I saw The Hobbit...

[phyncke]

I saw The Hobbit and did enjoy the film. I love Peter Jackson as a film maker. Everyone is all fired up about the cinematic technique used in the Hobbit film and I thought it was beautifully done as far as the imagery and rendering. It looked beautiful. Scenery and realization check. I am going to put my review behind a cut for those who have not seen the film yet as there will be spoilers in there.


While I did enjoy the film, I think that the writers and Peter Jackson fell prey to a standard practice in Hollywood films which is to amp up the drama in a plot for the Hollywood effect. Let me state here - there were no orc battles in the original Hobbit, they were not chased to Erebor and this Azog did not appear in any of Tolkien's work. He is a completely made up character. I did enjoy the dwarfish history lessons and the back story as far as that was concerned but I am afraid that this orcish story line is going to muck up what is essentially a very simple tale by JRR Tolkien. This is not The Hobbit that I remember. I guess that the obstacles they faced were not dramatic enough or something.

I did enjoy the film but had some WTF moments as I watched it. Like WTF did you do to the story line? I loved the Imadris parts, the White Council scenes (which are in the Appendices of LOTR) and I truly enjoyed the characterization of Radagast the Brown down to the bird poop on his head. Some elements I really liked. The investigation of Dol Guldor was very eery and scary.

But - there were no orc battles in The Hobbit, there was no eagle rescue either - though I can see why PJ put that in at the end - makes for nice dramatis - and all that Azog stuff - well it was not in there and is a complete OC make up thing.

I have some fears moving forward that the ending will be messed up. Real fears that they will muck it up now. If this much additional story line can be added at this point, what could they do to the ending - which I think is so beautiful, again, in its simplicity and clarity. One man brings down that dragon and it does not seem so exciting now with all this orcish nonsense happening. Muck, mucking up the plot, that is what I am truly afraid of.

I am afraid, very afraid. So this is not MY Hobbit, but I will still see all three films. Also a note on that - I don't think there needed to be three films. I think this could have been done in two films really. Three is gratuitous and a shameless bid for ticket sales. I am mad about that actually.

Lastly - I don't think The Hobbit is nearly as good as the LOTR films. Not by a long shot. I am still in - as a part of the fandom - but the seminal works for me will always be the first three films made.



So that is my review of The Hobbit. The good, the bad and the ugly. Click in if you dare!


by limnoreia

Comments

[silver-trails.livejournal.com]

Actually, there was an eagle rescue from the trees.

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

I don't remember that but I will take your word for it. I have not read it in a while. It definitely was not due to an orc attack. That much was added.

[silver-trails.livejournal.com]

I re read the Hobbit a few weeks ago. They were trapped in trees, and wargs came. I think Orcs (Goblins) might come, as they worked together. So when things were going really bad, the eagles showed up and rescued them. The eagles took them all to their Eyries, and then left them (Gandalf, Biolbo and Dwarves) near Elrond's house.

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

Weren't the wargs wolves in the books? *ponders*

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

Yes, wargs attacked them and they fled to the trees.

[silver-trails.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think they called them wolves and then wargs.

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

I checked - the eagles rescued due to the wargs attacking but there were no orcs in there. Yeppers.

[silver-trails.livejournal.com]

Yes...

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

I am going to re-read it before the next film. It has been a very long time since I read it. Worth looking at again.

[alexcat.livejournal.com]

Check out our discussion at read_tolkien. We read it 2 years ago maybe?

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

I will! Thank you!

[heyurs.livejournal.com]

Didn't get to see it like I planned, so I will have to wait til tomorrow. *covers my eyes* x)

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

Don't read! It is behind a cut for that reason!

[heyurs.livejournal.com]

*keeps then covered* *g*

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

Move along, move along!

[heyurs.livejournal.com]

hehehe! *really starts to giggle*

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

It depends on yourd definitiopn of orcs I suppose, I recall an epic fight with goblins/orcs before Bilbo fell into the cave where Gollum is, so perhaps he amped that up? I've only read the book a few times, but to see the movie.. I am doubtful fif I will see it in the cinema (babysitter probs).

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

I remember them clearly being goblins and not orcs - and that part was in the book the whole goblin cave thing. The orc subplot is a movie creation. It surprised me is all. I really liked the movie but I do also think that the original story has enough compelling plot elements to it.

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

Hmmm for me goblins=orcs :) See problem solved :D

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

They are the same. I always thought they were different. Go figure.

[alexcat.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough, in some guides, they are considered the same things.

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

I read that too but they do look different in the movie - orcs as distinct from goblins but Tolkien used the term loosely and interchangeably.

[fairjennet.livejournal.com]

I always thought orcs and goblins were two different names for the same creature. I could swear I read that somewhere.


HERE BE SPOILERS BELOW (I think, maybe).







...at least Azog exists in canon? I thought I remembered him, so I looked him up to be sure. Apparently, Azog tortures and kills King Thror during battle. The whole revenge vendetta thing is between Azog and the young son of another dwarf king--the one who is King Under the Mountain after Thorin-- but I guess it isn't completely unreasonable to appropriate the story for young Thorin in the movie. After all, it is his grandfather who gets killed by Azog.

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

I thought orcs and goblins were different creatures - orcs being elves that were perverted to evil purpose etc. Goblins being goblins.
Never mind- the words are used interchangably.

I don't like that this orc story line became the main thing in The Hobbit, it was not in the original story at all even as a side bar. Orcs did not chase them across ME to Erebor. It is marginally better that the orc did exist in canon but he did not come into The Hobbit at all and so my point still stands. The whole sense of the story has been changed by the addition of this one element.

[fairjennet.livejournal.com]

Eh, apparently the orc and goblin thing could go either way.
http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/g/goblins.html

As for the rest, I don't disagree. I have a feeling I'll be fast-forwarding through the Azog bits once I get my hot little hands on the DVD. :D

[fairjennet.livejournal.com]

Whee! Research jinx!

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

Woo! I still love the movie! :)

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

Can't comment on the movie yet because we're only going next week, but several people have mentioned in review that it was Azog's son Bolg who led the orcs in the Battle of Five Armies. He's a canon footnote who PJ took and expanded into a stereotypical Badass.

Also in line with what's been said above, orcs = goblins basically. It sounds like there was way more action and fighting than in the book, though it's a long time since I read it to my kids and I couldn't swear to it.

I just hope R and I are going to like it, neither of us are fans of non stop action :(

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

I was surprised by the movie - startled even. See what you think.

I looked up orcs and goblins and the words are used interchangeably.

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

Your review gave things balance - most I've read have gushed with just a few reference to things that weren't perfect, but you've pointed to things I think I'll be less than thrilled at too. We'll see Thursday.

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

I hope you will post your impressions of the film. I am over all positive about the film but would be curious about what you think of the plot changes. People have commented here that there is "some" basis in canon for it. Anyways. I am still a fan ... and love that the movies are being made.