Le Hobbit : Un voyage inattendu

Bien sûr, les décors sont magnifiques, mais à part ça, nous ne retiendrons rien d'exceptionnel. Le film n'est en effet qu'une alternance de scènes dialoguées interminables et trop explicatives et de scènes d'actions brèves (mais généralement bien fichues, avouons-le) ponctuées de petites touches comiques pas drôles.

But for its occasional moments of excess and unhurried pace, An Unexpected Journey is proof that Jackson still has a knack for stories in this world, and that he may have more surprises in store as the rest of this new, unexpected trilogy unfolds.

Being that it's The Hobbit and not LOTR, don't expect the same ultra-epic battle of good versus evil, as this is a far more lighthearted romp. Still - it's a ton of fun, and I'm certainly looking forward to the next two installments.

Freeman's Bilbo is a bit of a problem, at least at first. Like the character, Freeman sometimes seems to be trying too hard, and his overly emphatic puzzlement and exasperation frequently comes off like shtick in a BBC sitcom; he's very much a frazzled Brit throughout, even though everyone else is, you know, dwarves and wizards and such.

In the end - or shall I say the beginning - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a visual feast with whimsy and charm.

More is less in Peter Jackson's gargantuan first installment of his second J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy.

What saves the day is the spidery, schizoid Gollum, again performed by the great Andy Serkis through the craft of motion capture.

Making it through all 169 minutes is a chore.