Review of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) by Ken S — 21 Dec 2014

Peter Jackson returns to Middle Earth in his adaptation of JRR Tolkien's "The Hobbit"...well at least part of the book. Jackson decided that even though he proved he could adapt each of the detailed book of "The Lord of the Rings" into one movie each, he needed to stretch the much more simple book of "The Hobbit" into THREE films.

So far I can't complain, while I did feel that there were moments that the film went on a few too many tangents, I appreciated that Jackson is not just making a straight adaptation of the first book, he is working in tales from "The Unfinished Tales" and other assorted works set in Tolkien's Middle Earth.

I think it worked best when Jackson stuck to the original tale, but he is so skilled at creating this world I find myself enjoying the bulk of it. The cast is great, not just those returning, but also newcomers to the series.

..Freeman is perfect as Bilbo, and Armitage plays a strong leader in Thorin Oakenshield. McKellan and Serkis are both great in their return to their roles from the previous series. All in all a solid start to this new trilogy, but not nearly as concise and strong as the previous three films.