This Tolkien remix is grand mythical storytelling, if somewhat leisurely and wayward at times in its need to turn the book into (now) a trilogy of films. Technically it is simply stunning - sound and visuals are quite sublime. New Zealand again proves to be a huge asset, but perhaps this time casting is even more crucial and successful than the Rings films, with both old (returning characters and actors are a delight, especially Gollum) and new - the band of dwarfs is spot on, convincing and entertaining, and Martin Freeman does quite superb work as Bilbo. The script has more lighter touches and humour than the Rings trilogy, but the film is still quite dark and visceral. Peter Jackson's visual imagination and creative control as director is self-evident and unquestionable here. As for the 48fps debate: it does take a bit of adjusting to, the image is astonishingly clear (James Cameron's notion that 'the window pane is removed' is correct) in interior/studio-shot scenes, but some exteriors appear over-bright or too high-contrast. Motion blur is definitely still evident in 3D, however. It will be interesting to see how story and structure play out over the two remaining films, but An Unexpected Journey is hugely enjoyable and supremely well-made.
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