The Hobbit Review: Critics Say Movie Long, But a Job Well Done

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will not be out for another 10 days, but critics are already weighing in.

According to Cinema Blend's Katey Rich, in the beginning moments of the movie, it feels "like a brief story stretched far too thin." But, Rich said, it "eventually settles into its own enjoyable rhythm, a comic adventure that's a good enough excuse to make a return visit to Middle Earth."

Rich said she saw An Unexpected Journey in the 48 frames per second and in 3D modes and recommend both experiences.

"I never adjusted to the look, which makes everything feel more real and closer to you, an effect that's utterly bizarre when seeing giant trolls or goblins or even a band of tiny dwarves" Rich wrote. "The technological experimentation may have helped Peter Jackson get excited about a smaller-scale return to Middle Earth, but its effect on the movie is harder to gauge; it's fascinating seeing familiar characters like Gollum move with an unbelievable realness, but also nearly impossible to feel as swept away by this journey to an imaginary world."

The New Zealand Herald said "as lengthy as this first installment is, it's a cracking start, which feels looser, funnier and often outright scarier than [Director Peter] Jackson's last venture into this territory."

The Hollywood Reporter said the three hours Jackson spent "visually representing every comma, period and semicolon from the first six chapters of the perennially popular 19-chapter book, [resulted in] a purist's delight, something the millions of die-hard fans of his Lord of the Rings trilogy will gorge upon."

"However, it's also a bit of a slog, with an inordinate amount of exposition and lack of strong forward movement," Todd McCarthy wrote. "But based on its maker, source and gigantic promotional campaign, this first section to the long-awaited prequel to Rings will no doubt mine equivalent amounts of box-office gold, as will its follow-ups next year and the year after that."