Bilbo Warrior Hobbit: A Review of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." Part 1.

[lavendertook]

I saw The Hobbit for my third viewing on Saturday morning. It's really grown on me each time and now I give it two thumbs up, with a few reservations. It is a lot of fun and, mostly, very beautiful. I attribute my initial lukewarm reaction to being cranky from an earlier headache and bad traffic, further exacerbated by the 3D straining of my eyes

Comments

[addie71]

I still haven't seen the film, so I'll skip over the review, but it's good to know that the more you see it, the better you like it! :)

[lavendertook]

Even without the other problems, I always do have some canon shock to shed the first viewing--I even had that with FotR after not having touched the book in around 17 years.

[romeny]

That they, and Thorin especially, look like Klingon warriors

Eureka! That's what some of the dwarves reminded me of. I couldn't put my finger on it because I don't watch Star Trek that much.

Anyway I can see that you've given a lot of thought to this issue. It's fascinating how everyone's take on this movie differ but its all good to read. I agree with you about the bathroom breaks and I took one but probably at the wrong part. I agree that Warrior Bilbo was over the top, especially coming when it did.

I need to see it again to see if my perspective changes.

[lavendertook]

The angular architecture Lee and Howe give them even makes me think of how the Star Trek movies depcited Klingons.

I don't like him being Rambo-ized and so unhobbity--there were so many other ways they could have made that scene work.

They can count on us diehard fans to fill their coffers. (-; The artwork is so rich for those of us who just like being in Middle earth, that it gives them lots of room to muck about on the story.

[shirebound]

Freeman's performance is never wanting--he brings so much to every scene he's in and is the perfect Bilbo, with a resemblance to each of the Four Travelers of film LotR, but especially Pippin to emphasize his Tookishness.

So true. We're lucky PJ picked the absolutely perfect Bilbo.

[lavendertook]

He is a wonderful Bilbo, whoever he is. (-:

[browngirl]

I LOVE this long, deep, warm review; it's like a heated swimming pool. ;) The only thing I disagree on is Gandalf's first reaction to Galadriel -- I liked that she was Queen of Everything, because even among the royalty of the High Elves she's something special. But absolutely everything else you said from self-images to Klingony Dwarves to Rhosgobel rabbits to PJ needing a stern editing or three -- YES YES YES and also YES. Especially to all the ways you underscored the shifting/expanding of the story's scope between book and movie.

I can't wait for Part 2!

[lavendertook]

:-D I'm glad. And thank you! <3 I wouldn't mind if he were deferring to her as The Queen of Everything, but that's not how that courtly approach reads to me--I find it to be about creating access for the male petitioner and negating the power of the monarch, and only applied when a woman is wielding that power. So I hated seeing Gandalf play that way, but that's me. Yes, I love their digging into the Appendices. I have no problem with 3 movies with this theory in mind, nevertheless, this one could have used some edits.

It will be there when you're ready to play.(-:

[jan_u_wine]

wow! the meaty of this review! MORE meaty than a Dwarven Dinner! I think I'll cut and paste and answer in an email, you don't mind!

[lavendertook]

*passes the A-1* (-; Of course I don't mind.