13 Dwarfs, one wizard and one hobbit in search of adventure. All from the imagination of JRR Tolkien, adapted for the screen by Peter Jackson. When given the green light to go ahead with The Hobbit I'm guessing that Peter Jackson saw this project as something of an opportunity to redeem himself after the critical and commercial flop of his 2009 adaptation of The Lovely Bones. Personally I didn't think the film was that bad, but it was certainly far removed from the giddy heights of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. So does The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey live up to The Lord Of The Rings? Not quite but there is still a lot to admire and enjoy. The set and costume design is outstanding, and the CGI looks great. The cast boasts a rich array of talent, with Sir Ian McKellen leading the way as Gandalf the grey. Martin Freeman, who I had doubts about at first, fits into the role of Bilbo with great ease and assurance and I particularly liked Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the dwarfs. Biblo, Gandalf and Thorin take up most the two and a half hour screen time but the other dwarfs still manage to provide a rich and colourful tapestry. There are some nice touches of humour throughtout, mostly delivered by the dwarfs and Bilbo. Lots of nasty looking orcs, trolls and goblins trouble our brave protagonists but The Hobbit is not as dark or serious as The Lord Of The Rings. A hugely enjoyable romp through Middle-earth. 8/10
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