'The vibe seems wrong': Mixed reaction to Hobbit trailer (+video)

Martin Freeman stars as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit. Photo / Supplied

It's been out for less than a day but Peter Jackson's hyped first Hobbit trailer has been viewed millions of times - and everyone has an opinion on it.

The trailer, released at 4pm yesterday, has been viewed more than seven million times on YouTube, proving just how much demand there is for the first of two Jackson-directed Hobbit films.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey isn't due in cinemas until December 13, 2012, with the sequel, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, set to be released on December 12, 2013.

The trailer was the first look at Martin Freeman as a young Bilbo Baggins, and included all 13 new dwarves plus well-known characters Frodo, Gandalf the Grey and Gollum.

Much reaction to the two-minute trailer focused on the fact that Apple had posted the trailer in the wrong aspect ratio.

Other commentators said it looked too much like Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy.

"Just watched the trailer for The Hobbit. Must say I am underwhelmed. Suspect I'll go watch it, though, if I'm homesick for NZ by then," said Rebekah Macdonald on Twitter.

Ashley said: "The Hobbit trailer makes me wanna see all the other ones again but maybe not this one."

A Guardian reviewer said the trailer proved The Hobbit was back on track after a troubled build-up, including the loss of director Guillermo del Toro and studio threats to film in another country.

Drew McWeeny from Hitfix was more positive: "If that were the trailer we were seeing two weeks before release, I'd be thrilled. I'd think it was a slam dunk of a final trailer. As a teaser? Dear god, that's a throw-down."

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Christopher Watson believed the "vibe" was wrong.

"It doesn't look very 'Hobbity' to me .... more like a Lord of The Rings spin-off."

But the trailer made other homesick Kiwis in the middle of their OE want to head home.

"Watching The Hobbit trailer again makes me want to marathon the hell out of LotR and start saving for/planning a trip to NZ," said Shannon.

Pierce Hickey said: "Trailer for The Hobbit is out, my day is made. Better start planning my next NZ trip then."

Hayden Dugmore seemed more excited than most: "I know every word to the Dwarven song, I'm not going to lie...I pooped a little."

- Herald online