Movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

[Dazb86]

Read the book before the movie. Thought the additions the film made were needed to bring extra action to the story.

The book isn't really that great IMO.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Read the book before the movie. Thought the additions the film made were needed to bring extra action to the story.

The book isn't really that great IMO.

To be fair, the book is a classic of children's literature, but was never going to fill enough screen-time for two, let alone three movies, which is what Jackson wanted to do.

Caveat - I've read the book numerous times but have not seen the movies and at this stage have little inclination to do so.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Read the book before the movie. Thought the additions the film made were needed to bring extra action to the story.

The book isn't really that great IMO.

I don't understand why this is necessary.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Watched it just now (extended version). I actually watched it (original version) a couple years ago but got rather drunk at the time. Now I want to watch all 3 of them so I had to start again

Because I knew what was going to happen and nobody important was going to die there were long stretches that were just boring. The absense of blood in the swordfights was really annoying by the third hour. They lean pretty hard on "The 3 Lord of The Rings movies are going to be epic" theme too.

 

[Vader]

Watched it again last weekend. Even the standard version is bloated beyond all measure. Can't imagine how dull and tedious the movie would be with extended scenes added.

 

[Norwegian Blue]

Watched it again last weekend. Even the standard version is bloated beyond all measure. Can't imagine how dull and tedious the movie would be with extended scenes added.

Yeah, the extended versions of the LOTR movies were great and I held off buying them on DVD until they came out.

Zero interest in the Hobbit versions. The movies were bloated enough as it was.

 

[Summer Nights]

Bump.

Perhaps an unpopular opinion but I never really got into Martin Freeman as Bilbo. Maybe I couldn’t unsee Tim from The Office UK but I felt his portrayal was bland and unconvincing, even if I couldn’t technically fault him.

Thoughts?

 

[Dixie Flatline]

I loved the book as a child and read it multiple times.

As soon as it was announced that it was being made into two separate films, I gave up on it. I admire Peter Jackson for the work he put into Lord of the Rings, but I can't forgive him for turning a short children's book into two "epic" films.

 

[WCErevival]

I loved the book as a child and read it multiple times.

As soon as it was announced that it was being made into two separate films, I gave up on it. I admire Peter Jackson for the work he put into Lord of the Rings, but I can't forgive him for turning a short children's book into two "epic" films.

You mean three.

 

[Pykie]

I enjoyed the battle scenes probably more so than LOTR though.

They were more interesting than just Human vs Orc with the Dwarves and Elves more involved.

The battle for helm's deep only thing that came close in LOTR imo.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

I enjoyed the battle scenes probably more so than LOTR though.

They were more interesting than just Human vs Orc with the Dwarves and Elves more involved.

The battle for helm's deep only thing that came close in LOTR imo.

They had the archer elves jump over the dwarves for some reason.

These movies were terrible.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

2 years ago and again this year, my daughters at year 7 level have The Hobbit as their first book for the school year, neither of them have finished it, and no matter the threats, I can't get them to.

I tried reading the book when I was a teen and stopped after about 50 pages, I thought it was horrible. I didn't actually read it in full until about 25 to 30 years later and still thought it was horrible. I only read it on the strength of the LoTR movies and wanting to watch The Hobbit movies when they were released.

It was painful reading all of the book (no wonder my girls don't like it) and it was painful watching the movies. I couldn't even convince my girls to watch the movies instead of reading the books.

As a footnote, I loved the LoTR movies, I can't stand the book, I read it on the back of watching the movies multiple times each.

 

[Richard Pryor]

Bump.

Perhaps an unpopular opinion but I never really got into Martin Freeman as Bilbo. Maybe I couldn’t unsee Tim from The Office UK but I felt his portrayal was bland and unconvincing, even if I couldn’t technically fault him.

Thoughts?

Definitely agree. Felt the same about Cumberbatch voicing Smaug. Take away the big names from the performances and I think they're utilitarian in the roles, they don't detract from the film but nor do they enhance it. I wonder if the novelty of how British he was made American audiences more excited by the performance, whereas for us in Aus who consume a fair bit of British media it's more vanilla.

 

[King Elvis]

They had the archer elves jump over the dwarves for some reason.

These movies were terrible.

That’s when it lost me.

If they’d used any semblance of tactics, they would’ve slaughtered them.