An excellent film

Rating: 9/10 (15 December 2013)

OK, so I may have been a little generous in my review of this film, but it was an excellent film in my opinion. In terms of character development, the film has not fallen short. Because of Martin Freeman's excellent display of hesitancy, the Bilbo character has nailed, and I feel the same about the other characters. My primary issue arises in terms of plot and story. I am an avid fan of the books, and while I felt the directors took a lot of creative freedom in The Hobbit part one, I feel like they almost completely ditched the book in this movie. Sure, the companions end up in the same place by the end of the movie, but damn if they took a lot of extra turns before then. If you have never read the books and can enter the movie with no idea as to what is going to happen, than enjoy an excellent film. If you have read the Hobbit, enjoy a rendition that has a Tolkien base. All in all, a very good film, unless you believe the movie should be the book in visual form, with nothing added or removed.