The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. ... read more read more...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. 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 ofguile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ...a simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know. -- (C) Warner Bros

Id: 11161218

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Recent Reviews
  • aquateen2
    May 19, 2013
    aquateen2
    [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon13.gif[/img]
  • spielberg00
    May 16, 2013
    spielberg00
    Filthy hobbitses, it tricked us into believing we would not enjoy "The Hobbit"! *gollum, gollum*

    Full review at themoviefreakblog.com
  • fb1442511448
    April 19, 2013
    fb1442511448
    Visually a treat; remarkable and entrancing. The humor is visible and solid. But the film's duration along with its tendency to sidetrack and lose its touch brings this new franchise to a unbalanced beginning. An Unexpected Journey is adventurous and comprised of a groundbreaking... read more scenery. Though its sluggish and at times somewhat hard to catch on, it's nonetheless a decent start for this prequel-trilogy. 3.5/5
  • rezpatriot
    April 6, 2013
    rezpatriot
    The Hobbit is the top mark of high fantasy movies, we don't get enough of them as it is, and when one comes out that follows the book and more, and is shot so beautifully the only thing I worry is that when people complain. You won't see another high fantasy movie like this in th... read moree next 50 years !
  • fb1019018362
    April 5, 2013
    fb1019018362
    this movie explain a lot of Lord of the Ring Movie. Peter Jackson's return to Middle-earth is an earnest, visually resplendent trip, but the film's deliberate pace robs the material of some of its majesty.

    unfortunately I was watching in stink and rusty cinema
  • emilkakko
    March 27, 2013
    emilkakko
    To review The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, is quite hard task. If you went to experience it in the cinema with maximum effect then we can talk about quite revolutionary filmmaking. Instead if you watch it from home screen, large or not, then the effect of this film is barely ev... read moreen half as stunning and that is when the flaws in the screenplay become more clear also. In my opinion this was always meant to be seen from the biggest possible screen as possible.
    What makes The Hobbit revolutionary is the way director Peter Jackson used technology here. This is the first film i've ever seen that is shot using 48 frames per second. When you add 3D effect and crystal clear picture quality, which was captured by fantastic Red Epic cameras, you truly get an stunning visual fireworks. From the first images to the last this a spectacular looking and sounding film. While i was watching it, my jaw literally was reaching the floor because of the sights and wonders this film offered. But when i saw it second time and without the 3D effect, that is when i noticed that this is a film which actually does have a couple of flaws too many to be masterpiece it could have been.
    The pacing here is not a problem for me, but the fact that Jackson actually decided to stretch the book into three parts feels just unnecessary. This is a story that could have been told easily within a one film. Now it is sadly made into franchise which only harms the original source material and it's potential.
    As a filmmaker Peter Jackson has improved very much since his Lord of the Rings days. The Hobbit is actually his best work as an director to date and serves equally impressive rollercoaster ride as his King Kong did. There is flashes of genius here but there are also weaker moments here. As a pure entertainment The Hobbit is very good way to spend time with. It still does not reach the same heights which director Tim Burton did with his Alice in Wonderland or especially Sam Raimi's recent masterful Oz the Great and Powerful which is one of the greatest and richest fantasy films ever made. This might be slightly too pompous work for it's own good but what a sight it is to see.
  • MrMarakai
    March 15, 2013
    MrMarakai
    When news of an adaptation of J.R.R Tolkien's "The Hobbit" arrived, I have to admit that I was very eager to see it move along briskly. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Production was so slow that original director Guillermo del Toro had to leave due to other commitments. Altho... read moreugh this was disappointing news, all was not lost as "The Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson returned to the helm to assume control of this prequel. Expectations were high and it left the overhanging question as to whether he could emulate his past successes. Well, it's certainly not without it's flaws but again Jackson has delivered another indulgent cinematic experience from the treasured quill of Tolkien's world.
    The Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor has been taken over by the fearsome dragon, Smaug and a plan is set to reclaim it and the treasures lost. Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) is a Hobbit who finds himself thrust into this quest on the recommendation of the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen). Smaug is not the only thing that stands in their way, though; a malevolent presence is at work in middle-earth which could affect all of them.
    After a brief introduction to the plight of the dwarves and a devastating introduction to the dragon Smaug, we are taken straight back to the Shire where the whole story of the Hobbit adventures originated. It's here that we're reminded of the twee environment in which these little halfling's reside and with Jackson calling the shots, you know straight away that you are in comfortable hands. Gandalf and Bilbo's first meeting is addressed and the rest of the main characters are rounded up before the film begins it's "unexpected journey". When I say this, though, it sounds like the film gets straight down to business and gets the formalities out the way. It doesn't. Jackson takes his time in establishing the set-up and he chooses to flesh out every detail. As a result, it becomes apparent that the film isn't flowing as easily as it could do. Things do pick up, though, and it's very difficult not to get swept up in the sheer visual masterclass that's delivered before your eyes. It's absolutely breathtaking to observe and none more so, than when Jackson begins to deliver his highly impressive, action set-pieces. From a confrontation with campfire Trolls to battling Rock monsters and giant sweeping eagles, they're all absolutely astounding and thrillingly executed. However, despite the excitement, what these moments lack is the ability to feel like the characters are in any real danger. Maybe this is because I had read the book beforehand or maybe it's because the set-pieces only served to instil some excitement before taking a break and doing it all over again. There is a feeling of repetition to the film and, dare I say it, a feeling of tediousness. Jackson's decision to flesh out this short children's novel into a trilogy of films - that will no doubt run between two and three hours each - seems wholly unnecessary but I suppose time will tell on that. As it is, though, this film is certainly overlong and it, simply, didn't need to be. Some scenes are laborious and you can't help but get the feeling that Jackson should just move it along. On the other hand, I found it hard to deny how much fun I was having. Much like "The Lord of the Rings", it's aided by very strong performances; McKellen is his usual reliable self as Gandalf and although I wasn't convinced with the choice of Martin Freeman as Bilbo, I have to admit that he slotted in very well indeed. As for the dwarves, well, out of the whole thirteen of them, only a handful actually stand out. The one that really rises to the surface is that of Thorin Oakenshield and Richard Armitage plays him to perfection - channeling an Aragorn/Viggo Mortensen charismatic presence. He's so commanding that it's hard to accept that he's only a dwarf. Another highlight from the performances is seeing Andy Serkis reprise his role of Gollum. Once again, the go-to guy for motion capture brings this complex little character to life.
    The ingredients are all here and it certainly looks like there's more mileage in these characters yet. I just hope that Jackson knows when to trim the edges next time round.
    A little less plodding and bit more urgency will be required for the second instalment, if this trilogy is to truly find it's feet. That being said, it finishes strongly and if Jackson can keep that momentum going then this could still turn out to be a successful return to middle earth.
  • stuartb1234
    March 10, 2013
    stuartb1234
    It's ok I guess, just expected more and all I got was a load of boring Dwarfs, a couple of laughs and of course wonderful SFX. Not a patch on the Lord of the Rings trilogy
  • bottcorecords1
    February 1, 2013
    bottcorecords1
    In the J.R.R. Tolkien world of orcs and wizards and rings, "The Hobbit" might be considered lighter fare, more comedic and adventurous, and this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The hobbit in question is Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), a homebody who is quite content to live his l... read moreife in peace and solitude until Gandalf the wizard organizes a dwarf party in his little hobbit home. The dwarves are returning home to reclaim their kingdom from the dragon Smaug, and Bilbo has been reluctantly chosen to be the party's "burglar". The crew subsequently sets off on a journey fraught with orcs and trolls and goblins, and a mysterious ring as well.

    The world the hobbit inhabits is quite beautiful to look at, and the creatures (mostly computer generated) are all interesting and devious in their own ways. This prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy attempts to show us how certain characters from those movies came to be, and gives us a better understanding of what they once were. It's a fun, light-hearted (well, as light-hearted as one of these Peter Jackson extravaganzas can be) adventure, but at three-plus hours (and this is just the first of three, no less) even the best can start to get a little tiring. And the Hobbit is definitely one of the best.
  • dunmyer
    January 29, 2013
    dunmyer
    I didn't hate "The Hobbit," but I was pretty bored by it. It was moderately engaging. It's a reasonably pleasant way to pass one's time, but my heart didn't race once. I never really cared about any character or the silly adventures they were on.

    Peter Jackson seems to be goin... read moreg on auto-pilot with this Tolkien obsession of his. It reminds me of the last film in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. Enough already.
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