An expected success...

Rating: 10/10 (17 December 2012)

With the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, expectations for the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey were tremendously high, with many wondering whether Jackson's return to Middle Earth would be as good as the first. Although I am going to keep comparisons between the two trilogies to a minimal, this much is clear - The Hobbit doesn't disappoint.
Jackson once again delivers a masterpiece - The return to Middle Earth is exhilarating and certain scenes (that I am not going to spoil) bring back a sense of nostalgia from previous films. By using the Appendices, Jackson adds more story to the Hobbit, explaining a lot of previously unanswered questions, such as "Where was Gandalf during that time?"
However, perhaps too much may have been added, as little happens for the first 40 minutes of the film and unnecessary scenes could have been thrown out and replaced by something more....suitable.
Actor Martin Freeman makes a fantastic Bilbo, one who I couldn't see any other actor replace. Ian McKellen once again does an excellent portrayal as Gandalf, Richard Armitage plays the role of Thorin Oakenshield brilliantly and I don't even have to say anything about Andy Serkis.
The Hobbit kept me entertained from start to finish - The special effects were brilliant and throughout the whole film I was either laughing, sitting forward in my seat or staring in awe at the screen in front of me.
Howard Shore also does an excellent job with the soundtrack, which fits perfectly in with the film.
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges for Jackson would have been the atmosphere of the film - The Hobbit was a children's book after all, and because the tone is different from the Lord of the Rings, many were worried that it may not have that "magic" that the Lord of the Rings trilogy had. I can honestly say, however, that I haven't enjoyed a film as much since seeing Return of the King back in 2003.
Overall, the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a great film, one which left me satisfied all the way through (With the exception of the slow beginning.) You definitely don't want to miss out on this one.
9.5/10