The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

“Well, I’m back,” I said, plopping into my cushioned movie theater seat. Back again for another journey into Middle Earth.

To say that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a buzzy film would be like trying to admit that it didn’t have a ridiculous name. It was the event of the holiday movie season. Especially after the news that Peter Jackson would split the film into three parts AND had filmed the movie in 48 Frames Per Second versus the usual 24 fps. I was mostly excited to see Martin Freeman of Sherlock fame get introduced to American audiences.

But unfortunately, due to the 2D showing being sold out (BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS 2D IS WAY BETTER HOLLYWOOD) I had to see it in 3D. UGH. In line with that, all 3D showings are shown in 48 FPS which I had heard makes scenes look really fake, like a soap opera. Double whammy right?

Sort of. In many ways it was as awful and horrible as I had imagined it to be, but in others I was slack jawed, drooling over the cinematic effects exploding in front of my undeserving pupils.

Let’s recap the story for all you nerds who didn’t read The Hobbit or just haven’t seen it. About 60 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings, the dawrven realm under Mt. Erebor (The richest in all the land) was utterly decimated by the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) who envied the Dwarve’s gold for himself. Smaug took the mountain as his own and the remnants of the Dwarf people wandered Middle Earth looking for a new home. By a chance meeting, Gandalf the Grey (Ian Mckellen) and the remaining Dwarf royalty Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), grandson of the king that lost Erebor hatched a plan to take back the mountain. Along with the 13 dwarves, Gandalf picked Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) an unassuming, proper Hobbit from of the Shire that never went on adventures, to join them.

For those that read the book, this particular film ends right after the group escapes from the mountains and is attacked by wolves. They look forward to Mirkwood (also known as the Greenwood) in the next film and a conversation between Bilbo and Smaug (MEANING WE GET A SUPER AWESOME SHERLOCK REUNION).

After The Lord of the Rings was met with much success, it wasn’t a question of when The Hobbit would be made, but a question of when. It took a while but I am glad that Peter Jackson eventually took the helm again with all major characters that could return, joining the cast. But then the dreaded news, PETER JACKSON SPLITS THE HOBBIT INTO 3 PARTS! This was preceded by the news that Jackson was going to split it into TWO parts. Gasp! Traitor. He is obviously just giving in to those wallet molesting baddies in Hollywood. For shame! I yelled, the loudest of detractors. Until I read an interview with Ian Mckellen who basically said that if anyone thought Peter Jackson did this because of Hollywood then they are sorely mistaken. The film split into 3 parts because Jackson decided to incorporate an incredible amount of detail that was included in Tolkien’s appendices to The Lord of the Rings but not in the original books.

All right Jackson, I’ll put up with it. But it better be good!

Guess what? It was. The Hobbit was originally intended as the children’s book it has turned out to be. But the events that occur within shaped everything that occurred in The Lord of the Rings, and not just the discovery of the ring. There’s so much more happening in the background, the Necromancer in the ruined castle of Dol Guldur, the Dawrven assault on Moria and Gandalf’s efforts to strengthen the Northern kingdoms in time for Sauron’s assault (Which didn’t just occur on Gondor, he attacked Erebor and the free city of Dale at the same time). It really adds a wonderful amount to the story and makes me want Jackson to do The Lord of the Rings again and make that EVEN LONGER! Yes, I am a Tolkien nerd. Don’t hate. So for now I am entirely pleased with the decision to break these films into three parts.

But now let’s get back to those visual hangups. The very first scene in the movie (between an old Bilbo and Frodo) looked awful. I regretted it entirely. Everything looked fake. You can tell they are acting. And this happened throughout the movie, you gradually get more used to it. But with very personal scenes the effect is very offputting. Backing up though, the effect is marvelous. Combined with 3D the scenery effects were mindblowing. I couldn’t get enough of them. I wish there was an option to switch back and forth. I honestly can’t decide if I would do it again. I’m going to go with no, but don’t let that drag you out of doing it. As an aside, I had a humongous headache afterwards from the 3D.

At the end of the movie I needed more. I craved more. Even though I knew it was almost 3 hours long, I wanted it to keep going. And that’s the problem, it doesn’t feel like a complete story because they never reach their destination. I would much rather watch all three at the same time then sit through one and not continue. I doubt I will watch it again without the other ones in hand.

It’s hard to return to a world that you loved so much the first time. But Jackson has definitely done the best he possibly could. Ian Mckellen and Martin Freemen were powerhouses, dragging me into the film. While there are some characters that weren’t in the original book (Rattagast the Brown, Azog, Saruman, Galadriel) their additions have added so much more to an incredibly complicated story.

Lord of the Rings fans should see this movie at once and recognize its brilliance within the overall story. They should forgive the childish tone, especially since it is still quite violent, and enjoy the incredible scenery. But wait for the next two before you buy it.

3 out of 4 stars

-Christopher O’Connell

P.S. The rock people were not in the book and totally weirded me out. Also, sorry for this length.