Review: The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey

Review: The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey

It's been nine years since the fantasy world of Middle Earth graced our cinema screens with the epic conclusion of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King. Now in 2012, we finally have the opening movie of what some have referred to as this franchise's "prequel trilogy": The Hobbit. 

Luckily for the hardcore fans of The Lord of the Rings, there are references and cameos aplenty from the original motion pictures. From the fantastic Andy Serkis reprising his role as the iconic Gollum to Elijah Wood's Frodo showing face for nostalgia's sake, it's clear to see that this movie was produced with the fans in mind. That said, anyone completely new to the series will not be lost, as the fresh tale of Bilbo Baggins and his unexpected adventures is a whirlwind of fun, colour and unbelievably exciting storytelling in its own right. 

Peter Jackson, the man known around the world for bringing The Lord of the Rings on to the big screen to ear-shattering acclaim, makes a few errors and slip ups here and there in the first of his adaptations of Tolkein's beloved children's tale, but overall they don't detract from the excitement and breathless sense of adventure in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. 

From the very beginning, as some of the major musical themes from The Lord of the Rings reach our ears, we are slap-bang back into Middle Earth as though we have never left. We approach the vast narrative via its mythic setup: the terrifying dragon Smaug (seen only in teasing glimpses here) annihilates the Dwarven kingdom of Erebor. The older Hobbit, played once again by Ian Holm, is then presented to us, before we flash back in time to meet our unlikely hero at an earlier time in his quiet, peaceful life. Martin Freeman is pitch perfect as Bilbo, the quiet titular character who is contacted by the instantly recognisable wizard Gandalf the Grey - and it's nothing short of awesome to see Ian Mckellen back in the role, bringing a sparkle of fun and wit with every subtle grin and eyebrow raise. Gandalf has a quest for Bilbo, and before long the unassuming Hobbit is caught up in a Dwarven mission to take back Erebor and outsmart Smaug. Finding his courage, Bilbo fights orcs, outsmarts mountain trolls and visits locations in Middle Earth he never even dreamed of - but ultimately one chance encounter in Gollum's cave alters his life and has the potential to change the world forever as he stumbles upon a seemingly meaningless golden ring...

The plot is simple enough, however at 169 minutes there is enough padding in The Hobbit to ensure the entire backstory of Lord of the Rings is covered and then some. Thanks to cameos from Christopher Lee's sinister Saruman and Cate Blanchett's Galadriel, we become aware that a "Necromancer" is in hiding in dark lands. Of course, fans of the book will know that this "Necromancer" is a weaker form of Sauron himself, the chief antagonist of The Lord of the Rings; it's a clever trick on Peter Jackson's part to reward fans this way, however this could be potentially alienating for those new to the world of Middle-Earth.

On to The Hobbit, however. There is no doubt at all that it's a long slog, and there are times when it seems overstuffed and out of balance. At least all the scenes in the theatrical cuts of The Lord of the Rings felt essential to the primary narrative; here there are added characters, deviating from the book (a good example is Radagast The Brown, a slightly loopy wizard who notices evil rising in the forests) and occasionally throwing in characters from the original trilogy unnecessarily. Elijah Wood's appearance as Frodo is not essential, as nice as it is, and there is a sense that Jackson himself was on something of a nostalgia trip when recruiting all his old chums to make cameos.

These cameos unfortunately overshadow what is already a very big cast of very big characters. The thirteen Dwarves whom Bilbo chooses to follow are often given a hard time; only three or four really stand out from the crowd of beards - some barely get any dialogue at all. It was inevitable that with a fellowship of fifteen characters - those being the Dwarves, Gandalf and Bilbo - that some would be left in the lurch and unfortunately that inevitability is realised. That said, a superb performance from Richard Armitage as Thorin, the leader of the company, more than makes up for the lack of distinctive personality from his troops. He is this trilogy's Aragorn, a man (dwarf) hardened by war and loss, and his belief that Bilbo is not fit for such a mission creates some exciting interaction.

It's this form of interaction that gives the film its heart - Martin Freeman's acting is spot on, and although it ocassionally feels as though Bilbo is given a back seat in the narrative thanks to Gandalf's little side-quests, his understated performance shows us exactly why Peter Jackson decided to work around Freeman's schedule to ensure he got the part. Just when it feels like Bilbo isn't getting anywhere positive and he has given up on the quest, a fantastic piece of character drama occurs when he falls into Gollum's cave. Andy Serkis is once again superb as the spiteful Hobbit-turned-creature; Gollum may look a little younger and act a lot more evil, but before long it feels as though he's never been off our screens. The iconic riddle scene, in which Bilbo bargains for his life in a game of wits with Gollum, is played out brilliantly and provides an excellent break from the relentless chase scenes before it, giving Freeman a chance to flex his acting muscles opposite Serkis's hectic and manic motion-captured display of insanity.

Aside from this, though, as soon as Bilbo departs The Shire the action ramps up considerably. While this is an exciting display of visual effects, fans will be very disappointed to find that Jackson has redesigned many of his iconic monsters. Orcs are now completely CGI; not the menacing, towering stuntmen that provided such real threat and menace in The Lord of the Rings. This is a poor decision on Jackon's part, as is the sudden choice to have the Orcs speak in their own tongue with subtitles. This only alienates us further, and unfortunately provides inconsistencies in the overall story - in his quest to draw us further into his vision, Peter Jackson has sadly pushed us further away. 

Luckily though, pure old fashioned excitement comes from gargantuan battle sequences. From the breathless scene in which the company flee from wolves to an astonishing display of effects when the fellowship watches two stone giants attack each other, The Hobbit never fails to make a jaw drop. It simply looks fantastic, and in a rare case for the format, the film looks absolutely stunning in 3D. Aerial shots of barren landscapes soar out of the screen and mythical creatures come to life gloriously - appropriately given its happier tone, The Hobbit is much more colourful and vibrant than Lord of the Rings, and Jackson has done brilliantly making the same world seem so new and exciting.

Summary

It's been a long time coming and luckily The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is worth the wait with exceptionally committed performances from the cast, in particular Martin Freeman's emphatic Bilbo and Richard Armitage's battle-hardened Thorin. Occasionally overwhelming cameos from Lord of the Rings characters threaten to steal the spotlight from the main narrative, however The Hobbit never completely slips off the rails. From nail-biting chase scenes to superb character interaction, the thrill-ride doesn't let up and it certainly doesn't let go of its message, one which Bilbo himself discovers - that getting off your arse and breaking the norm isn't necessarily a bad thing. Peter Jackson does make rather a lot of errors here and there, such as some alienating CGI and a lack of character development for some of the supporting cast, but overall The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is nothing short of superb for previous fans of The Lord of the Rings and for newcomers to this fantasy world.

Middle Earth? It's good to be back.

9/10 - Brilliant

See it if you liked: The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003), The Wizard of Oz (1939), Brave (2012)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will be released in December 2013.

The Hobbit: There and Back Again will be released in July 2014.

Review: Great Expectations

Review: Great Expectations

Classic adaptations are hard riffs to pull off in this modern cinematic age of Transformers, Avengers and Channing Tatums, however director Mike Newell has certainly given his best shot at a new adaptation of Charles Dickens' arguably most famous novel Great Expectations.

An unfortunate case of been-there, done-that lingers amongst the old fashioned atmosphere, but strong, thoughtful performances and an absorbing sense of drama and intrigue save Great Expectations from complete boredom. For those who have already read the novel or witnessed a previous interpretation of the story, this version will fail to impress. That said, others who are new to the narrative will feel very satisfied with the big screen vision even if they'll no doubt experience a vast amount of confusion due to some unnecessarily speedy storytelling. 

That storytelling involves Pip, a young orphan who falls in love with Estella, a rich girl under the care of Miss Havisham, an ageing woman who has refused to take off her wedding dress since her fiancée left her. Years later, Pip has become a successful blacksmith with his brother-in-law, however he knows Miss Havisham will not allow him to be with Estella unless he becomes a "true gentleman". When a lawyer, Mr Jaggers, approaches him and tells him a "wealthy benefactor" has left him a large sum of money to allow him to do this, Pip sets off for London immediately in the hopes of breaking through Estella's ice cold heart and proving he can be enough of a gentleman to be hers. Meanwhile, the identity of the benefactor remains unknown; a secret which haunts Pip with potentially devastating consequences.

While the story is one of Dickens' most adored literary works, it often feels clunky to watch on screen in this particular retelling. At times it often feels as though Newell has "David Yates syndrome", in that he has taken a novel and has simply ensured the major scenes are shoved in. This leads to an incoherent narrative, which is incredibly frustrating for both fans of the novel and those who wish to understand every detail of the film; one could even assume that Newell is under the assumption that anyone watching the movie has already read the book, such is the lack of organisation in his storytelling. 

Flashbacks are under-used, as instead names are thrown around hastily by Ralph Fiennes' Magwitch and Robbie Coltrane's Jaggers in mid-conversation to deliver incredibly important plot points. It's hard work keeping up with Great Expectations in the clearest of adaptations, but Newell has made it damn near impossible in his vision. Anyone who can work out Magwitch's complex backstory from the hurried, incoherent mumblings and half-arsed dialogue deserves a medal.

There's also a need for the film to justify itself. There have been so many adaptations before now - why do we need a new one? Newell fails to bring anything new to the table.

Yet, where he fails, the cast succeed. Despite the inconsistent quality of the storytelling, the performances are incredibly strong. Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter are excellent as always, giving a sense of sympathy to characters who are perhaps undeserving of such forgiveness. Yet the stars, Jeremy Irvine as Pip and Holliday Grainger as Estella, refuse to be outshone and do brilliant justice to unforgettable fictional characters. They turn what could have been an overly classy, dull affair into a much more humane, fine experience of love and manipulation. Jason Flemyng, David Walliams and Robbie Coltrane are also superb additions to the cast, adding a mixture of comedy, empathy and mystery to the performances. 

As well as this, Great Expectations succeeds in becoming a true character drama. We are very engrossed in Pip's tale, from his first encounter with the initially terrifying Magwitch to the gripping finale on board an ill-fated boat. We genuinely care about the characters and are shocked by every twist and turn. The movie is absorbingly authentic, and in a cinema we can ask no more than that.

Summary

Put simply, lovers of the classic Dickens novel will be incredibly disappointed by Mike Newell's adaptation for 2012 due to a lack of focus. Those new to the story, however, will no doubt enjoy the tale for the first time even if they may struggle to keep up with the messy plot. Fantastic performances from the major cast make the film shine with plenty of distinguished personality and charm, and Jeremy Irvine should certainly experience a major breakthrough after this very fine display of talent. Absorbing, intriguing and affecting, Great Expectations is a decent drama full of brilliant characters and, despite its lack of a coherent narrative, it succeeds in pulling us in to its irresistible tale of love, manipulation and mystery. Just lower your expectations first. 

7/10 - Very Good

See it if you liked: One Day (2011), Pride and Prejudice (2005), Dorian Gray (2009)

Review: Silver Linings Playbook

Review: Silver Linings Playbook

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence take centre stage in Silver Linings Playbook, a feature which boasts some excellent performances and ideas but also suffers from a lack of focus, too many headache inducing confrontations and a predictable storyline. 

This isn't necessarily a bad thing depending on how one likes their romantic "dramadies", however there are only so many close ups of Bradley Cooper crying and shouting at Robert De Niro the average cinema-goer can take. 

Still, Silver Linings Playbook is an enjoyable movie which takes a look at the determination of the human spirit in times of doubt as well as how much new love can shape the future. Cooper plays Pat Solitano, a bipolar sufferer fresh out of a state institution he'd been banged up in for eight and a half months after almost killing a man having an affair with his wife. Moving back into his dysfunctional home with his father, a brilliantly compassionate Robert De Niro, and his mother, Jacki Weaver, Pat finds that rebuilding life isn't so easy when the world seems to consistently push him back down again. His social filter is, as he says "clogged," so even the simplest conversation can turn inappropriate against his intentions. 

Luckily for him, he is helped by an assortment of your average "cooky" characters, such as a well-meaning Indian psychiatrist, Chris Tucker's colourful Danny and a difficult but delightful Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany, a recently widowed young woman with even poorer social skills than Pat himself. However, she gives him a way to get out of his rut and he soon finds himself attempting to overcome the obstacles associated with a new relationship.

At certain points, Silver Linings Playbook grates with its constantly audience-integrating elements; for example, the amount of times Pat says he is looking for a "silver lining", the overuse of Robert De Niro's supposedly endearing OCD and the apparent realism of everybody in the room yelling at each other at the same time. The film is a mess on occasion, losing its aim as we are confusingly juggled between Pat and Tiffany. 

Yet, Playbook has some balls and it isn't afraid to show 'em. Some scenes are shockingly played out, such as when Pat accidentally strikes his mother during one of his episodes and when his father repeatedly labels him a "good for nothing loser". Looking on the bright side though (one of the film's many life lessons), Cooper and Lawrence generate fantastic chemistry, making both of their characters surprisingly enjoyable to watch despite their many alienating problems. Their comedic moments are played with plenty of charm, but when they dip into their darker sides we see some true acting talent shine out, saving Playbook from being a witless, less emphatic affair.

Summary

Part dysfunctional family drama, part romantic comedy, Silver Linings Playbook is another point on the scoreboards of both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. Their superb performances give the movie its relatable edge, whilst able support comes from Robert De Niro and Chris Tucker. At times the film fails to entertain, particularly during sequences in which we are being forced to feel sympathy for characters whose problems are self inflicted, as well as those messy migraine makers involving rooms crowded full of people shouting at each other. Despite this, though, Silver Linings Playbook remains an evenly balanced, if predictable, mix of romance and comedy which should please both genders in equal measure. 

6/10 - Pretty Good

See it if you liked: One Day (2011), Adventureland (2009), Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)