Hobbit Review (SPOILERS)

Hobbit Review (SPOILERS)

In my highly informed opinion, the best CGI that has ever been done. Gollum looked unreal, and by that I mean he looked extremely real.

Deviated from the book in ways that interrupt the narrative flow somewhat, and there are a lot of small changes that will bother power nerds. I was okay with most of them. Did not entirely like the Rivendell scene, and a lot of the added fight scenes bordered on Watchmen - like ridiculousness. Its a fine line though, and for the most part they were entertaining and not annoyingly gratuitous.

This movie on its own works best for people with a reasonable familiarity with Tolkien's writing - you need a passing knowledge of the Return of the King appendices and the Unfinished Tales. For those who know the entire canon and cosmology, the narrative is a little diced up and there are a lot of small changes that will be bothersome (Azog is a dead goblin, Gollum has six teeth (c'mon I mean really) etc etc). For those who have only seen Lord of the Rings or are even more unfamiliar with the mythology, the movie is likewise problematic (what the hell is going on, where's Legolas, etc etc).

For the latter group, the movie should improve depending on the strength of the next two. I suspect they will be fantastic. The seige of Dol Guldor is going to be so sick, and meeting Benedict Cumberbatch under the mountain should be absolutely epic.

All in all it is a good start to the Hobbit trilogy. Can't state enough how amazing the cgi was. The landscapes are sweeping and magnificent, with Jackson and company's typical attention to detail. Going to see it in imax next if possible.

Okay that's enough movie reviewing its bedtime dontchaknow.