Guest Review-The Hobbit (2012)

Special review by Arnab Goswami

The Hobbit (2012)

Peter Jackson's long awaited cinematic adaptation of JRR Tolkien's 'The Hobbit'.

AG Rating : 100

The film

After a really long time, we see middle earth back on the big screen and how ??!! Seeing middle earth in 3d made me really wanting more and wishing if The Lord of the Rings trilogy had come out in 3d too !! Peter Jackson's trademark helicopter shots, sweeping camera work and his epic cinematic grandeur were back with a BANG !!

While the LOTR trilogy was for the most part filled with doom and gloom ( and still amazingly immersive no doubt), this film adds the merriment and joy one encounters while reading Tolkien's books, especially 'The Hobbit'. The result is a delight to see as the dwarves are hilarious and even old Gandalf adds in a joke or two !!

While the pacing may appear to be an issue for some, nonetheless for Tolkien fans like me, it didn't seem to be an issue at all as it appropriately built up the anticipation and excitement for the adventure !!

The visual effects

3d seems to have improved a lot lately as this is the second film I have watched in which the 3d was amazingly immersive with the appropriate depths at the required places. The visual effects were even more vivid, realistic, spot on and coming from Weta, had an element of grandeur to them.

The background score

John Howard has used almost all of the cues of the previous trilogy and places appropriately to great effect. The score compliments Jackson's camera work excellently. Watch out for the lonely mountain song sung by the dwarves ! As in the trailer, this particular sequence was absolutely spell binding and soul stirring and literally gave me goosebumps !!

The direction

I feel that only Peter Jackson truly understands the vision of JRR Tolkien and no one can ever translate his book to the big screen better than he can !!

His camerawork is filled with to the brim with so much grandeur and energy that the viewer gets pulled in by him and I for one was fully energized throughout and not for once did I feel bored. Despite having seen several breathtaking sequences in his films before, I was still awed by many of the sequences he has filmed here : watch out for the battle of the stone giants in the 3rd half ! Now that was jaw dropping !!!

Though I didn't watch it so, I felt the film was made for 48 fps and hopefully in its next version, it will have resolved all of its current problems and will herald in the next generation of cinema !!

The acting

Martin freeman was born to play Bilbo Baggins ! There is absolutely nothing more that once can say. I cannot imagine anyone else on earth playing that role !! Richard Armitage excelled as Thorin Oakenshield. Gandalf was a delight as always. Hugo weaving as Elrond and Cate Blanchett as Galadriel were a delight too in their short roles. All the dwarves were excellent in their roles too !!

The AG verdict

A fitting and worthy addition to the middle earth universe envisioned by Tolkien though it will be enjoyed fully only by Tolkien fans !! A visual delight and a cinematic masterpiece !! I liked it even better than the LOTR trilogy !! ( though that might be because I was seeing a middle earth after a long time but I still feel I liked it much better !!)