I recently wrote up Jackson's LOTR series ahead of The Hobbit's release and concluded by expressing my tempered excitement to return to Middle Earth despite the moderately negative critical reaction surrounding the film. I knew I'd likely be more appreciative than most, but I never would have dreamed I'd be as taken with it as I am. I would easily put it on par with my favorite of the franchise (Fellowship) and perhaps rate it even higher. I hit upon why I love it so much in a recent conversation with my Wayne Gale Variety Hour co-host Danno. Everything I didn't like about the LOTR trilogy is absent from The Hobbit. Chiefly, there's no Liv Tyler or the sappy, boring romance that came with her character, but the improvements extend across the board in my humble opinion.
Richard Armitage is fantastic as Thorin Oakenshield. He's a vastly more inspiring lead than Aragorn was in my eyes. He exudes true charisma and clarity of purpose as opposed to the smelly, self-loathing fumes of Viggo's grunge-style moping. Thorin embraces his lineage and has no doubts as to his mission in life. His voice is also much easier on the ears. Thorin's inflections are deep, sonorous and authoritative where Aragorn's were pinched, nasal and whiny. The song the dwarves sang around Bilbo's fire before embarking on their quest was liquid gravitas. I wanted to walk into that scene and begin living in the movie after that point.
Martin Freeman is perfect as the audience surrogate. Not at all off-putting like Wood's Frodo or grating like Astin's Samwise. He's likable and easy to relate to, both in his doubts and the manner in which he gives in to the adventure. His presence in the film is always just enough and never too much. He doesn't bog the proceedings down with his internal struggles and fears. We get enough to understand how we would feel in the situation without it ever getting oppressive in the fashion Frodo's blithering, blood drenched dementia was. It helps that The Hobbit is a smaller story and the fate of the films entire world doesn't rest upon it. That's not to say there aren't wonderful lessons and lovely morals throughout, it just doesn't feel like your being bludgeoned by them as you watch.
I've read some critics remark that Jackson seems tired and disengaged from the material. That's pure insanity because The Hobbit contains some of his most inspired work, both in terms of fantastical action set-pieces and beautiful, small-scale character interaction. There's a flashback sequence where an elder dwarf relates the tale of how Thorin got his surname from his deeds in a past battle that is maybe the most impressive thing Jackson has ever put to film. My breath was taken away by the visuals in The Hobbit more times than I can count.
The effects are outstanding, light years beyond what was achievable in the original trilogy. Unlike what some are saying, I felt Jackson used this advancement in technology only to make the world more lived in and thrilling. It never felt like a detriment to the story, only a tool to enhance it. Middle Earth feels older in The Hobbit than it did in LOTR, which makes chronological sense, but is a refreshing relief nonetheless. Look how Lucas idiotically utilized burgeoning tech in the Star Wars prequels, then marvel at Jackson's restraint and fidelity to source material.
The Hobbit has a clearer objective than LOTR, one that's easier to become enthralled by. The nemeses and the manner of defeating them much more cinematically understandable than a metaphor cast into lava to destroy a symbol. Gollum is magnificent and his scene perhaps the best we've ever seen him in, but my favorite antagonist is Azog the Defiler, an all CGI character impeccably designed and brilliantly realized. There's so much in this movie that is just plain cool, I can't fathom how anyone could not be thoroughly entertained by it. The Hobbit is a masterful adventure film that I was swept up in from the first frame to the last. I can not wait to see where the story goes and to spend more time with these characters.
To keep this love train on the tracks, let's move on to Jack Reacher. I knew nothing of this character or the series of books concerning his adventures before seeing this movie, but I would gladly sit through an adaptation of every one of them now (providing Cruise and writer/director McQuarrie are involved of course). Jack Reacher is a taught, pulpy conspiracy thriller centering on a beyond-bad-ass lead who faces off against a cabal of delightfully evil villains. There's hard hitting, practical action scenes galore, a clever story and enough classic tough guy lines to fill up a quote book. It helps that Cruise is 100% believable as said tough guy, because I can think of very few actors today that could pull this role off. I don't care if the dude is a 5 foot 6 inch movie star, I am fully convinced he could beat the ever loving shit out of me and most anyone I know.
Werner Herzog and Jai Courtney are tremendous as the bad guys and Rosamund Pike turns in an able supporting performance, but this is Cruise's show all the way. He does his own driving and it benefits the realism immeasurably. I was frankly astonished at the Rockford-style shitties he was whipping in that souped up muscle car. The film doesn't have a lot of subtext going on, but I will give it credit for how it handles the unfortunately timed sniper massacre element that kicks off its story. The opening is a breathless, dialogue-free suspense sequence that manages to thrillingly pull you into the story despite how sickening its content. I respect the grave, somber tone with which this horrific incident is portrayed and the human face the film seems dedicated to putting on the victims.
There's nothing special about Jack Reacher on the surface, yet I find it notably significant that at 2 hours and 10 minutes, I was always totally engaged. I had as much fun watching this as any other film this year and wanted a sequel the second the credits began scrolling. In this superhero franchise age we live in, recognizably human action like this is a rarity. That's too bad because it felt wonderful to watch a movie willing to give its audience room to breathe. It was a welcome treat to enjoy well choreographed and clearly shot fight scenes and to have my pulse quickened by an adrenaline fueled car chase made all the more enjoyable because it was comprehensible. Jack Reacher is a damn fine movie that treats its audience like adults. Maybe I'm as old fashioned as this film, but if it proves successful enough to green-light a follow up, I'll be first in line.
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