Thursday 20 December 2012

Its a Hobbit thing

I was hoping to post some progress pictures from my latest painting project but it was not to be. I have a good excuse though, and its got hairy feet. Last night we had a family night out to see the new Hobbit movie. We didn't bother with the 3D version but the new format of 48 frames per second really made this a glorious film to dive into. I was initially a bit sceptical about the decision to make three films out of such a slim book, but after about half an hour watching I didn't care any more...I was just immersed in Middle Earth and didn't want it to end.



I'm a big fan of the book - I must have read it at least twenty times over the years - and for me it has a very special place in my heart. I'm also a big Lord of the Rings fan but its the story of Bilbo Baggins that has always held the greatest attraction for me, perhaps because I think Tolkein's prose is so well written he managed to fit a huge saga into a very slim book. So when I initially heard that Peter Jackson was going to make it into two films I wasn't at all surprised. But like many others when it became clear this would actually be made into a trilogy my first reaction was "oh god, what's he doing with the story"! Lets just say that having watched the first film I could happily see it turned into four or five films (OK maybe that's stretching it a bit but you get my point). 

First let me say that it was clear from watching this film that Peter Jackson also loves the book. There is so much detail in the film that I'm sure other Directors would have left out. I'm sure there are plenty of so called film-experts who will go on about the film being stretched out or lacking in pace or some other pseudo-technical nonsense, but frankly this isn't just another Hollywood film to be churned out using the same old tired formula. This is The Hobbit, this is Tolkein, and it deserves better. For me, Peter Jackson has achieved that. 

I'm not about to nominate The Hobbit for a shelf load of Oscars (although it deserves something, if only for the cinematography which was beautiful) but neither am I going to join in the anti-Jackson hype that seems to be infesting some corners of the Internet. This was a good solid film which stuck strongly - but not slavishly - to the book while providing plenty of connection to the earlier films. I don't think I'm spoiling anything if I say there is a significant amount of foreshadowing of the later events in LoTR's, and as a Tolkein fan I loved it. 

I also enjoyed the characterisation of the Dwarves and the fact that much of the humour of the book came through in the film. My youngest daughter was laughing throughout the film and I was glad that the story wasn't too dark (although it had its moments) and remained true to its origin as a children's book. This is a much lighter film in tone than the LoTR's but that was entirely appropriate because this is after all an adventure tale, not the doom laden end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it scenario of the later films. This is the tale of a stay at home hobbit who has his eyes opened to the wonder, danger and beauty of the worlds he lives in, and we are being taken along for the ride.

Like LoTR's the Hobbit is primarily a journey. The books subtitle is There and Back Again and that wonderfully describes the symmetry of the storytelling. The tale is one of a long journey and a transformational one for all the characters involved. At the start of the film trying to resolved the jumble of dwarves was confusing but by the end of the film the viewer knows each pretty well and more importantly has become emotionally invested in their adventure.

One of the big - and in my opinion utterly unfair - criticisms of the film is the fact that it has been shot in 48 fps rather than the traditional 24fps. The technique has been describes as 'hyper reality' as if that was somehow a bad thing. The crispness and clarity of the picture was astounding and I felt it made Middle-Earth (well, New Zealand) look even more beautiful than in the first three films. Some scenes literally took my breath away and I could feel myself grinning like a Kid at Christmas and thinking, "I don't want this to end".

Another criticism that has been levelled at the film was that the CGI wasn't very good. This one confuses the hell out of me because I thought the CGI was amazing - most of the time I couldn't see it, even when I was looking at something that clearly couldn't exit in reality. In particular characters like Gollum and the Goblin King were so well acted and so well rendered that I forgot I wasn't watching a real person.

I suspect that most of the criticism of the film has been born out the anticipation generated by the earlier films. This might be a bit of an over generalisation but from what I have seen online many so called 'fans' had written off The Hobbit on the grounds that it wasn't The Lord of the Rings... well newsflash folks it isn't LoTR's and its a better movie for it! Go and see the film for yourself and go with an open mind and more importantly an open heart, because I think if you give this film half a chance you'll love it as much as I did.

☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5 Stars

24 comments:

  1. Great review! My family and I are seeing the film tonight... and I am looking forward to seeing it, probably more than once.

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    1. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Its a proper family film IMHO that can be enjoyed by all ages.

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    2. Saw it. Loved it! Now only a year for the next. I especially liked the eagles.

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  2. 5/5 high praise indeed! I'll be going along to see the film, not quite sure when or who with yet!! Nice one Mr Hadley!

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    1. I hope you can overcome your aversion to 'fantasy' and go to see it! Lol.

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  3. Meh, I saw it a short while back, and I disagree with you;

    The pace of the film wasn't that bad, so I agree with you there, however where I sincerely disagree with you is the CGI, now, Gollum was fine, however to me the Goblins, and Azog, both looked obviously CGi, I mean, just compare them to the Orcs and Goblins from LOTR, in comparion the Hobbit goblins just look stupid.
    I enjoyued reading this bit of your post;

    "I suspect that most of the criticism of the film has been generated by the anticipation generated by the earlier films. This might be a bit of an over generalisation but from what I have seen online many so called 'fans' had written off The Hobbit on the grounds that it wasn't The Lord of the Rings... well newsflash folks it isn't LoTR's and its a better movie for it! Go and see the film for yourself and go with an open mind and more importantly an open heart, because I think if you give this film half a chance you'll love it as much as I did."

    Well firstly don't use that 'closed-mind' type of argument on me, because I, as a hardcore nerd, was eagerly anticipating The Hobbit, and was since it was first announced.
    Second, you're saying that people are writing it off because it isn't LOTR, I don't really see your argument, The Hobbit films are prequels to LOTR, ergo comparing one to the other is entirely justified.

    Anyway, that's my rant over, ta. :)

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    1. I appreciate that not everyone will agree with my review, and your entitled to yours (although I think I can use the 'closed mind' argument if I want to, it was my review after all), but I think you misunderstand my point. There was an almost impossible-to-live-up-to anticipation generated ahead of the Hobbit being screened. And there were a lot of voices saying how the Hobbit clearly wasn't as good as LoTR's, the casting was a disaster, Jackson had 'sold-out' to the movie execs, that 48fps was a gimmick... and these opinions were based just on reviews of the trailer!

      Many viewers have changed their minds upon seeing the first film, and some haven't. That's the nature of film making - you can't please everyone. But there seems to be a significant and vocal minority that were never going to be happy, whatever the merits of the film. I do think that they are 'closed minded' and I think that's a great pity because they are missing out on the wonder and magic of Jackson's vision of Middle Earth.

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  4. Thank you, thank you, thank you so MUCH for this review!!!
    I was reading so many-many negative comments about the film these days, that I was about to surrender and to wait for the DVD release next year... now IT IS a firm family plan for Sunday afternoon indeed (with family or without family, I don't care).
    PS: I haven't read The Hobbit 20 times, but probably 8-10 (around 50% of those in Spanish and the rest in English)

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  5. I was chatting with a mate who recently saw it. He liked it but said he would wait till all three are on DVD rather than go back to see the next two. Not that he did not enjoy it but unlike you he felt it was stretched. Each to their own is my thoughts

    Ian

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  6. Given the price of the cinema, and for me public transport to get there and back DVD is the only real option. Which is a shame but good things come to those that wait (Or so I keep telling myself).

    Ubrelated: I got "Blitzkrieg Commander" today and will start to make some dedicated 6mm game boards. Inspired by your 6mm endeavours!

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    1. It was expensive, and we didn't go to the 3D showing which was three pounds more each. But as this is only the second film I have seen at the cinema this year I think we can afford to push the boat out a little!

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  7. Great review Lee, and interesting in the face of the negative feedback recently seen. I'm looking forward to seeing this and your seal of approval is welcoming ;)

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    1. Like I said at the end, go with an open mind and an open heart. I think with any film like this you have to watch it with the same ability to 'wounder' that you did as a child, and then you can be swept along by the story being told.

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  8. I agree with all you say Lee, I didn't want my return to Middle-Earth to end either... can't wait for the Extended edition to hit the DVD shelves...

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  9. I agree completely! My sons and I loved the film.

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  10. I am yet to see the film. But thank you for the review.

    Maybe after Christmas.

    Tony

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  11. Lee, thanks for such an excellent review. I'm going to see it over the holidays with the family as well. I've been a little nervous before reading a few blog posts from people I trust (like you - well, after all, you're a wargamer!!). I feel a lot happier now. I only wish you'd been on BBC2's Late Review instead of the very negative panel they ended up with!!

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  12. Something I've noticed over the years is that, quite often, sci-fi and fantasy films are treated a lot more harshly by the critics than othr genres so as a rule of thumb I tend not to pay much or any attention to them.
    I've seen the Hobbit, in 2d like you Lee, and it had my wife commenting she thought it a bit long, my 11 year old son and his friend were riveted for the duration and personally would quite happily have sat there if the Cinema announced tht Peter Jackson had been kidding about the release dates and we could stay and watch the next two installments straight away.

    Jackson obviously is passionate about his subject and treats it with a love and respect other directors could never even aspire to h was from when I saw the Fellowship of the Ring the only director capable of taking on the rest of the movies.

    By the way whatever happened to Jacksons remake of The Dambusters I'd have thought that that would have been made by now?

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  13. Now I'm intrigued. I hadn't given the film any thought at all but after your excellent write up I'll have a look. I saw the LOTR films and ended up enjoying them all...this sounds Hobbit forming as well (pun intended). Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

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  14. It wouldn't be Christmas without LOTR or The Hobbitt :P Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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  15. Well I loved it also (and as a great dwarf fan you can't have too many of them in a film!) :-)

    The only comment I'd add is about the 48fps. You were lucky to see it in that format as there are hardly any cinemas (only about 100) in the UK that are capable of showing films in 38fps. In Edinburgh (city of 600k people!) where I am, there's only one. All other cinemas show it in the usual 24fps. (For interest, the full ist of cinemas is here - http://film.list.co.uk/article/47260-the-hobbit-at-48-frames-per-second-where-to-see-it/)

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