What Has It Got In Its Pocketses? A Review of the Bandit's Most Anticipated Movie in 9 years.
Once upon a time, the Bandit was 19 and fresh-faced and needed less than 4 hours of sleep a night and had no trouble at all attending midnight showings. That time is long past. Did she still go to the midnight showing and pick up her limited set of 4 posters? Bet your hairy toes she did.
Team S and I along with my graduated student from Japan who's visiting this weekend went to the theatre last night to see the film I've been looking forward to for ages. The evening began when S1 called me from the theater at 7:30 saying they were opening the doors and we'd better hurry because the line was a million miles long. Then we showed up in an empty theater because that line was for a totally different theater. Thanks, guys. I was mollified that S2 had made lembas bread wrapped in paper leaves for the occasion. We then played zombie dice and napped for like 4 hours. Oh, and aquired posters through treachery and stealth because the internet didn't let me buy IMAX tickets and the posters were only for IMAX people but we're cute and people give us ticket stubs so we can collect posters. I think burglary is thematically appropriate.
But I should get to the film.
As soon as the credits began to roll in that elvish font, I was having a good time. Honestly, I would have had a good time even if it had sucked terribly which it did not. This is my thing and it takes me back to some of the best times I've ever had. Was it a perfect movie? Oh no. Was it as good as Fellowship? Not really? Was it worth the wait? I still deeply think so.
Jackson does a lot of things right. First and foremost is casting. Martin Freeman was born to play this role. No one plays put upon and uncomfortable like Freeman. Every time he is onscreen, he is practically perfect in every way. Ian Mckellan really needs no critique. I know it was hard for him to return to this role and CG acting, but I could never have accepted anyone else and I'm so glad he did. The fellow they got for Thorin can glower with the best of them, and while the rest of the dwarves were mostly a blur (Except Kili... you guys why am I so attracted to Kili? I've never had these feelings about a dwarf before and they make me a little uncomfortable), but Thorin is a badass with an incredible baritone who can intimidate anyone with a single eyebrow. I think Jackson made the right call in not delving (Oh yes that pun is intended) too much into the other dwarves and just using them as the impression of LOTS O' DWARVES on the journey. The notable exceptions being Balin, Fili, and Kili (Once again, sexy dwarves are just not something I'd ever considered...). I would have liked more Dwalin because he and Bilbo have something of a closer relationship in the books being as Dwalin has to carry Bilbo around so much, but over all, I think it was the right choice and I could watch Kili shoot arrows at orcs all freaking day.
I admit to making squeaky noises at the appearances of both Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, and Christopher Lee. The council scene was *so good.* Lee's Saruman the White is brilliant, his interactions with Ian are brilliant and perfectly sets up their interactions after Saruman turns. Cate Blanchett can do no wrong and I love her. Also badass horse-riding Elrond. I am no elf fan, but dudes. Speaking of elves, the 30 seconds of Thranduil and his gaze of disdain were awesome.
So yes, casting and acting just brilliant all around.
Action sequences, just brilliant. I saw the film in 3D and was a bit nervous about that and the 48fps. I'm curious to see it again in 2D to compare, but I felt the 3D worked well with a lot of the action sequences, especially with the wargs. The Moria scenes were a bit dizzying, but that could also relate to the fact that it was 2am and I'd drunk about a gallon of Cherry Mr. Pibb. The actual fight sequences were just a joy to watch physics be damned.
Now, apparently a lot of people are complaining about the score and how its rather recycled. I (for the most part) had no problem with this. To me, the recurring musical signatures worked just like seeing the Weathertop set again, just soaking me back in that world like I was slipping into a comfortable easy chair. The only time I was a little put off by it was when they played the Nazgul theme for Thorin rising from the fire. That... that's the Nazgul theme, you guys. It's a badass theme but Thorin is not a Nazgul and that theme is always going to make me think Weathertop. Give Thorin is own badass theme or at least just make a battle version of the Misty Mountains.
Side note: Damn, I loves me some Nazgul. Witch king! With king! Witch king!
Back to the music, however, I was extremely impressed with how seamlessly the songs were integrated. I was worried about this. As you read the book, the songs and poems can seem a little cheesy and out of nowhere. Jackson made good choices on which ones to use and how to use them. Also, again I must point out Thorin's baritone gives me chills.
So if you're still here at this point, you must be going "But Bandit, why are you hedging? You appear to love this film so much and yet you're clearly hedging and saying what he got right so you can point out nicely what he got wrong. Nothing is ever good enough for you is it? IS IT?!"
Well, no, I do have a single beef with the film, and that is this. There was not enough Martin Freeman.
Here's the thing, "The Hobbit" is Bilbo's story. We are with Bilbo all the time and the whole theme is the archetypal quest to find the hero within the most unlikely sources. Martin Freeman *is* that unlikely hero. He captures the soul of Bilbo Baggins like no one else ever could. However, this film is not truly "The Hobbit." This is the historical narrative leading up to Sauron's return in which "The Hobbit" is entangled. Big events that happen offstage/in the appendices of the books (Gandalf's chat with Saruman, the dwarves' battle in Moria, Rhadagast) are brought into the film to make the film work with the LOTR trilogy. This was, I believe, necessary. Jackson made a choice to match the themes and tones of LOTR rather than turn the 180 that is the Hobbit. Bear in mind, Tolkienn did the same thing when he re-wrote "Riddles in the Dark" after he'd decided the Ring was the Ring of Power. They are necessary changes because while it works to have things offstage in a novel, it simply would not work in a film. Also, Jackson is not just telling Bilbo's story. He is telling Thorin's story, and to a lesser extent Gandalf's story, and even a tiny piece of Saruman's story. These are great stories, and I'm glad he is telling them.
However, everytime Martin Freeman was not onstage, I felt a little bit gypped. I wanted his themes stronger and more present because he is an international treasure and prince among geeks.
Riddles in the Dark? Riddles in the Freaking Dark?! I'd pay another 15 bucks just to watch this scene again. Between the advancements in CG and Andy Serkis just being the genius that he is, Gollum eats every frame of screen time. The call back to fish song was funny and haunting at the same time. Andy and Martin play off each other so wonderfully, and this is hands down my favorite scene of the whole film. This is who Bilbo Baggins really is: a hobbit of the Shire with a well-hidden cunning. Bravo.
Now, seeing as we ended ... exactly where V1 and I said it would end when we first heard Jackson was splitting the movie into 2 parts and long before he said he was splitting it into 3 (Called that dragon eye, you guys. Called. It), I'm less upset about the 3 films. I see how he's working in the other plotlines to make this more of a history including the Hobbit rather than a straight up adaptation. (I would almost be curious to see a director's cut that is shorter rather than longer to be more faithful to the novel, but somehow I don't see that in the cards.) That means we have a lot of ground to cover, quite literally, and I am very anxious for Mirkwood and Spiders and Dale and DRAGON!!! BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH DRAGON!!! I know he was the Goblin King too, but I want to hear his dragon voice. Also, I'm a child of the 80s and can't hear the words "Goblin King" without singing "Dance Magic" so Moria loses a bit of its threat for me. That's a personal problem I've learned to deal with over the years.
I am pleased as punch to get to do this 2 more times and to get to relive my fandom heyday. This film is a win for fans, and I am now going to go buy all of the playsets and toys so Jackson and Company know that. Do they have Kili posters? I wants one...