Hello all and Happy (belated) New Year!
First thing first: my customs have been posted at the
Hobbit Central, go an check out their site it's awesome and it has a lot of cool news especially about upcoming bridge direct figures. Thanks guys for putting up my work!
Second thing: Currently working on some more Dwarf and Orc customs: they should be up by next week
If it's your first time here I suggest checking out the customs section and go over and check out Dr Syn's Blog
The Smuggling Cove there are some awesome Hobbit customs there too as well as some cool G.I.Joe Stuff!
On to the review:
I have officially now watched The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey three times! Each time in 2D and
I found that very interesting, because every person I watched it with preferred
to watch it in that way! I did want to check it out in 3D in the 48 fps, but I’m
not really a big fan of 3D anyway, maybe for the Desolation of Smaug. Apart
from the Likes and Dislikes section, I have added two other sections ‘predictions’
and ‘Toys I want’. But more on that later, I found the film very entertaining
and the changes in these films did not bother me anywhere near as much as those
made to the Lord of the Rings, I wonder if this will remain the same for the
other two films. On to the Likes and Dislikes!
Likes
- The inclusion of chapter titles straight from the text
-The mention of the Blue Wizards, though I would have
thought Gandalf would remember their names!
-Radagast was great! For years I’ve been wanting to see him on film, I always thought
he might make an appearance in the LOTR films. I think he crossed his eyes one
too many times and he really could have gone without the bird poo on his face!
-I really enjoyed the white council scenes except for the
fact that Galadriel seemed to outrank
Saruman, which I found weird as he’s a Maia and she’s an elf, a Valinor elf,
but an elf none the less. I thought Saruman was overshadowed a little too much
after all he was the leader of the group. I really hope that the next film
shows the white council clearing out the Fortress at Dol Guldur sending Sauron
to Mordor. It would have been good to see Cirdan and Celeborn but this would
have extended the scene too much. What about Elrond’s sons?
-I enjoyed the difference between the Goblins Goblin town
and the Moria Orcs/Goblins? I’m still not sure where they are from!
-The flashbacks were awesome! I’ve wanted to see epic Orc vs
Dwarf Battle since I was a kid! Not to mention the Great Kingdom of Erebor and
the coming of Smaug, of all the scenes in the film these are the ones I wanted
to see over and over again.
- I really liked the Design of the Dwarves, except for Thorin, a Dwarf of his status needs
a better beard. It really served as a way to differentiate otherwise identical
characters, not to mention the comedic elements presented by Ori, Oin and Bifur.
-I liked the Green Wood (Mirkwood) Elves, and while I loved
the armour and helmets, I couldn’t help but think that they were wood elves and
they would be more lightly armed, then again they were marching to war. and
what’s up with Thranduil’s eyebrows!?
- Ian McKellen as Gandalf is awesome and I’m so glad he
decided to return to the cast, but the real stand out is Martin Freeman’s Bilbo.
Riddles in the Dark was an awesome
scene!
-The appearance of Figwit as Lindir. I love the Flight of the Conchords!
-I liked the inclusion of Songs from the text, they did it
well without turning the film into a musical, especially with the Goblin King
Dislikes
-The battle of Azanulbizar was awesome! But I would love to
have seen Dain Ironfoot there as well as having the other Dwarf kingdoms
represented.
-The fact that Thrain’s story wasn’t explored or mention in
depth. Gandalf found him in Dol Guldur a prisoner of the Necromancer. Maybe in
the second film? Though I don’t see how as Radagast has had the first encounter
with the Necromancer.
-The discussion of the Grave of Angmar, I’m not sure Angmar
was ever killed, that’s why there’s a prophesy as to how he’ll be defeated.
-I’m not sure about Azog, wouldn’t Bolg seeking revenge have been just as effective?
Also was Bolg in the battle of Azannulbizar? I’m sure I saw him at least two
out of the three times I watched the film
-I’m glad Azog comes from Moria and not Dol Guldur as I had
earlier guessed. But I am confused as to what he is meant to be, an Orc or a
Goblin? He is called the ‘Pale Orc’. But what about his followers? Are they
Orcs or Goblins? And if they are Goblins why do they look so different to the
Moria Goblins in LOTR? The Wargs were cool, but I actually liked the LOTR ‘Hyena’
Wargs! I think I need to get my hand on that ‘Hobbit chronicles’ book.
All in all I think the film was amazing, anyone comparing it
to The Phantom Menace is flat out wrong, I am very much looking forward to the
other two, but I fear that they may depart a lot from the source material.
I give it 4/5 Behind the times!
Predictions
I just wanted to leave a note on things that I think will
happen in The Desolation of Smaug and
There and back again.
1. I don’t think Smaug will be killed in the Desolation of
Smaug, I think that film will end with Bilbo’s encounter with Smaug, There and
back again will start with Smaug’s attack on Laketown.
2. Just an opinion, Legolas featuring in the second and
third film makes sense, he is Thranduil’s son, I just hope that he doesn’t
overshadow the other characters!
3. I’m guessing we won’t actually be seeing Bolg again, he
was in the first film, very briefly. I think that’s it for him, there really
isn’t any need for him if his father’s still alive!
4. If they feature the attack on Dol Guldur, I’m sure it’ll
be in the second film, that’s when Gandalf disappears again.
4. I can’t wait for Beorn!
5. I don’t think the spiders will talk, however, we did get
the talking Trolls so who knows?
Toys I want from the film (in order of Preference)
3 ¾” scale
Dwarf armoured warrior from Prologue and Flashbacks
Armoured Green Wood Elf
from Flashbacks (could be in a two pack with the Dwarf?)
Balin and Dwalin from Flashback
Thranduil on the Stag
Imladris elf on horse
Elrond in armour on horse
Soldiers from Dale (Prologue)
More army builder Orcs and Goblins
From the news that are coming from Toy fair UK it seems that
we will be getting the remainder or the Dwarves as well as Azog and his wolf
and Radagast.
