From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of three films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The trilogy of films are set in Middle-earth 60 years before The Lord of the Rings, which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.
Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities; a simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
Starring: Hugo Weaving, Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Richard Armitage
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Runtime: 166 minutes
Studio: Warner Home Video
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDBReview: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
I’m a big fan of Tolkien’s work and have loved The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, while not perfect, was still a remarkable achievement. Although Guillermo del Toro was said to be taking the reins for The Hobbit, Jackson eventually came back into the frame and I was happy to hear that. The film certainly divided the critics though and the more I read about it the more concerned I became. The basic premise to the story is the tale of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) who is whisked away from his rural idyll in the Shire by Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and a company of dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage). The dwarves were once rulers of the kingdom of Erebor and Thorin is the living heir to the throne having seen the dwarves’ treasure trove taken by a dragon named Smaug while battles against orcs led to the death of Thorin’s father. Bilbo is recruited as a burglar at Gandalf’s insistence but the dwarves are wary of their companion.
What follows is the start of an epic adventure in Middle Earth as the dwarves come up against orcs, goblins, warg riders and trolls. The Lonely Mountain, the ruins of Erebor, is their ultimate destination with rumours circulating that Smaug may be no more. Rather than sticking entirely to the book, Jackson has opted to add substance to the story by giving extensive background information and by tracing the story of an individual known as the necromancer that has appeared on Middle Earth and is causing some concern. The Hobbit is very much an adaptation of both the novel and the start of bridging the gap between this story and The Lord of the Rings and I understand it is this separate endeavour that led to the decision to make three films rather than two. This film covers the story up to the dwarves struggles beneath the Misty Mountains and their dramatic escape. The next film in the series promises them reaching their destination at the Lonely Mountain. Beyond that I assume the sixty year gap between Bilbo’s adventure and the start of Frodo’s may be addressed.
The Hobbit has some good moments but too many weaknesses prevent this being a masterpiece. Perhaps following in the footsteps of The Lord of the Rings has hindered the experience somewhat. It’s a much less eventful story but by adding substance Jackson has tried to make this epic when there was really no need. I still think this could have been done in two films, possibly even one, so it will be interesting to see what the sequels have to offer. It may seem like enjoyed nothing about the film but this certainly isn’t the case. The characters are good, the feel of Middle Earth is there and the battle scenes are still eye-catching. This isn’t as good as The Lord of the Rings but, as with the books, it’s probably unfair to compare them.
Verdict: 4/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
About the Author:
I was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England and have always been a bookworm and enjoyed creative writing at school. In 1999 I created the Elencheran Chronicles and have been writing ever since. My first novel, Fezariu's Epiphany, was published in May 2011. When not writing I'm a lover of films, games, books and blogging. I now live in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with my wife, Donna, and our six cats - Kain, Razz, Buggles, Charlie, Bilbo and Frodo.
David M. Brown – who has written 800 posts on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave.
