Thrilling and fun, but disjointed plot and characters

Rating: Null/10 (27 December 2012)

Packed with action, suspense and laughs, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey proves to be a thrilling adventure story--however, the plot feels discombobulated at best. Although The Hobbit is a fun adventure story (as compared to the serious quest of the trilogy), the film adaption has a plot that branches out in too many directions. For example, viewers hardly know which villain on which to focus their wrath--there is the white orc, the necromancer, the goblin king, Smaug and, of course, Sauron. Add to that the frequent sidetracks from the main plot (the brown wizard, for example) and the lengthy amount of time spent in the Shire before the band of travelers begins their quest, and viewers' confusion may well be complete. Another criticism is that overall I found that video game-esque action sequences overshadowed character development and acting potential. Thorin is--by far--the most developed of the dwarfs, but he does not draw viewers into the story as a sympathetic character. As portrayed on screen, there is nothing that sets Armitage's character apart from the typical fantasy action hero--a tough cookie and a bit aloof, but skilled with the blade. He comes off as rather one-sided in his stereotypical strong, silent character. In fact, viewers don't really invest in any of the dwarf characters because their development as characters is discarded in favor of jokes and action sequences. Thus, it is hard to care if they win or lose in battle. There is no sense of urgency or stakes being raised during the quest (despite the ever-present fact that The Hobbit is undoubtedly lighter reading material than the trilogy). If the dwarfs fail, then they simply continue to wander the wilderness. End of story.
On the bright side, Freeman is excellent as Bilbo, though I would've liked Freeman to have more screen time in the traveling scenes instead of the dwarfs and goblins. I hope in the future films he will be allowed more opportunities to act. McKellen does a fine job portraying Gandalf and, surprisingly, lightening the mood on many occasions. Serkis is masterful in his portrayal of Gollum. My favorite scene (besides the hungry trolls and the dwarfs' arrival at Bag End) was Riddles in the Dark. Bilbo and Gollum's game of riddles, fraught with tension, is captured skillfully in this scene. I also enjoyed the many allusions to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, though I hope the loose ends created by these hints (especially by the morgul blade and the necromancer) will be addressed in future installments. I am also glad that The Hobbit has its own musical theme, but still I wish not so much of the trilogy music was used (trying to apply the Gondor coronation theme to a dwarf scene threw me for a loop).
Overall, The Hobbit is a thrilling adventure, but do not expect it to have the same cohesion in plot and character development as the trilogy.
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