Next level LOTR

Rating: 9/10 (7 January 2013)

From a long awaited impatience, i went to see this film as soon as possible, and it did not disappoint. With outstanding visuals from the very start, i was at no point near the back of my seat, glued to the action packed, yet cleverly spread special effects, i found the whole movie enthralling. I had doubts about how Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage would step up to such a big title, and a frankly high bar for serious fantasy, yet they did not disappoint, with a "rough ready warrior" taken on well by Armitage and a more quirky hobbit portrayed by Freeman, both roles took a well deserved centre stage in my estimations. The thought of returning to middle earth seemed like a shot in the foot possibility for the franchise, but the movie's impact on audience and overall likeness to the LOTR's style, made this movie a rejuvenating addition to the box office hits. This movie, as i have already mentioned was action packed, but more effectively than the LOTR's were, with only short gaps of inactivity, before the next battle or conflict began. In addition the return of gollum seemed a welcome prospect for many fans, but the character they thought they new, in fact had a more impacting personality in this movie, as he was half way through his transition from smeagol to gollum, the personality split was more obvious, and smeagol had a more human like tint, that would seem to conflict audiences ideas of loving or hating the creature. Overall the movie was a triumph. And the same as when the LOTR's first appeared, i cant help but see The Hobbit movies only getting better. Outstanding.