rather the heart warming signature theme for The Shire (which some have come to regard as the second, a mellow version of New Zealand's national anthem). There is also the Rivendell theme which is at once awe-inspiring and wonder-inspiring, as well as the mysterious, insinuatingly sinister theme accompanying the One Ring.
The story starts with sure footing from Bilbo's quiet life at Bag End being interrupted by the arrival of Gandalf, then the 12 Dwarfs. It moves forward delightfully slowly, except to those whose capacity for enjoyment is all but eroded by hopeless overdoses of Hollywood ram-bang flicks. Once the journey starts, the audiences is all but captivated. After a necessary diversion to Ragagast (a thread soon neatly joint), the movie offers up an immensely entertaining sequences on the well-known encounter with the three cannibal trolls. Attacks by goblins brought the company to Rivendell and a scene that is uniformly praised by critics: the council of those at the pinnacle of power and wisdom). Final set piece at the globins' turf at Misty Mountains provide a final climatic conclusion to this first of the trilogy.
The movie is well cast. I, for one, particularly like Martin Freeman in the titular role, aptly portraying Bilbo as more solid and less airy than Frodo. Interesting to note that in the scene when Bilbo is invisible, wearing The Ring, Freeman can almost pass for Dustin Hoffman who would have been perfect had the movie been made a couple of decades ago. Richard Armitage is absolutely convincing as the regal and fierce Dwarf King Thorin. Sylvester McCoy is also marvellous as Ragagast the Brown with passion and eccentricity in equal measure. A lot of our "old friends" have come back, in roles varying from briefly cameo to more substantial. Andy Serkis's Gollum still owns the screen whenever he appears. Cate Blanchett, as Galadriel, still has that enigmatic, bewitching, soul-penetrating smile that you are ready to die for without even as much as a blink. Last but not least, the rest of the Dwarfs are all adorable darlings!