The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in 3D

If you're not a fan of The Lord of the Rings, I urge you not to dismiss The Hobbit prematurely. The Hobbit is a more light-hearted adventure that you don't just watch, but also experience thanks to 3D. I watched this movie in the highly advertised High Frame Rate 3D (HFR 3D), and it was an unexpected journey of my own. One thing is for sure, movie goers are faced with another dilemma when deciding to watch The Hobbit - "To HFR 3D or not to HFR 3D?" Journey on to find out!

Suited for 3D? (what does this mean?) 

One can expect similar scenery and action to that of The Lord of the Rings. This means mountains, waterfalls, vast green pastures, and many more beautiful scenery acting as a backdrop to an adventure that is filled with exciting obstacles in the form of trolls, goblins, and other monstrous creatures. Definitely suited for 3D!

Score: 5/5

Filmed for 3D? (what does this mean?) 

Being one of the pioneer movies to be featured in HFR 3D, I think we can blindly assume that this movie was filmed with 3D in mind. For those who are wondering, HFR 3D basically projects 3D movies at 48 frames per second (fps), as opposed to the usual 24 fps. This enhances the quality of the 3D footage by making the flow of the images less jerky and reducing motion blur. The problem with this is that it makes the images, especially the CGI, look a little fake. Just imagine watching a cheap soap-opera on TV or the first time you watched a HD TV and you will get the idea. 

Score: 5/5

Closed Window Experience (what does this mean?) 

From the humble home of our lovable hobbit, Mr Bilbo Baggins, to the majestic landscape of Middle Earth, we are treated to a feel of depth that offers us an immersive experience into the world of wizards, elves, and hobbits. In fact, the depth is so good that sometimes you don't even need the 3D glasses to feel it! This false sense of 3D was a little unsettling. That aside, beware of a few fast paced camera movement that can cause motion sickness in some!

Score: 4/5

Open Window Experience (what does this mean?) 

A big thank you to the filmmakers for taking this element of 3D seriously! The inclusion of numerous scenes with objects protruding through the screen or flying out at the audience just made the movie experience so much more fun as it makes us feel like we're a part of this adventure. Some improvements can be made to this 3D element, but it is still the best I have seen in a long while!

Score: 5/5

The Naked-Eye Test (what does this mean?) 

This is quite strange, but despite the 3D being good, the 3D glasses were not exactly necessary in quite a few scenes. It could be the HFR 3D that rectifies the blur that is expected when the 3D glasses are off. But then again, it could just be that the images are so clear and life-like that only a few specific objects are carefully selected in each scene and converted to 3D to provide the element of depth. Either ways, the 3D glasses have less work to do this time.

Score: 3/5

Final Score: 22/25

0 - 14	Wise man once said… DON’T DO IT!
15-19	If you have extra cash to blow… sure
20-25	You have my Blessings!

Final Verdict

I bid you well on this excellent 3D adventure! Just be warned that if you decide to watch this in HFR 3D, the usual cinematic look has been substituted with the "soap-opera effect" that usually comes with higher definition technology. It may work for some, but appear too fake for others. For those who don't want to take the risk, regular 3D should be just fine. 

Enough from me! Would YOU recommend watching this movie in 3D?
	YES (Watch it in 3D!)
	NO (2D is good enough)