Yes, I hate the fact The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is going to be in 3D, and yes, if you must know, the first teaser trailer didn’t really get my blood pumping. I know it’s Peter Jackson and I know it’s a return to Middle Earth, so how could it not be anything short of stellar, right? Still, it felt Star Wars prequel-esque to me, especially with all the goofy plastic-faced dwarves tossing plates and having a midget Mordor ho-down in Bilbo’s living room. Furthermore, given the early pre-production trouble The Hobbit faced and the recent move by the studio to squeeze three films out of two, I can’t help but worry and believe wholeheartedly the powers-that-be are trying to squeeze every last golden drop of million –dollar-making goodness from The Lord of the Rings teat . The nerd in me says Bilbo’s Big Adventure and more elves and kooky creatures is a good thing, while the skeptic in me says this is a desperation heave and will be nothing but bad. Only time will tell.

With my gripes out of the way, let me just say this:

The new trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is absolutely awesome!

I’d say after watching this two and a half minute preview my fears have been pretty much been squelched and alleviated. Elements of humor still remain, but gone is the goofiness and in its place are the sweeping shots reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the seamless existence of both CGI and on-location, real-life special effects. And hey, how can more Gollum not be a good thing?

Take a peek below, and, as always, let me know what you think.