Under review: ‘The Hobbit’
View(s):The plot: Unexpectedly tempted by the promise of an adventure, a younger Bilbo Baggins runs out of Bag End and into a world wilder than he ever dreamed off. The hobbit is soon caught up in the quest of a company of dwarves led by the heroic Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thráin, son of Thrór, King Under the Mountain. Erebor, home of the dwarves’, once renowned for its wealth and beauty, is now the den of a vile dragon named Smaug.
Thorin would reclaim his throne, but he’ll have to battle orcs, trolls and goblins before he can even hope to be in sight of the Lonely Mountain. Thorin doesn’t have much faith in his designated burglar, but Bilbo isn’t a Baggins for nothing – he finds reserves of courage and cunning he never knew he had.
Why you should go to see it: It’s fun. For fans of the book – lovingly exact reconstructions of the encounter with the trolls and of Bilbo’s session of riddling with Golum in the dark reconfirm director Peter Jackson’s status as a true fanboy. The encounter with Gollum in the goblin tunnels also marks Bilbo’s first encounter with the one ring – the heart of the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) films and introduces crucial characters. There and Back Again is great movie making. Fans of the LOTR who were left wanting more will find their wish fulfilled. Think wonderful special effects – no one does Middle Earth as well as Jackson.
Why you might want to pass this one by: It’s long. The Hobbit was always a simple little book and that was part of its charm but in attempting to turn it into a trilogy that rivals LOTR they’ve added drama and a great deal of padding. Entire sequences can seem irrelevant and you’re left wondering if you’re up for two more servings of the same.
Who not to bring to the show: Very young children. Sure, there’s action and pretty pictures but there’s an awful lot of talking.
Next Up:
‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ will be released in December 2013. Having successfully survived the journey over the Misty Mountains, the dwarves and Bilbo must now face the terrible darkness of Mirkwood. Giant spiders and wary wood elves make the going hard but they are drawing close to their final destination – Lonely Mountain where Smaug sits on his gold and broods.
Essential Info:
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo, Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Richard Armitage as Thorin.
Running at : Savoy Theatre, Wellawatte.
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