I generally love this sequence - I think the Shire looks very good and when I was reading the books, it was hard to not see the Shire as PJ depicted it in the movies. The Hobbit children especially were very adorable. Though Narrator Bilbo insults Hobbits along the way, he does it with a certain fondness I really enjoy. I do love Bilbo in this scene and Ian McKellen (as has been pointed out before) makes a remarkably good Gandalf.
What I did not like was how the relationship between Bilbo and Frodo was portrayed. Though they express their regard for each other more than once, the fact that Frodo was not in on the plan seems strange to me, less like they're together in their strange behavior. Though this does make Bilbo come across as an even more eccentric character, I think it does little credit to Frodo. I'm not sure how to explain.
Sam was Sam and Merry and Pippin were - though different - still very recognizable.
By the way, just to point out the effect of the prologue, the moment when Gandalf bumped his head, my mother (who is not familiar with the story) was already so tense she gasped and flew up about a mile in the air. So that moment still amuses me greatly, besides the fact that it makes Gandalf look like a very approachable wizard. The moment with his thundering voice later on only seems the more impressive because of it.
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Have I just been corrupted by watching the French and Saunders skit or does anyone else just think "Tellytubby land" during the beginning of this sequence?
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I had the same feeling first time I saw the movie.
