The highest compliment I can pay to this footage is that it looks absolutely a part of the prior Lord of the Rings trilogy. Unlike the Star Wars prequels, which looked and felt like a world very different from the original trilogy, this two-part adaptation of The Hobbit should fit right in with the first three films. How wonderful it is to hear that music again, from the mournful beautiful main 'Shire theme' to the almost subtle appearance of 'the Ring theme' when an old friend pops up in the end, these two films feel of a piece with what came before. The only real 'concern' I have is that I never found The Hobbit that engaging as a novel. Truth be told, I never got around to actually reading Lord of the Rings because I wasn't all that intrigued by the original story. But for those who enjoy the first book as much as the next three, I can find no fault with what is on display at the moment. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens on December 14th, 2012. As always, we'll see...
Scott Mendelson
Scott Mendelson
