The Hobbit

Peter Jackson's first installment in his new Hobbit trilogy was our official Boxing Day film selection for 2012. It did not disappoint. It has all the grandeur and Orc bashing action that you would expect from a prequel to Lord of the Rings. Martin Freeman is prefect as Bilgo Baggins, the Hobbit selected by the wizard Gandalf (again wonderfully brought to life by Ian McKellen) to join a band of homeless dwarfs on a quest to reclaim their lost treasure and kingdom. JRR Tolkien's book, The Hobbit, is a fairly slim volume. I understand the film trilogy is filled out with some adaptations of the appendices to Lord of the Rings. Some scenes do feel as though they have been strung out a little, such as the lengthy intro, which takes place almost entirely in Bilbo's Hobbit hole. Still, for the most part, the 169 minutes fly by, filled with battles and high adventure. The scene between Bilbo and Gollum may also seem a tad long to some, but for me he is such a fascinating little creature and so wonderfully portrayed by Andy Serkis, that I did not mind. All round another excellent addition to Jackson's Tolkien films and no doubt another shot in the arm for New Zealand tourism. The photo above is of the WETA statue of Gollum at Wellington Airport.