The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Peter Jackson's first film in his prequel trilogy to Lord of the Rings is a very pretty looking piece of celluloid with a good cast but for all it's Goblin action never feels as gritty or vital as The Rings films.
Aside from the opening half hour which is pretty much a get to know you with the cast of characters - Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit of the title, a bunch of dwarves including Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt and Ken Stott and Ian McKellan's wizard Gandalf. Martin Freeman's Bilbo is a fine companion
on this lengthy quest but Armitage's Thorin - the leader - somewhat uninspiring. However it's Sylvester McCoy's wizard Radagast the Brown who was the most fun and appealing character in this first instalment.
It felt like it lacked genuine peril despite it's many lengthy action scenes with the first as the group are captured by Trolls especially silly, doing nothing more than adding twenty minutes to a film already too long gorging itself on excess. Despite this it's all fairly forgettable stuff.
Thankfully things take an upturn with the next outing The Desolation of Smaug .
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