THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

New Zealand, 2012, 169 minutes, Colour.
Ian Mc Kellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Elijah Wood, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Cate Blanchett, Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving.
Directed by Peter Jackson.

Back to Middle Earth and beyond.

While J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘prequel’ to The Lord of the Rings is a smaller book, there will be a trilogy of films again, Christmas 2012, 2013, 2014. And, we can presume, most Tolkien fans will be welcoming each of them, happy to have an initial enjoyment phase with this film.

Tolkien experts will be able to point out the extra episodes for the film (like the opening in The Shire where Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) is beginning his memoirs for Frodo (Elijah Wood) returned from his quest for the ring). They will be able to point out the changes in order of episodes from book to film (as of mid-December, there are already more than 500 blog entries on the Internet Movie Database!). Non-readers will accept the film as it is.

Peter Jackson has experimented with a filming process of 48 frames per second – ordinary filming is 24 frames per second. This means our eyes and brains respond by perceiving smoother, sharper action – which is beautifully enhanced if you see the film in 3D.

Spectacular it is, a wonder of models, CGI, fine photography, with Howard Shore again writing the musical score. And the New Zealand locations are beautiful – and may encourage a new spate of Tolkien tours. There are monsters galore, from Smaug the dragon, to the Orc warriors, to the Necromancer and to the Great Goblin (voiced by Barry Humphries) and his army. There are the amazing rock giants. There are quite a number of battles with the dwarves, Gandalf and Bilbo confronting hordes. And Gollum makes a reappearance (and loses the ring which Bilbo finds).

In one sense, the action is more limited than in The Lord of the Rings. While we see the kingdom of the Dwarves, their prosperity, their wealth and the dark shadows and attack of the dragon, the film focuses on the dwarves and their quest to find and regain their kingdom.

Audiences may find the arrival of the dwarves to interrupt Bilbo’s quiet life very funny (plenty of meal and kitchen farce), it may also seem more than a bit long. The same with the initial trek until they arrive at Rivendell – with Gandalf particularly meagre in using any magic to help the expedition. Here the plot begins to thicken and become more interesting. We see familiar faces: Elrond (Hugo Weaving), Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) and Saruman (Christopher Lee). But, of course, we are in familiar territory (even though, as the caption says, ’60 years earlier’) with Gandalf the guide for the expedition. Ian McKellen? has top billing for the film – and does look a little like 60 years later (his beard is not so white here, Gandalf the Grey). And then there is Martin Freeman doing a fine job as the younger Bilbo, somewhat tagging along at first but then emerging as more important, especially after he confronts Gollum (Andy Serkis again) and charges in to defend the Dwarf leader, Thorin. Richard Armitage is particularly strong and striking as Thurin. Unfortunately, most of the dwarves do not get the chance to come across as individuals. They appear as a comic, motely group.

While the film is long, most audiences, if not into the atmosphere instantly, will be gradually absorbed into the tale, amazed at the artistry and look of the film, and becoming more eager for the Dwarves to win. They deserve it after quite an amount of battering in the battles.

The view of the distant mountain of the kingdom at the end, and the stirring of the dragon under the piles of gold, indicate the setting up of the new confrontation for the next episode, The Desolation of Smaug.


1. The world of J.R.R. Tolkien? Myths, characters, symbols, conflict between good and evil?

2. The work of Peter Jackson, the film versions of Tolkien’s work, the adaptation of the novels, the trilogy for each story?

3. Audience familiarity with Tolkien, the books, characters? This story sixty years earlier than The Lord of the Rings?

4. The landscapes, the beauty? The photographic styles? The musical score, choral music?

5. The special effects, the creation of The Shire, the mountains and mountain pathways? The travel sequences? The beauty of Rivendell? The enormous caves? The range of creatures, Orcs, stone giants, goblins? The action sequences?

6. The depiction of the dwarves, of the Hobbits, small, to Gandalf being tall? The elves and the variety of sizes?

7. The introduction to Bilbo, his writing his memoirs? Friendship with Frodo, the aftermath of The Lord of the Rings, the story for Frodo?

8. The kingdom of the dwarves, their story, the visuals of the kingdom, prosperity, the caves and mines, the king and his love for gold? The kingdom’s wealth? The king, becoming greedy, the decline of the kingdom? The Orcs, the battles? The arrival of the dragon, the confrontation? Battles and deaths? The dwarves going into exile? Their yearning to return to the kingdom?

9. Bilbo as young, living alone, comfortable life, Gandalf’s visit, the purpose of his visit, the sign on the door?

10. The dwarves and their arrival, Thorin as the leader? Their each coming to the door successively, the types, the look, rough and ready, bulbous noses, their taking over Bilbo’s house, the food and their greed – but the washing up? The songs? Bilbo and his bewilderment? The dwarves leaving, Gandalf and the mission, Bilbo considering, finally deciding to go, following the dwarves?

11. The quest, the group, Gandalf as leader, but his not using his magic? The range of terrains? The hopes? The Orcs, the pursuit? The details of the battles? The detail of the Orcs, the spiders, the rock giants, the goblins?

12. Rivendell and meeting with Elrond? Peace with the dwarves? A kingdom of light? Thorin and his regretting the elves’ refusal to help his father? Suspicious of them? The meeting, Elrond and his ideas, Galadriel and her communication, helping Gandalf? Saruman, his age, his wisdom – and his future evil? The dwarves and their leaving Rivendell?

13. Gandalf, his character, age, leadership, his intentions, plans, his choosing Bilbo for hero?

14. Bilbo and the dwarves, their suspicions, the heroism, Bilbo lost in the caves, the encounter with Gollum, the matching of wits, the finding of the ring? The ring enabling Bilbo to be invisible? Gollum and his attack? Bilbo and his helping Thorin to freedom?

15. Thorin, leader, strong, strong-minded? The other dwarves – and their being seen as a group more than individuals?

16. Bilbo’s adventure, the range of adventures, dangers, the group being overwhelmed, their escapes?

17. The world of the goblin, the goblin king and his jowls, his sinister behaviour? The attack, the caves? The bridges and the heroics within the caves, escaping, in the trees, the birds carrying them to safety?

18. Bilbo, his achievement?

19. The prospect of the mountain with the kingdom of the dwarves – to be continued?