Last weekend we all packed into the van and went and saw the newest Hobbit movie. We enjoyed it. I've read a lot of reviews about it, and most say the story is stretched thin. But, what were they expecting? After all, this is a movie about a very significant battle in Middle Earth history and the movie doesn't shy away from it in the slightest. We get a great war, very relatable characters, and a terrific moral lesson in the effects of unfettered greed.
I love the Hobbit book. I've read it a dozen times or more (same goes for the Lord of the Rings trilogy). To me it is a fun adventure story with a likable hero who grows from a shy farmer into a stout adventurer who bandies with wizards and slays evildoers. It's great stuff. The movies take much more under its wings (in particular the return of Sauron and how that goes on), and tells more about what Gandalf was up to when he wasn't with Bilbo.
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| Smaug the Terrible |
Some of the things I particularly enjoyed were the great number of times when the dialogue is taken verbatim from the book. Also, I loved the portrayal of the elf queen Galadriel. She is a mighty power, and this movie demonstrates that in an especially visual way. I won't spoil anything, but I will say it is impressive. Smaug of course is a fantastic dragon and will win awards for imagery and voice (he's definitely the best ever depicted in a movie). And the way the treasure troves of Erabor are shown makes us imagine just how enormous the whole horde must be, because it seems to go on forever.
I definitely recommend the movie. It dovetails neatly into the Lord of the Rings movies (and I sure can't fault the director that desire). These Hobbit movies are fun, the story easy to understand, and will see a lot of sales all around the world. I'm glad we have them now. I doubt epic fantasy will reach this high again for a long time, but if it does I'll certainly be there to see it.
- M
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