The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

I have a feeling that when the news broke that Peter Jackson was returning to Middle-Earth, fans of The Lords of the Rings trilogy rejoiced. Nine years after The Return of the King wowed audiences, Jackson brings forth a new vision of J.R.R. Tolkien's famed work. But is it worth seeing?

I myself am relatively new to Jackson's depictions of Tolkien's visions. I only saw The Lord of the Rings trilogy this past summer, so I wasn't blessed with seeing them on the big screen. However, I did fall in love with each one of them, which only made me more excited for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

But was I satisfied with the outcome? You bet I was. More than once as I was watching it, a huge smile crawled across my face. I was so happy returning to the world I first saw this summer. Of course, not everyone shares the same opinion as me. (A few comparisons to The Phantom Menace were brought up, but they weren't too severe.) Some think Jackson put too much (or not enough) in the film. I personally had no problem whatsoever. But everyone's entitled to an opinion.

Either way, I just loved The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The only problem I had was the fact I have to wait a year for the sequel. (I can't wait that long!) Also, I love how the film's almost three hours long, and it just flies by without any hesitation. Oh, and Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins? Perfect, perfect casting.

My Rating: *****