4K UHD Video Review
For today's home video review, FlickDirect's Austin Putnam talks about the newly released THE HOBBIT TRILOGY in 4K UHD!Order your own copy of...
Director: | |
Writers: | |
Cast: | |
Released: | 13 December 2012 |
Length: | 170 minutes |
Studio: | New Line Cinema |
Genre: | Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure |
Certificate: | 12A |
The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever...Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities... A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
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It was bound to disappoint. With expectations at an enormous high, a 48fps experiment in tow, and fandom, both literary and cinematic, frothing at the mouth, poised to strike the moment the first film in The Hobbit trilogy showed the slightest sign of weakness, it was bound to disappoint. And yet it shouldn't have. Criticism continues to run the gamut. Too long! Too slow! Too expansive! Like butter scraped over too much bread! Was anyone really that surprised to see Jackson and company indulge a little? Did the decision to stretch two films into three fail to clue anyone into the fact that An Unexpected Journey would be more akin to a Lord of the Rings extended version than a lean, mean theatrical cut? For that matter, are the same people who swear by The Lord of the Rings Extended Editions actually upset with the end result? By some strange, blinding magic: yes, yes and yes.
Fortunately, it was only bound to disappoint some fans. There are those among us who chose a different path. Those who were familiar with the quaint, charming tale of "The Hobbit," enough so to avoid setting Rings-slaying expectations. Who didn't squander our first viewing of An Unexpected Journey by leaping headlong into an entirely new (and arguably distracting) way of watching a film. Who were overjoyed to immerse ourselves in Peter Jackson's Middle-Earth once again, for whatever length of time he saw fit. No, The Hobbit isn't perfect. It isn't a sacred adaptation of Tolkien's text, or even one that rivals any of The Lord of the Rings films. It's a gorgeous, gripping, at-times enthralling return to Middle-Earth, though, with far more to offer the Peter Jackson and J.R.R. Tolkien folds than many are willing or perhaps able to admit.
The humble, altogether simple story of "The Hobbit" becomes the grand, still relatively simple story of The Hobbit, with a smart series of additions, refinements and expansions and only a few questionable tweaks or misguided deviations. Told in flashback (with several flashbacks within that flashback), we meet a younger, less impulsive Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), the once and future ring-bearer played in his old age by Ian Holm. Coaxed by Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) into joining thirteen dwarves on a quest to reclaim their kingdom and stockpiles of gold from a vile dragon named Smaug, Bilbo reluctantly embarks on an adventure that takes him from the safety of Hobbiton to the troll and orc-ridden wild, the Elven city of Rivendell, the depths of the Misty Mountains and beyond. Drawing from the original book, Tolkien's Appendices and co-writers Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro's ever-evolving screenplay, Jackson's Unexpected Journey presents Bilbo as an adventurer-in-the-making in a coming-of-late-age tale, dwarf prince-turned-king Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) as a fallen hero, the unruly dwarves as nomads longing for a rightful place to lay their heads (rather than mere treasure), their quest a more honorable journey, and Gandalf's frequent absences a means to a far greater end: a response to the rise of a sinister Necromancer (Benedict Cumberbatch) in the stronghold of Dul Guldur.
Elrond (Hugo Weaving), Lord of Rivendell, and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) of Lothlorien return, as does Saruman the White (Christopher Lee), who isn't so willing to accept the news Gandalf and fellow wizard Radagast the Brown (Sylvester McCoy) have to share. Meanwhile, the dwarves -- among them Dwalin (Graham McTavish), Balin (Ken Stott), Bofur (James Nesbitt), Kili (Aidan Turner) and Fili (Dean O'Gorman), who receive the most screentime -- are being tracked by an old foe: Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett), a vindictive orc chieftan who killed Thorin's grandfather before losing an arm in a battle with the dwarf king himself. But other enemies await Thorin, Bilbo and the dwarven company before the first film draws to a close. Rock giants, a trio of lumbering cave trolls, a horde of goblins, their king the Great Goblin (Barry Humphries) and, in a dank cave beneath the goblin halls, a riddle-obsessed creature named Gollum (Andy Serkis), corrupted by a seemingly harmless magic ring that grants its wearer invisibility.
As with The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Jackson, Walsh and Boyens focus first and foremost on character and story, placing the utmost value on casting, performances and the ensuing adaptation above all else. Freeman isn't an A-lister (or rather wasn't before The Hobbit) but his turn as Bilbo establishes him as the film's greatest casting coup. With Freeman, Bilbo is a fully realized anchor point and unmistakably human for a hobbit. The scene in which he awakes to an empty house -- initially relieved and then, all at once, saddened by the silence -- is one of the best acted beats in Jackson's thus far four-film Middle-Earth saga, and makes everything that follows more convincing and compelling than it would otherwise be. It's these moments, these small amendments not present in the original novel but used to terrific effect in the film, that highlight the balance between performance power and adaptative craft the filmmakers make a habit of employing again and again and again. And it's these moments that carry An Unexpected Journey through less satisfying scenes that rely a bit too heavily on CG and heightened action (the escape from Goblin Town and the Rock Giant run come to mind).
The rest of the ensemble is too talented for one film. (Thank God there'll be three.) McKellen is Gandalf the Grey, and makes a number of interesting choices, from his perfectly rounded affection for Bilbo to his slight irritation at the hobbit's hesitance to strike out with the dwarves. McKellen is also responsible for yet another subtly emotional series exchange, this time with Blanchett, in a tender, easily overlooked moment of intimacy that never fails to send chills racing up my arms, even after this, my fifth viewing. Armitage is excellent too, even though Thorin's disdain for Bilbo is given the spotlight one time too many. With an iron gaze and a coalfire in his chest, he helps Jackson accomplish a dramatic trifecta: infusing the film with an undercurrent of tragedy, giving Bilbo a reason to sacrifice his all for the dwarves and providing the first film with a captivating conflict all its own. The rest of the dwarvish actors, particularly McTavish and Nesbitt, fill out the company nicely and, more importantly, serve Thorin and Bilbo's arcs selflessly. And Serkis? Freeman and Serkis' Riddles in the Dark sequence is engrossing, not just as a through-thread to Lord of the Rings but as a brilliantly staged and shot rendition of one of the book's most iconic encounters. All told, the cast is a true ensemble in every sense of the word. Jackson may not have filled the ranks with more familiar Hollywood faces, but what he nets in return is on-screen comradery, obvious even between Journey's mortal enemies.
If The Hobbit stumbles on its Unexpected Journey, it's not in expanding the tale or the characters, it's in expanding the action and, to a lesser degree, embellishing the visual effects. Tolkien opposed his books being turned into action-oriented spectacles and the last act of The Hobbit, more so even than The Return of the King (which all but required such spectacle), is puffed up and a tad bloated, with whirling swords, a chase scene that goes on a full minute too long, a mountain-pass giant fight that borders on ludicrous (not the fight but the fact that the dwarves end up standing on one of the giants' legs) and a burning treetop showdown that's intense but pure screenwriters' prerogative. None of it kills the film, but it does knock it down a notch, at least in terms of storytelling. Visually, it's immaculate, packed with cutting-edge WETA effects, incredible motion captured creatures and, of course, Gollum, who couldn't look more real. Thankfully, Jackson doesn't turn to computers for every challenge. Middle-Earth is still New Zealand and the practical effects team's masterfully forged props, sets and production design in all their natural and hand-crafted glory; enhanced with CG as needed, sure, but rarely created wholesale in a computer. More to the point, everyone on the production team -- from the costume designers to the armor makers to the weapon masters to the prosthetics masters -- is an integral player in the ensemble, as much as the actors. Like The Lord of the Rings films, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a melting pot of gracious, self-sacrificing talent both in front and behind the camera.
The long and short of it? Even when The Hobbit can't quite carry the Ring, it can carry you.
The 2D Extended Edition set includes three BD-50 discs: one for the entirety of the 183-minute feature film (with no breaks or disc swaps to be had), and two devoted to nine hours of HD bonus content. And I'm pleased to report those who fear what might become of a three-plus-hour cut of The Hobbit presented on a single BD-50 disc needn't worry any longer. The extended cut looks just as good as the previously released theatrical version, and the new scenes are seamlessly integrated. Of course, a few tech spec sticklers will crunch the numbers and compare the bitrates of the 1080p/AVC-encoded 2D extended cut, its 3D counterpart (which is spread across more generously across two BD-50s) and the March 2013 release of the theatrical version. And I'm all but certain that there findings will show that the bitrate here is a bit lower. However -- and this is a crucial however -- in motion, as perceived by the human eye, the 2D extended cut is virtually identical in quality, and I didn't catch sight of any significant compression artifacts or anomalies whatsoever. (Be particularly wary of screenshot scrutiny on this point, as still images, as always, can be deceiving.)
As before, the video presentation wows, dazzles and thoroughly impresses with an encode that stays true to Jackson and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie's every intention. Lush, lovely Shire greens, summer-kissed browns and oranges, moonlit blues pierced by blazing flame, relatively lifelike fleshtones and cavernous blacks grant the image soul and spirit, while impeccable contrast leveling and exceedingly natural shadow delineation give the image depth and strength. The filmmakers' at-times stylized color grading is presented without apparent flaw, and detail is nothing short of extraordinary. Edge definition is crisp and clean, without any significant ringing or aliasing. Fine textures are refined and exceptionally well-resolved. And there isn't a shot or scene marked by anything less than the utmost care. Better still, macroblocking, banding and other issues are absent, and only the slightest hint of noise and negligible crush will give eagle-eyed videophiles pause. The new cut of An Unexpected Journey delivers the first of what promises to be a trio of top tier Extended Edition transfers and doesn't disappoint in the least.
Like the theatrical version of An Unexpected Journey, the Extended Edition boasts a bellowing beast of a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. There's just one -- I'd say minor, some would say major -- difference. Bass enthusiasts will notice a small, perhaps negligible boost in LFE oomph that will most likely satisfy those who were disappointed with the March 2013 Blu-ray's low-end output. In the interest of full disclosure, I didn't notice anything amiss earlier this year when reviewing the theatrical cut, although I also should probably admit the issue didn't bother me even once I verified its presence with subsequent viewings. Similarly, I had a hard time picking out the differences here, so take that as you will, bearing in mind the power of placebo as it applies to all parties involved. (None of that, though, is meant to dismiss the concerns of those who were bothered by the theatrical track's bass. Quite the contrary.) The LFE channel once again struck me as forceful yet discerning, producing deep, resonant thooms and weighty booms. All the while, the rear speakers bustle and bristle with engaging, wonderfully effective activity seasoned with convincing directional effects and transparent cross-channel pans. The resulting soundfield is wholly immersive, dropping the listener into the heart of Erebor, the cozy hobbit holes of Hobbiton, the vast expanse of the wild, the midst of a thunderous rock giant battle, the chaos of an underground Goblin city and the center of a cave where a certain magic ring slips from its master's pocket and bounces along the ground. Dialogue remains crystal clear and intelligible throughout as well (without a lost or muffled line to be found), prioritization is flawless, and Howard Shore's score is sweeping and full, just as it should be. It would take quite a lot to top this one as one of the best AV presentations of the year.
Special Features:
No, the extended cut of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey isn't as satisfying as the theatrical cut. Several new scenes and shots directly address some of the film's problems, but most of the additions are inessential and actually exacerbate a number of issues (pacing and embellishment among them), making for an enjoyable but ultimately curious alteet is a must-own release. Regardless of how you react to the new cut, its video presentation is outstandingrnate take on the first entry in Jackson's trilogy. Even so, the Extended Edition s, its DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track is terrific, and its supplemental package is so exhaustive it's almost exhausting to dig through. Jackson and Boyens offer up an excellent commentary, and nine hours of Appendices material explores every last aspect of the production. Frankly, the Appendices discs are worth the cost of admission alone. Now it's simply a matter of patiently waiting for The Desolation of Smaug to descend on theaters this December.
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