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1. Jan Berg 01.27.13 / 4pm

   I liked the review, I think you got some solid points when it comes to the length of the film. I hope the next two films will be less dragged out. Still I have to say, it is’s a movie worth watching.
2. Emma Karlsson 01.27.13 / 11pm

   I have to say I sort of disagree; I liked the beginning and thought it got worse as it went alone. I preferred the comical, more childish, direction that were shown in the beginning because it was different from LOTR. I’m a big fan of LOTR, so can’t diss the film – but when it comes to build-ups, characters, keystones in the film it copied LOTR way too much (the trilogies could’ve stayed connected yet separated, it’s not impossible) . It sort of reminded me of the fan-made film The Hunt for Gollum, only with a bigger budget.
3. Sandra Doyle 01.28.13 / 9am

   Considering it is the beginning of the end for the Lord of the Rings films, perhaps The Hobbit took its sweet time. I found it detailed and nostalgic, while albeit at times slow, it still was very entertaining. The action was full to the brim with extremely close calls and amazing feats so impossible they seem questionable. It’s an epic tale and takes it’s time to set the mood, especially in the shire, and I cannot wait for the next films to lead us to the lonely mountain.
4. Christopher Stull 01.28.13 / 9am

   I see where you are coming from. The first hour is kind of boring, but for someone who didn’t marathon the lord of the rings trilogy right before seeing the hobbit it was nice to get that tie in with the original three. I agree it was a very padded film, but the filling worked in my opinion. I felt like there was more going on in The Hobbit than the LOTR which, to me, was super boring at most times. The Hobbit feels faster paced which keeps me interested the whole time. I honestly can’t wait for the next film and I will be first in line.
5. Lauren Jackson 01.28.13 / 9am

   Since I have not yet read the book, unfortunately I cannot compare and contrast. Besides it being another part of the Lord of the Rings, I was reminded to try and think this film apart from the others.
   As I read through your review, I agree with quite a few things. The very beginning, if you remember it taking place in the dwarves past, where the dwarves are under immediate war, the elves are a**holes-they decide not to risk their lives in helping the dwarves, and it leaves us off with something to remember, a dragon entering into the castle, but we don’t know what has happened with the dragon until the very end.
   I agree, the beginning was much like the film works of Peter Jackson’s previous Lords of the Rings, though the camera work left most people dizzied and not able to digest everything before them until things slowed down again. About the width of this book compared to the rest, it too concerns me. It is smaller yet, it is being stretched into three parts. And because of this, I thought the first part was good, another great work of Peter Jackson, but also incredibly boring compared to his previous films.
6. Lawrence Gleeson 01.28.13 / 9am

   I enjoyed the film and look forward to the next two films. I hear the words of Bilbo echoing, “The worst is behind us.” I knew this was the first installment. I wouldn’t feel the same seeing the film as a stand alone. I also liked the film as it introduced the colorful characters and allowed a complexity to emerge. I agree the film isn’t on the same plane as “The Rings” trilogy. Nevertheless, I found the it entertaining and recommend the film to any viewer with an interest in “The Hobbit,” from reading the book or from watching Peter Jackson’s “Lord Of The Rings,” trilogy.
7. Jian Gedrick 01.28.13 / 10am

   I agree with the comments on the battle between the rock giants I was mesmerized by that scene. I have heard a lot of complaints about the beginning as well. I guess I would agree with that, but I was too distracted by how disappointing I found the effects at times. Especially in the beginning from manipulating the actors’ height to the pipe-smoked formed figures. In certain sequences I wasn’t too impressed with the fx, therefore it didn’t have as strong an impact as the Lord of the Rings.
8. {{ SuKi }} Susan Harvey 01.28.13 / 10am

   I hear you Byron about the film having memorable scenes and also being drawn out. I also found parts of the film quite excruciating. I really enjoyed the Shire scene for the incredible architecture and whimsical feeling, yet it did seem too long. I have not read the books, and the film standing alone was good but not great.
9. China Rose 01.30.13 / 10pm

   Very good review Byron, thanks for the details. This film was as I suspected perhaps as you have witnessed not everything it can be since it has so much to live up to. As a little story by itself things would be different, but alas such is Hollywood a constant derivative of some other piece. This film is foreshadowed by the fierce and fabulous, “Lord of the Rings” directed by Peter Jackson. It seemed to me this connection this film has with it’s roots would be the draw as well as, the draw back. Great insight into the storyline and it is as I suspected, a tad too shallow to ever be as great as the trilogy that came before it.
10. Karlie Jamieson 03.10.13 / 10pm

    I have heard many people say the same thing about the film, but honestly I liked the beginning. I have not seen the Lord of the Rings films more than once so I appreciated the few flashbacks and connections The Hobbit made. I enjoyed the beginning that took place at the shire but I suppose I can agree it was very long. I also really enjoyed the part of the movie where Bilbo meets Gollum. The movie was very beautiful to watch and I loved the special effects as I did with all the LOTR films. Then ending is what kills me the most is that I have to wait months to see the next part.
11. Per Riekkola 03.21.13 / 4pm

    I like your review. It kind of matches my thoughts of the film. I wasn’t skeptical at all to the high framerate like many others were. It made the experience even better and the 3D was amazing. I usually don’t like 3D in films, but for this genre it was a perfect match!
    I agree that the film took a long time starting up. It somehow feels like Peter Jackson is stretching the films a bit in order to make them into another trilogy even though the book is about 400 pages and the Lord of the Rings trilogy is about 1100.
12. Nic Tasca 03.22.13 / 9am

    This is a good review for The Hobbit. The film is very well done for portraying this book by Tolkien. It definitely does go into great detail, almost too much for my taste. The movie itself could have been the shortest of all the LOTR movies if Jackson kept the detail to a minimum and focused more attention on the story itself. Overall, I enjoyed the movie very much when it was released. The next two should be good as well, but I hope they stay under 2hrs. If Peter Jackson keeps them in the 2 hr ballpark, I feel that the movies will be a success.
13. Leticia Saragosa 03.22.13 / 3pm

    I have not read The Hobbit since the 5th grade in the 70’s. I re-read it before I saw the film version. You really nailed it when you said this film had a lot of filler. I agree it is a small book but which direction do we go with a novel like this. Make one movie and cut a lot out. Or make several movies and add a bunch of content. I agree that I don’t expect to see Elrond or Galadriel in the next movies. Mainly due to the fact that like the “Star Wars” prequel, items had to be added so that the sequels meshed and made some sort of sense. I for one didn’t appreciate the gore to make this movie seem more like Lord of the Rings. The Hobbit was a totally different type of novel without much graphic violence.
14. Michael Monteleone 04.11.13 / 11am

    I would have to say the beginning of this film felt like nothing was going anywhere. The middle to the end of the film was much better but still had only accomplish a little. I feel like the next films for the hobbit are going to be much better and a lot more will get done and feel less dragged. “The Hobbit” I feel we used to just help people understand how everything is going to work and how everything developed. This film overall though was alright and would recommend people to watch this film if they want to understand how everything was connected.
15. Hanar Shali 07.06.13 / 3pm

    Nice review, I have to say that I disagree with a couple things in your review. Personally, I liked the fact that it started with revisiting scenes and characters from Bilbo’s birthday! It was incredibly nostalgic, and was exciting to see Frodo again after 10 years since the last LOTR film. I agree with the other users in that there was a lot of filler and padding for this film, but it never felt stretched out or too long for me. As a avid lover of the series, I was overjoyed that they put so much detail into the movie. The scenes with all dwarves in Bilbo’s house was one of my favorites! You really get a feel for all of them, and get to know them instead of simply blowing past all their personalities. I can’t wait for the next two films if their going to be anything like this one was!
16. Grant Hutton 07.06.13 / 8pm

    While although I do agree with a few of the things said about this movie, I loved it nonetheless. It may have been a stretch from the stories of the other Lord of the Rings films, but I enjoyed how it branched out and focused more on the life of a Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. I have always been enchanted by the Lord of the Rings world and enjoyed the new scenery and settings of the Hobbit. The visuals and effects in this movie are amazing. Newer technologies allow for a classic yet newer look than the older Lord of the Rings films.
17. Andrew Stern 07.12.13 / 11am

    I personally loved this film. Out of all of the Lord of the Rings films, I thought that this one was the best by far. I really enjoyed the story of it and the visuals in it were amazing. Along with any Lord of the Rings film, the scenery in it was superb, but I thought that this film had the best ones. I very much enjoyed all of the characters and the different personalities that they represented as they went on their journey. I felt that the beginning of the film was a little slow, but it picked up towards the middle and left me in awe throughout the rest of the film. I am a big Lord of the Rings fan and would definitely recommend this film to anyone who enjoys action and a great story.
18. Emily Oakland 07.13.13 / 6pm

    While I do agree that the film was drawn out, I did not mind the opening Shire scenes. I thought is built the characters and was necessary for the complete portrayal of the book. While many books turned movies are criticized for leaving out parts or adding in parts that weren’t in the book, I think the director did a good job in staying true to the novel and attempting to follow the story line as much as possible- which could be where he went wrong. Though I enjoyed the film, after I saw it for the third time in theaters, I began to get bored (with the exception of the Gollum scene. However, I appreciated his thoroughness but wish he divided the book into two movies rather than three.
19. audrey sherman 07.17.13 / 11pm

    I agree largely with your comments about this film. I am a huge fan of both Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit novels and the movies, however, I was a little bit disheartened when I learned that they would stretch out the Hobbit into three films. The film is done nicely, a bit boring at times to stretch the time out to make the short story into three 2 hour long films. The performances weren’t too bad, and I did like the tie in to the LOTR films with Frodo and Bilbo. That made me quite happy, I look forward to the second but am skeptical if it will be worth it, or I should wait until I can rent it.
20. Omotayo Daniel 07.26.13 / 9pm

    I really enjoyed reading your review, I think you did a great job. I agree with all your main points, Ive seen the movie several times and think it is differently a master piece.
21. Cody Segal 10.08.13 / 7pm

    I must say that I was very surprised when I heard that The Hobbit would be made into a trilogy. While I am a big fan of The Lord of the Rings and I still consider them to be my favorite films, I agree that it might be a stretch to draw out The Hobbit this way. While The Lord of the Rings films were lengthy, there were quite a few details and scenes that were left out of the final theatrical version. Because this made the films much more entertaining, I am concerned that by including every detail from the original Hobbit book, the films may become somewhat uninteresting. This being said, I cannot fully agree with this reviewer because I think that The Hobbit is a very captivating film and is one that I plan on watching again and again without any fast-forwarding.
22. Josh Feldman 10.17.13 / 9am

    Great review! I disagree with your opinion on how the beginning of the film was boring. I felt that the beginning set up how gripping and tense the adventure will be. While many most likely found it boring, it set up a lot of big plots in the story such as the distrust between Bilbo and Thorin Oakenshield. The Hobbit is a lot more faithful to the original book, which was a gripping adventure story. The Hobbit is very different from The Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit focuses on many different problems such as the orks chasing the heroes, the dragon Smaug, and problems that come up along the journey. The band of heroes is captured by goblins, spends considerable time staying with the elves, and fighting whatever evil thing gets in their way. As apposed to The Lord of The Rings which was more focused on one primary goal and getting to that goal at any cost. I thought the Hobbit was an amazing story and some great performances from the whole cast; especially some of the dwarves. The actors make the dwarves feel like unique characters, instead of a bunch of small men with big beards. I greatly enjoyed the sets and the designs and cant wait for the sequel to come out this December!
23. Ariana Ibarra 11.22.13 / 11pm

    I agree and disagree with this review although it was a good one. I absolutely loved this film and I thought it was outstanding. I didn’t really think the beginning of the film was giving us unnecessary information, it was basically just recapping everything that the viewer needed to know in order to easily follow the film, I did not find it boring at all. The setting and the editing of the film was captivating, and the special effects are outstanding. I do love the The Lord of the Ring movies, and I think The Hobbit was just as great because it was very action filled. I think everyone should watch this film because it is worth it. i personally cant wait for the next two films.
24. Tanner Antles 03.14.15 / 10am

    As an ardent fan of the book this film is based upon, I wasn’t quite as set aback by the prolonged introduction as compared to those I know who had only seen the movie. That said, even I (in all my excitement as to how closely the film was keeping to the text) realized that there is a reason why most “big” films don’t that: It is incredibly boring. When you read a book, it is as if the author can be as drawn-out as he/she would like, as long as it is humorous or keeping withing the main themes of the novel. However, as a full-feature film, the full visual representation of the author’s genius becomes rather drab.

    All in all, I agree with this review in that the film is still enjoyable to watch (albeit more-so for those who have read the book) and a must see for Lord of the Rings enthusiasts.
25. Audrey A Lapointe 07.13.15 / 10am

    I was thrilled when I found out that The Hobbit was coming to film – and by Peter Jackson – but I agree with your opening assessment about The Hobbit. The film dragged at the beginning. I thought, as well, that the dwarf party at Bilbo’s went on too long and missed one of the main points of the book: the morning after, Bilbo had no intention of joining the dwarf party – had almost put it out of his mind – until he saw the envelope on this mantel; even then, Bilbo was conflicted about joining them, and we get a beautiful character insight in the book regarding this. In the film, Bilbo simply picks up the contract and heads out merrily to meet the dwarves. Although this post focuses on the first film of the hobbit trilogy, I have to say that throughout all three films, there are scenes that could have been shortened or revised, as the storyline seemed a bit artificially stretched. Whatever my opinion of The Hobbit, Jackson’s version far surpasses any of the previous acted or animated versions.
26. kaylyn yawn 07.18.15 / 5pm

    Nice review! I too have just recently seen “The Hobbit” and I was very impressed with the movie. I never really ever kept up with all of The Lord of the Rings films and Hobbit films but I’m always excited to watch one. The thing that intrigues me most is the costumes and makeup all the characters have on. The whole film is jam packed with mythological creatures that all have unique abilities. I thought it was a great movie although it was a bit too long. It took my two days to finish it because it was too long. All in all I loved the film!
27. Ily Litonjua 03.24.21 / 5pm

    Having read the book, I enjoyed the beginning of the movie as it took many of the plot events directly from the novel. However, I understand how it may seem drawn out and unnecessarily long if you do not know that. In terms of the rest of the film, I thought that the visual effects were sometimes overwhelming to the point where they were distractions from the story itself. Despite this, the film was overall entertaining and the characters were engaging.
28. Connor Vogel 06.12.21 / 11pm

    I definitely agree that the film starts off very slow. However, (when it came out) this was the first film I had watched in the Lord of The Rings series so I actually enjoyed the slow start and getting to know the characters. The miss-en-scene in this part of the film is fantastic with all the costumes and props in Bilbo’s house and is something that I can appreciate now. Although, I completely agree that once the film picks up that it gets really good. Once the adventure starts, you feel like you right there with them during the fights or the riddles. I remember feeling like I got captured into this film and really loved it.
29. Charles Bittle 01.24.22 / 8pm

    “The Hobbit” truly continues to feed the flame left by Jackson’s legendary “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, which is arguably the greatest film adaptation of a novel in cinematic history. I would have to disagree with your belief that the film starts slow, as I believe it was necessary to use this easy-paced start to help portray the iconic first chapters from the book and help push the imagery from the book onto the film. However, I would have to agree on the skepticism about the film being stretched into three movies, it is a rather short book and it seems unnecessary. While I do enjoy the extra story lines shown in the movie that do not appear in the book, I think that it slightly brings away the magic the novel induces into the reader. The end of the film foreshadows a end scene unity between the multiple plots (The Battle of the 5 Armies), and gives a new and vibrant feeling to a sometimes simple plot. On the other hand, the book definitely would’ve been difficult to fit into a singular film, and with Jackson’s clear masterful direction of trilogies, I think it’s safe to say he made the right call!
30. Joanna Jensen 07.21.23 / 8pm

    “The Hobbit” is an amazing book and Jackson did the book justice when creating the movies. I intrigued and entertained from the beginning of each film to the end. The soundtracks in both the “Lord of the Rings” films and the “Hobbit” films are absolutely incredible. If I were to have any complaints about the films it would be all of the extra characters and events that do not originate from the book. I have always been a big fan of Tolkien’s writing and the extra narrative diverges from his original storyline. However, in the end, I think that Jackson did a fabulous job bringing this story to life.

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