THE THING ABOUT THE HOBBIT is that it isn’t my story.  Compared to The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien’s first foray into Middle Earth holds little attachment for me.  While I’ve seen the animated movie a number of times, I’ve only read the novel once.  I didn’t find Bilbo to be a horribly interesting character, nor did I find the elves’ quest all that motivating.  If anything, that was the great hurdle for me when walking into The Hobbit.

Much has already been said by many about the movie, one of the most anticipated movies in years for many people.  And I won’t rehash their views so much as affirm one potential weakness and sing the praises of many things about Peter Jackson’s return to Middle Earth.

Pacing.  The biggest concern I had after my first viewing of the movie was its pacing.  The first time around, it feels very slow.  It percolates, mostly in Bag End (as opposed to other places in the Shire).  And while the action pieces of the first half of the movie are great, there is a sense of Slog.  The second time through, though, this was less of a problem.  It felt smooth.  Digressions concerning Thorin and Radagast did not feel like unnecessary detours.  I think, though, that the pacing matches that of the extended editions of LOTR, which is a good thing but a thing that also takes getting used to.  A second viewing really is a must, if just to make peace with the pace alone.

Acting.  Martin Freeman is brilliant as Bilbo.  He makes the role his own and gives it a depth I did not expect.  The returning actors are all great.  Each of the major powers from LOTR get great lines, lines that show a humor that couldn’t really be found in the weighty LOTR.  Andy Serkis does an amazing job with Gollum.  The dwarves are well-done, each with a personality (though some less than others).  Not one acting misstep can be found, as far as I can tell.

Music.  This was an unexpected issue for me.  Many of the best pieces from LOTR return here, are repurposed for important scenes.  My favorite piece found its way behind Gandalf’s conversation with Galadriel, and to great effect.  At least twice, though, the music took me back more to LOTR than the current moment.  “The Song of the Lonely Mountain” is a great addition to the canon, though, and works well as the movie’s anthematic piece.

Imagery.  My first viewing was in IMAX 3-D.  It was beautiful, crisp, and utterly clear.  Perhaps too clear for me when it comes to digital images.  My second viewing was reliabe 2-D, and I found that I still quite liked the old ways.  Either way, the movie is beautiful.  Erebor and Dale are perfect.  The Shire, what we see of it, is spot-on.  The landscape scenes are amazing.  The Eagles (the Eagles!) are rendered perfectly.  Perhaps the biggest complain is the CGI-Azog and the wargs.  It wasn’t so distracting, though, that I couldn’t enjoy each moment.

Echoes.  What struck me the most, and it may be my imagination, were the echoes from The Fellowship of the Ring (and probably the rest of the Rings cycle).  The echoes I caught (or felt) are probably nods to fans.  Gandalf and the hanging lamp in Bag End is the most obvious nod to another moment.  I felt it most, though, in the ending conversation between Thorin and Bilbo.  It was like Frodo and Boromir part two, but this time things ended quite differently (the same could be said for the entire scene preceding that moment).  If it is an intentional echo, it works well in its own way.  It worked much better than what I think Lucas tried to do with his prequels, where he tried to work in echoes that failed miserably.

Best Time for a Bathroom Break.  Go during the scene with the mountain giants.  I can’t remember if they’re in the book.  But it gets you through Rivendell and gets you to Gollum.  Just be quick about it.

Great Moments (in no particular order).  The meeting of the White Council in Rivendell.  Bilbo’s conversation with the trolls.  Gandalf’s answer to Galadriel.  The Goblin King (who could’ve been a Vogon).  Gollum in his little boat.

Best Moment.  While Gandalf’s answer is the best speech in the movie (along with Bilbo’s one or two little speeches), the the “Riddles in the Dark” section where Tolkien and everything Jackson has built really shines.  The back and forth between Bilbo and Gollum is perfect.  And the scene where Bilbo gets out of the cave?  Perfect.  You feel Gollum’s loss and you see well Bilbo’s decision.

Final Thought.  I feel like this movie was about bridging narratives as much as it was about anything else.  By starting things with Bilbo and Frodo just before the big party, there was a strong sense that this story was as much about setting up LOTR as it was about something else.  My hope is that such a set-up takes a back seat to the rest of The Hobbit‘s main tale.  I can’t imagine Gollum coming back for the remaining movies.  I look forward to seeing Freeman’s Bilbo continue to grow.  His story arc in this movie was solid.  I do look forward to seeing how Jackon fleshes out the part of the story that Tolkien left vague.  I have the feeling that we’re in for something big.  As long as the little guy doesn’t get lost in the mix, I’m gladly along for the ride.