I'm going to be straight with you; I really love this movie! Ever since I read the book I've been waiting for these films for many years and it was almost exactly as I imagined it. In my little review I'll cover the aspects of the movie that this site has asked me to rate:

Make-Up - I gave this a 5/5; the make-up in almost all cases in this film is extraordinary. Very realistic.

Music (Score) - Howard Shore; one of my favourite composers. The soundtrack for the Hobbit is fantastic and is very reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings soundtrack that he did. I especially love the tune to the Misty Mountains song, which is the main theme. However, despite the music being extremely well done, there weren't any particular tracks that I like to listen to over and over on the soundtrack. For example, in the Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack alone, I love to listen in my spare time to Concerning Hobbits, The Ring Goes South, Journey into the Dark, The Bridge of Khazad-dum, etc. Whereas in the Hobbit soundtrack the only tracks I frequent are My Dear Frodo, Misty Mountains and Over Hill. I am really nitpicking here, I would give it a 4.5/5 if I could, but it is for these listed reasons that I gave it a 4/5.

Art Direction - I gave this a 5/5, simply because the art in this movie, as with the LOTR, is just breathtaking. Alan Lee and John Howe really just gave it there all with the concept art, and the art direction of the film is overall just fantastic.

Acting - there are some fantastic actors in this movie; Sir Ian Mckellen reprising Gandalf the Grey (who is a more fun character than Gandalf the White), Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins (who absoloutely fulfils this role), Andy Servis reprising Gollum (with an even more fun approach) and Richard Armitage as Thorin II Oakenshield (who portrays Thorin almost exactly as I wanted him to be). There are also other great actors such as Hugo Weaving as Elrond, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Christopher Lee as Saruman, Sylvester McCoy as Radagast the Brown (who, despite much criticism, I actually found to be really entertaining). The dwarves are portrayed very well too, and I really like how Peter Jackson has expanded on them and given them character. My favourite dwavres are Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, Bofur and Fili & Kili. For all these great performances I just had to give the acting a 5/5.

Cinematography - not much to say is there, really? The cinematography is absoloutely incredible and New Zealand's scenery is to die for; just like LOTR. 5/5, without a doubt.

Costume Design - I gave this a 4/5 because the costumes in this movie are absoloutely fantastic, however my only slight pet peeve is that one or two of the dwarves either look quite silly (e.g. Nori) or don't look like dwarves at all (e.g. Ori). I understand that there is need for variety but I just think the could have done a little better in one or two places.

Directing - again, there is not much to be said here. Peter Jackson is one of the best directors of our time, and Andy Serkis did a great job as a 2nd Unit Director too. Bravo! 5/5

Special Effects - some people complain that this film has too much CGI, but I have to disagree because the CGI looks simply amazing. At first I was a bit skeptical with the goblins being CGI, but it works. The effects in the stone giant scene, the trolls, Gollum and everything else is just fantasric! 5/5

Editing - this film was edited brilliantly and there is not much really to say about this one. 5/5

Screenplay - the screenplay is absoloutely amazing. The interpretation of the Hobbit and the weaving in of the Appencices works brilliantly. I am extremely impressed at how Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro wrote this. They've made it lighthearted and entertaining like the Hobbit should be, but have retained the LOTR emotional feel to it. 5/5

So, overall, I rated The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 4.8/5 or 9.6/10. I really look forward to watching it in IMAX HFR 3D, and I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did. Cheers!

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