The Ontarion - Movie Review ? The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Tolkien classic entertains, but it?s no LOTR

I suppose I will come right out and say it: I didn?t like the first film installment of The Hobbit as directed by Peter Jackson.? Sure, it was entertaining, and it is a must-see for those who have either read the book by J.R.R. Tolkien or seen Jackson?s movie version of Tolkien?s Lord of the Rings series.? But disappointingly, it in no way compares to the masterpiece that was the Lord of the Rings series.

The special effects, for starters, are impressive ? but they feel a little more like showing off than truly adding to the cinematic experience.? Indeed, the use of computer-generated graphics is ubiquitous in this film.? That is to be expected these days, and with the state of the art now, it is not usually a problem.? It became a problem when Jackson insisted the film be shown in 48 frames per second instead of the standard 24.

The high frame rate is meant to create a clearer, more vibrant appearance. And that was accomplished, to unexpectedly disastrous effect.? It not only made the computer-generated components of the movie seem ? to me ? less realistic, it made the real components look so real that they appeared fake.? For instance, with much brighter grass and flowers, the same idyllic set of the Shire appeared starkly different than in the Lord of the Rings.

Throughout the entire film, the atmosphere is similarly distorted from its portrayal in the earlier film franchise.? Some might argue that this is a different (but related) storyline and therefore these drastic changes in the way the fictional world of Middle-Earth is portrayed are acceptable.? To that, I would counter that it conflicts with the ancient and misty history of a place that seems to be eternal: the aesthetic of the film ought to reflect the aesthetic of the tale.

What An Unexpected Journey has going for it is that it represents only the first of three parts of the original book. While no film adaptation of a book can truly capture the depth written into it, at least this one does not seek to chop out all the good bits.? In fact, it draws in elements from the numerous appendices and other writings of Tolkien, actually adding some depth.

Source: http://www.theontarion.com/2013/01/movie-review-the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey/

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