Who's going to see it? I'm leaving work early today to beat the Friday rush. I honestly haven't been following the development of the film so besides a trailer or two I am going in blind. I hope it's good and honestly can't imagine it won't be.
I'll be seeing it on Weds, on some overly huge (but not IMAX-sized) screen. I've glimpsed a few reviews but my concern has been the length (ever since it was announced) and if even Peter Jackson can pull off stretching The Hobbit in to three full-length films...
Its supposed to be three films now? I think that's too much.
I saw it last night in the new High Speed Frame format and it really looked like the film was being played in fast-forward mode. I think I got used to it near the end but there were some movements where it was a bit much. I think they could've worked around this with better (read slower) camera angling and such.
That said, the clarity of the detail is amazing - some scenes feel like you are right there with them.
Content wise, I wont give away any spoilers. They did a decent job for the most part but I don't really like the filler that was added. It wasn't bad but it wasn't needed and it took away from the main characters. I need to find someone who is really into this to see if the added material was from the cliff notes JRR Tolkien left behind or some of his other novels.
I need to find someone who is really into this to see if the added material was from the cliff notes JRR Tolkien left behind or some of his other novels.
Supposedly the extra material is coming from the appendices from The Lord of the Rings (Return of the King).
I used to be into the books in a big way, including The Silmarillion, but that was a decade or more ago. I should have re-read the book before I see the movie to be able to better compare the two (because I like doing shit like that, not because a movie can't be good on its own merits).
And I agree, I was disheartened when I heard it was going to be a trilogy. Nothing for it but to hope it rocks I suppose.
Well I saw it. It's long (no surprise there), and there's a lot of filler, like PhoenixDown said. Some I felt could have been omitted, but hey it's a Peter Jackson Tolkien film, they probably left a lot on the cutting room floor they're saving for the first blu ray edition. I remember most of what they added from other JRRT material Radagast the Brown, the Necromancer and Azog the Desecrator!!!! .
The tone is lighter and some of the comedy is more slapstick, but I felt they caught the spirit of the book very well as The Hobbit was much lighter than the LOTR trilogy in literature. A lot of noticeable CG is used, but I thought it was mostly done well. The Gollum scenes are absolutely spot on and brilliant. Lots of scenery pron. The Dwarves are great. Big battle scenes. Dragon teasers. I had not heard of the framerate controversy and didn't notice it, but I saw the regular version (not 3D) so don't even know if that version is filmed at 48fps.
All in all I loved it. I've seen a lot of hate from critics but I don't get it...then again I guess I'm a bit biased. My biggest fear was that this was going to be a Phantom Menace but those fears are allayed. Great movie. A realistic 8/10 for the content and an enthusiastic 9.5 out of 10 because I'm a fanboy and OMG TEH HOBBIT AND IT DOESN'T SUCK IT'S TEH EPIC
I'm going to see it when it comes out on blu-ray... and then I'll watch Lord of the Rings, again. So, a whole day--or two--in Middle-earth. And when the second Hobbit film comes out--I think there'll just be two, not three, but I guess we'll have to see how that goes--I'll do it again.
1 - An Unexpected Journey 2- The Desolation of Smaug 3 - There and Back Again
Spoilers about the pacing of the first movie, if you've read the book and don't mind knowing when the first movie ends it's ok to read:
The first movie ends right after the party is rescued by the Eagles. I'm guessing the second will mostly take place in Mirkwood and get them to The Lonely mountain and Dale, and in the third they will deal with Smaug and the Battle of Five Armies (duh lol). It does seem natural to make three movies, although I still think they could have done it in two if they didn't add all the extra content. I'm still not sure The Hobbit should be as long as the entire LOTR trilogy.
That's odd. I read a story/interview with Jackson a few months back--and I think it was a recent interview--where he said he thought it would be only two films, not three. Of course, maybe it was an older article than I thought. Either way, it ought to be fun.
Saw it this weekend and highly impressed. Not posting spoilers but I will say that that Richard Armitage (Thorin) and Martin Freeman (Bilbo) could walk away with an award for their acting.
Overall impressed.
Local theater is 2D only (small town) so didn't get the 3d view of it.
Took the wife and daughter last night to the big D theater, (used to be an Imax - huuuuuge screen) my wallet is hurting, but the movie was great. Looking forward to the next ones.
Saw it today...really liked it. I see where they got the extra material but its going to be hard to wait for all 3 movies. I'll still love them...but I hate waiting....
i finally saw the hobbit, and was somewhat disappointed. i wish jackson would have taken more creative license and come up with more original settings.
going back to rivendale for yet another quest counsel *yawn*
going back underground for yet another scaffold falling escape *yawn*
yet another chase through the rocky fields from orcs on dog beasts *yawn*
yet another flying eagle escape *yawn*
it seems half the movie was a retread of elements from LOTR. i found myself relatively bored, rather than feeling nostalgic. this needs to be more original to survive yet another 2 movies.
and the smartest oldest people in middle earth are not at all suspicious of Saruman while he is being so dismissive?
I read Tolkien, and i know hobbit preceded LOTR so obviously it's LOTR that took elements from hobbit - but we are talking about a movie here, and honestly i think Jackson got lazy with Hobbit, and just took set pieces and CGI frames out of mothballs for this. Tolkien decendents already washed their hands of these movies* so Jackson should have used that freedom to get crazy with Hobbit.
* they would not authorize the use of any Silmarillion content.
I saw the movie over on Saturday and I have to say, I was entertained and it seemed the entire theater was too. 11:45AM showing and there was not an empty seat in the theater; it was crazy! I thought it was a fun movie and am excited to see the follow-ups.
I feel bad for people who go in with expectations and criticize every little thing in movies and come out unhappy/disappointed. A movie should be an escape from reality, whether it's realistic or not.
I brushed it off, in the full scope of things, but the only thing I was questioning was where/how the eagles came into the picture. If they are able to fly atop these birds, why not fly all the way to their destination? Instead of it taking days/weeks to get there, it could take hours by flight (or so it seemed by the vistas shown while airborne.)
I also have only read the Hobbit book and that was over 10 years ago so I don't really know much about the background of the eagles' involvement.
IIRC, in the book the Great Eagles could talk and they said that the Lonely Mountain was too far from their homes. The Great Eagles were ambivalent, willing to help out a friend (Gandalf) but they don't care about hobbits or dwarves and would only go so far to help them out because they hate orcs and goblin kin.
I saw the movie over on Saturday and I have to say, I was entertained and it seemed the entire theater was too. 11:45AM showing and there was not an empty seat in the theater; it was crazy! I thought it was a fun movie and am excited to see the follow-ups.
I feel bad for people who go in with expectations and criticize every little thing in movies and come out unhappy/disappointed. A movie should be an escape from reality, whether it's realistic or not.
I brushed it off, in the full scope of things, but the only thing I was questioning was where/how the eagles came into the picture. If they are able to fly atop these birds, why not fly all the way to their destination? Instead of it taking days/weeks to get there, it could take hours by flight (or so it seemed by the vistas shown while airborne.)
I also have only read the Hobbit book and that was over 10 years ago so I don't really know much about the background of the eagles' involvement.
Not to come off like too much of a dork, but the eagles are a proud, sentient race that mostly keep to themselves and wouldn't agree to carry them. It's demeaning. But you're right. There are now three instances where the eagles save the heroes' collective bacon (in The Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy), and they will make at least one more appearance. I think Peter Jackson needs to take a scene and explain why the eagles don't just fly everyone everywhere. A conversation between Gandalf and Bilbo would do it.
I think Peter Jackson needs to take a scene and explain why the eagles don't just fly everyone everywhere. A conversation between Gandalf and Bilbo would do it.
This is pretty much it. With no explanation, someone who doesn't know the backstory(such as I) just has no clue lol. But I digress; I still knew as soon as I saw the butterfly that the eagles were coming to save them and was giddy to see them show up
quote:as soon as I saw the butterfly that the eagles were coming to save them and was giddy to see them show up
Not having read the books I thought the butterfly was associated with Galadriel and she had sent the eagles.........thx for the info.
I just assumed the butterfly and eagles were connected because Gandalf did the same thing in one of the Lord of the Rings movies/books while battling Saruman (The Two Towers?)