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Bonneville Seattle is raising funds for the construction of a second Fisher House at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma and we need your help.The Hobbit: a welcome return to Middle Earth
December 14, 2012 @ 2:10 pm
The Hobbit, the first film in Peter Jackson's Hobbit Trilogy has arrived but is receiving mixed reviews. Some say it is too long. Some say the new technology of using 48 frames per second makes the film look weird--like you're watching a play instead of a movie. Others point out that the dwarves do not have the character depth The Fellowship had in the Lord of the Rings Series and that some of the scenes feel more like video game sequences than movie. All of these things are true.
And yet, what a pleasure it was to return to Middle Earth.
Martin Freeman, the British actor most famous for his role as the "Jim" character in the original version of "The Office" and his outstanding current role as Dr. Watson in the BBC's "Sherlock", is absolute perfection as Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit with a heart for adventure. Ian McKellen is wonderfully commanding as the wizard Gandalf, and Andy Serkis devours every scene as the pathetic, corrupted creature Gollum. In fact, one scene alone is worth the price of admission for fans: the scene in which Bilbo meets Gollum and obtains the legendary Ring of Power. Bilbo and Gollum square off in a game of riddles that is at once suspenseful and hilarious.
These actors are supported by a fine cast of characters and fans will enjoy cameos from a number of favorites from the Lord of the Ring's Trilogy, but much of the film's success is due to the captivating and charismatic depiction of Bilbo by Freeman.
The story of The Hobbit is less epic than that of Lord of the Rings and for that reason I wish this one had arrived first. While in Lord of the Rings, all of Middle Earth faced enslavement from an evil power, The Hobbit boils down to Dwarves wanting to retake their ancestral home from the clutches of a powerful dragon. Therefore it feels like less is at stake.
There is much I would change about The Hobbit, but as a fan of Middle Earth, even after the over-long running time, I found myself wishing I didn't have to wait to see the other two films...
For those who wish to comment:
Inevitably, someone will post a negative comment over the fact I am taking the time to review The Hobbit when so many serious things are going on in the world. I understand. No need to point this out. I grant that you are correct, and serious things indeed are going on. But such things were also going on in J.R.R. Tolkien's day. However, he wrote the books anyway, in part I believe, because he thought such tales had the ability to pass along virtues for the reality of everyday life.
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