1. Martin Freeman

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey- the first installment in The Hobbit trilogy which marks Academy Award winning director Peter Jacksons long awaited return to Middle-earth- has been open to the public for scarcely less than a week, but with the review embargo having long ago been lifted a critical consensus is beginning to take shape around Jacksons latest spellbinder. Official reviews have so far largely spanned the divide of positive to mixed, with An Unexpected Journey garnering aggregated scores of 65% on Rotten Tomatoes and 58% on Metacritic at the time of this articles publication, though fan reception has generally tended towards the positive. Often the criticisms Ive seen directed at the movie by detractors are ironically focused on the same areas as those who love the movie- length and depth in comparison to the book, use of CGI, tone, and a hefty and portentous prologue. In this article I would like to tell you why this epic tale of dwarves, goblins, wizards, elves and hobbits is by far my favourite movie of 2012- a rare blend of exceptional acting, breath-taking special effects and sublime storytelling that had me mesmerised for every one of its 166 minutes.Elijah Woods captivating performance as Frodo Baggins was central to the success of the previous Rings movies, with his seemingly doomed-to-die messianic turn as Frodo providing the emotional fulcrum on which much of the trilogys central dynamics hinged. Likewise, the actor chosen to embody Tolkiens eponymous protagonist would be crucial to the success of these movies- and within the first 30 minutes its not hard to see why Jackson has said despite the various rumours and speculation surrounding this role, there has only ever been one Bilbo Baggins for us Fans of British TV will know Freeman from his outstanding but understated turns as Tim Canterbury in The Office and as Watson in Sherlock, but Freeman becomes so much more here. FreemanBilbo Baggins, a diminutive furry-footed everyman plucked from obscurity not because he is a hero or a warrior, but because Gandalf divines in him a hidden well of resourcefulness that his 13 dwarven cohorts lack. Freeman excels from the get-go, employing his trademark tripartite meld of deadpan, expressiveness and humour to shattering effect, masterfully navigating the tightrope divide between drama and comedy that Jacksons epic vision of Tolkiens Hobbit demands. Nowhere is this showcased in grander fashion than in the Riddles In the Dark section, which may well prove to be a career-defining performance for both Freeman and Andy Serkis (more on Serkis below). This is the movies linchpin moment when Bilbo faces off against Gollum, with the pity he shows in this key scene ultimately proving to be the salvation for all the free peoples of Middle-earth, and there's a real sense of nostalgic poignancy when he decides to spare Gollum's life.