The Hobbit 33%

I'll make this short, and although I originally wanted not to give spoilers, well, I kinda do but I have limited them.

First, let me state that I have a bias towards the film since I am an LOTR fan. Second, I have not the read the book... yet. Of course, you can give me a copy as a gift for the Christmas season. :)

To summarize my Hobbit experience, well, it's all about the emotions. Whenever I watch an LOTR film, even if it is in HBO, Star World, or wherever, I am always deluged with a spectrum of emotions. With The Hobbit, I am again swept away by the story telling as if I wanted to embark on my own adventure.

The musical score is really a great factor in achieving that feat. Well, there's the song when the dwarfs were lamenting about losing their homeland in the start of the film. It actually reminded me of Pippin's song in The Two Towers. And of course, there's that classic tune whenever the One Ring was focused.

Hats off also to the cast for really putting character to the characters. Galadriel looked more regal than ever; Elrond, still as wise; Gandalf, still radiating hope; Saruman, as untrustworthy as ever; and Gollum, this time, I was twice as scared and twice as confused with his bipolar tendencies. For those who have not read the book like me, characters to look forward to are Thorin Oakenshield, who embodied the king aura; and Radagast the brown, who is, well, dopey.

The film definitely did not cover the whole book, but it is OK with me. Being part of the LOTR lore, the film is not devoid of orcs, trolls, elves, goblins, giant ravens, and yes, a dragon. In a Star Wars-ish kind of way (since LOTR was shown first before The Hobbit, just like Episodes 4-6 before 1-3), I now appreciate the LOTR trilogy more as we see more of the places and people in LOTR before the War of the Ring.

There were two particular quotes that struck me, both by Gandalf. The first one reminds me to take on our own personal adventures. ‎"The world is not in your books and maps. It is out there!".  It does not necessarily mean we need to travel. I believe Gandalf was saying that we take on opportunities that come to us. Bilbo had wanderlust, as shown by his interest in maps and stories of adventures; but when faced with the reality of the dangers of taking on a quest, he initially let his fears creep in and give up on his dreams.

And alas, I promised to make it short, so I leave you with the second scene that inspired me in this film, which was the conversation between Galadriel and Gandalf.

Galadriel: Why the Hafling? 
Gandalf: Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay... small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? That's because I am afraid and it gives me courage.