The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Review Thread (Spoilers)

[Buddy Ackerman]

Speaking of titles, anyone else slightly disappointed that the tradition of proclaiming the title wasn't carried over from lord of the Rings?

You shall be THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING! (musical crescendo)
There is a union now between THE TWO TOWERS...
Authority is not given to you to deny THE RETURN OF THE KING! (musical sting)

Where was Bilbo announcing "This is the last time I shall embark on AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY!"?

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Buddy Ackerman

Where was Bilbo announcing "This is the last time I shall embark on AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY!"?

I hadn't thought of that before, but good point!

[Buddy Ackerman]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

I hadn't thought of that before, but good point!

"It has been long since I cast eyes upon THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG!"

"They won't recognise you Bilbo, not now that you've been THERE AND BACK AGAIN!"

I joke only because I love it

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Buddy Ackerman

"It has been long since I cast eyes upon THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG!"

"They won't recognise you Bilbo, not now that you've been THERE AND BACK AGAIN!"

I joke only because I love it

Or:

"I hear the Lonely Mountain is a happening place. Let's go on a visit, Bilbo."

Bilbo (at Bag End sitting in chair, stirs from half-stupor): "Eh? No, thanks, I've been THERE AND BACK AGAIN." (insert canned audience laughter on soundtrack).

[jbig31]

Ok, just got back from my second viewing. I decided against the 3D and went with 2D. I have to say, that I enjoyed it MORE the second time around, not sure why, but I did. Maybe it was because I wasn't going into it with unobtainable heights, and went rather to sit back and see the "big picture" of this film and just enjoy it?

Anyway, here are some thoughts and observances:

1. I liked the opening scenes more this time around-2D 24fps is a little blurry at some of the panning shots, and I think Peter was trying to tell a lot of back story in a short amount of time, but good to say the least. It gave the jist of Smaug's occupation of the Lonely Mountain. BTW, I did look hard for Bolg and I do think I saw him fighting Dwalin, but remember Dwalin does look younger and has a mohawk!

2. An Unexpected Party Again better this time around. I did like

[Show spoiler]the slight nervousness of Gandalf getting the Dwarves to accept Bilbo as a burglar-when the time came. Gandalf took an educated "gamble" on choosing Bilbo and knew his Tookish side would show himself when the time came to it. I think that Jackson did pretty good at capturing the feel of the chapter, the only question I had was where did Bilbo know where to meet the Company? I mean, in the book they left him a note on his mantle telling him where and when to meet, here we see him just fly out the door and run down the lane and catches them.

3. Roast Mutton

[Show spoiler]Strayed from the book, but I did like it. I'm glad that there wasn't any talking purses!

4. Riddles In The Dark

[Show spoiler]Another good scene, could have been a little more psycologically and physically darker to set the tone and maybe loose some of the humor? But, that's just me. Plus, where in the world is all the light coming from? I mean, Gollum's home is at the roots of the mountain in TOTAL darkness!!!!!

5. Goblin-Town

[Show spoiler]Overall I liked it-even the Great Goblin-but the chase scenes felt ripped right out of Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom.

6. Out of the Frying Pan....

[Show spoiler]Kind of disappointed with this entire scene. I wish Jackson would have went more along the storyline from the book, his whole Azog storyline threw that out the window. Why couldn't he have just let the pursuing goblins tree the dwarves and set fires around them like in the book?

All in all I enjoyed it much more on a second viewing and will probably try and see it again on the big screen!

[Ernest Rister]

Regarding #6, I think he needed an action climax for the film, and a bit of redemption for Bilbo for the "I'm going home" scene -- gives Bilbo a character arc.

(of course, he could have put on the Ring and just started taking the nasties out, but that comes later, as we all know)

[L-Rouge]

I remember reading about Gollum

[Show spoiler]His green eyes that light up. I remembered thinking that was actually particularly freaky to read about, I wish this had been translated cinematically, however I understand the drive for realism over fantasy, in terms of creature design, I know John Howe had a little argument with the Fell Beast design, wishing to include hooks into their wings because they "looked cool" eventually of course overulled because of the impossibility of the design.

[JamesKurtovich]

'Riddles in the Dark' definitely could have been more dark. It was probably lighter because of Gollum being a fan-favorite and a source of comic relief. In the book, I felt that Bilbo was in real danger. You didn't laugh when Gollum expressed his desire to eat him.

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Regarding #6, I think he needed an action climax for the film, and a bit of redemption for Bilbo for the "I'm going home" scene -- gives Bilbo a character arc.

(of course, he could have put on the Ring and just started taking the nasties out, but that comes later, as we all know)

In the book,I remember Tolkien ruling that out reasoning that the wolves would sniff him out invisible or no.That was ofcourse more in the hiding sense than fighting sense...

[Duffy12]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

That also seems like the logical place to end the second film, IMO.

[Show spoiler] But if the dragon sequence happens in the film, as BluBenny indicates is in the title, a lot of time is going to be spent on that mountain in the third film! An unknown factor is how much time will be devoted to the Appendices material, but thus far, I haven't seen anything to indicate that the Appendices figure much into the story at all.

BTW, regarding what will be in the next film, Jackson gives some nice hints in this vid that was posted last week, but many of you may not have seen it yet.


Of real interest 02:50 -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUbm-8XAW8w

.

[Beast]

Lemme guess. Walking will be one of the major things in the next film.

Speed walking if you see it in 48 FPS also.

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by Duffy12

BTW, regarding what will be in the next film, Jackson gives some nice hints in this vid that was posted last week, but many of you may not have seen it yet.


Of real interest 02:50 -


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUbm-8XAW8w

.

Thanks for that Duffy.

"In this one, they(The White Council) just sit around talking, but in the next one they kick some ass."

I wonder if Saruman will be out there doing some ass kicking too?

[Duffy12]

[quote=jbig31;6895040]

[Show spoiler]1.

Dwalin does look younger and has a mohawk!

I LOVED that little touch that Jackson did there.

3. Roast Mutton Strayed from the book, but I did like it. I'm glad that there wasn't any talking purses!

Was that really in the book?!

4. Riddles In The Dark Another good scene, could have been a little more psycologically and physically darker to set the tone and maybe loose some of the humor? But, that's just me. Plus, where in the world is all the light coming from? I mean, Gollum's home is at the roots of the mountain in TOTAL darkness!!!!!

Agree about there being a little to much humor along with not enough darkness for that scene.

5. Goblin-Town Overall I liked it-even the Great Goblin-but the chase scenes felt ripped right out of Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom.

That's probably why I enjoyed that section.

6. Out of the Frying Pan.... Kind of disappointed with this entire scene. I wish Jackson would have went more along the storyline from the book, his whole Azog storyline threw that out the window. Why couldn't he have just let the pursuing goblins tree the dwarves and set fires around them like in the book?

Agreed also. I was really hoping that Jackson would have included the landslide that they had to negotiate as a sort of treat for the fans of the book.

.

[Duffy12]

Originally Posted by L-Rouge

I remember reading about Gollum

[Show spoiler]His green eyes that light up. I remembered thinking that was actually particularly freaky to read about, I wish this had been translated cinematically,

I believe that it was included. It was one of my favorite scenes too.

[Show spoiler]
When Bilbo was fleeing the frantic Gollum, he made a slight noise while standing still, to which then Gollum noticed his hiding place. He slooowly turned to face towards him then his eyes started to glow a bit, and a VERY evil grin came upon his face. (GOOSEBUMPS!!!)

Does anybody else here remember that scene that I am talking about?

.

[Duffy12]

Originally Posted by Mahatma

In the book,I remember Tolkien ruling that out reasoning that the wolves would sniff him out invisible or no.That was ofcourse more in the hiding sense than fighting sense...

Which is what poor old Isildur found out at Gladden Fields.

.

[Duffy12]

Originally Posted by Beast

Lemme guess. Walking will be one of the major things in the next film.

Speed walking if you see it in 48 FPS also.

WRONG!


***SPOILERS***

[Show spoiler]

.

[Duffy12]

Originally Posted by frogmort

Thanks for that Duffy.

"In this one, they(The White Council) just sit around talking, but in the next one they kick some ass."

To which seems to me that part II is going to be stuffed to the gills with a lot more happenings in it.

I wonder if Saruman will be out there doing some ass kicking too?

Only if he is sitting down.

.

[jbig31]

Originally Posted by Duffy12

I believe that it was included. It was one of my favorite scenes too.

[Show spoiler]
When Bilbo was fleeing the frantic Gollum, he made a slight noise while standing still, to which then Gollum noticed his hiding place. He slooowly turned to face him then his eyes started to glow a bit, and a VERY evil grin came upon his face. (GOOSEBUMPS)

Does anybody else here remember that scene that I am talking about?

.

Yep. Saw it this morning. I noticed that Gollum's nose twitched a little, he smelled him-he now knew that Bilbo was right behind him.

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by Duffy12

To which seems to me that part II is going to be stuffed to the gills with a lot more happenings in it.

Hopefully that will be a good thing. I honestly didn't have a problem with the pacing of AUJ at all, and I really look forward to seeing the extended version, but if we have

[Show spoiler]Smaug in all his glory and The White Council putting the smack down in Dol Guldur,

it should be pretty interesting.

Originally Posted by Duffy12

Only if he is sitting down.

.

Maybe they could

[Show spoiler]just strap Saruman into Radagast's bunny sled.

I can just picture Radagast driving 90 miles an hour with birds flying around and pooping on his head, and pipeweed smoke billowing out of his ears, while Saruman is strapped in on top, and shooting lightning bolts out of his staff all around the place.

I don't even think Peter Jackson would go that far, I hope.

[Duffy12]

Originally Posted by frogmort

Hopefully that will be a good thing. I honestly didn't have a problem with the pacing of AUJ at all, and I really look forward to seeing the extended version, but if we have

[Show spoiler]Smaug in all his glory and The White Council putting the smack down in Dol Guldur,

it should be pretty interesting.

And let not forget the........

[Show spoiler]

.