T'is the night before the end of the world, and Dwarves abound... My review of "The Hobbit"

Well, if the world WERE going to end tomorrow, what better way to spend my evening than with a wonderful Hobbit and a band of Dwarves? And a wizard? And some elves?

That's right, I went to see the Hobbit. Here's a short summary of the movie, courtesy of IMDB:

"A younger and more reluctant Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out on a "unexpected journey" to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of Dwarves to reclaim their stolen mountain home from a dragon named Smaug"

So what rating would I give the movie? 

4.5 out of 5

In other words, I LOVED it! The cinematography was amazing. The scenery, breath-taking. The acting, spot-on! 

True, it was a tad long at 2 hours and 50 minutes. But when you are paying extra for leather seats and the glory of 3D, I felt like I was at least getting my money's worth!

Some of the scenes they added were a bit....forced. Like the scene at the beginning where Elijah Wood’s character of Frodo makes a showing in a discussion he has with his uncle Bilbo, a scene not in the book, and one that doesn't seem to add to the film all that much.

But overall, I left the theater feeling like I'd been thoroughly entertained, and even challenged by some of the stellar lines from the film. The movie celebrates the fact that Bilbo, hesitate to even join in the adventure, ended up being a hero for the courage he shows, the seemingly small choices he makes, all of which adds up to him playing a vital role in the film.

Now, the movie definitely has its dark parts - many of them. This isn't a show I would be wanting my kids to watch (as they are aged 7, 6, and 3). Check out just one picture of Golum:

That scene would give my children nightmare for weeks! However, I personally didn't find the movie all that frightening, as I generally find fantasy films (even with ugly characters who are fighting in battle scenes) to be much less frightening than more realistic thriller type movies with murderers, etc. I also found the battle scenes to have many light-hearted moments within them, releasing some of the tension viewers may be feeling. 

Honestly, this movie is good versus evil at its best.

So if, tomorrow, you are wondering what to do on what some believe may be our last day on Earth (December 21, 2012), then maybe go check out The Hobbit.

That's assuming, of course, that you've made things right with God, apologized to anyone you've needed to, accomplished everything on your "must do before I die" list, etc. AFTER all that has been done, then relax with a top-notch movie.

;)

And maybe check out the book "The Hobbit too". It's a great read!

Blessings,

Jeremy