The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Peter Jackson returns to Middle-earth with part one of his trilogy adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. A young Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman, The Office), Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage, Spooks) and a posse of dwarves journey to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug.
Their quest will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although they've got to get to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels where Bilbo meets Gollum (Andy Serkis). It is there with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring... a simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth.
- Director:
- Peter Jackson ('Lord of the Rings' trilogy, 'King Kong', 'Meet The Feebles')
- Writer:
- Fran WalshPhilippa BoyensGuillermo del ToroPeter Jackson
- Cast:
- Martin FreemanIan McKellenAndy SerkisCate BlanchettChristopher LeeElijah WoodRichard ArmitageGraham McTavishHugo Weaving
Reviews & comments
Flicks, Dominic Corry
flicksDespite benefiting from the world-establishing goodwill generated by the Lord of the Rings movies, this film stands ably on its own, offering up generous piles of large scale fantasy underscored by genuine emotional heft and boundary-pushing visuals.
Seen Them All
A very slow and laboured start to the movie had me wondering if I had made a mistake, but 'No' it got better and moved along quite nicely, didn't even realise that it was 2hrs 46mins long by the end of the movie, that's how nicely it progressed. I loved the trilogy and had high hopes for this movie, even though I truly thought there was no way it could...
Did I catch a bad print?.
I apologise now if I offend, but I hope that all those folks who saw the Hobbit and didn't enjoy it may find comfort in this review. I really enjoyed the Ring trilogy and had high hopes for this one. The 48 frames per second concept made perfect sense to me (while I must admit the combo with 3D seemed an unusual choice) and I went in ready to be enthralled....
Bilbo Brilliance
A very nice balance between adventure ,duty and good old fashioned merryment. Jackson really captured the spirit of the creatures of middle earth perfectly in an "Unexpected Journey". He stayed very close to the original book thanks in part to the enormous talent and capability of "weta workshop". The sound track was sublime and its quite difficult to get...
Spectacular spectacle
Younger fans of 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy won't be disappointed with this return to Middle Earth, which delivers in spectacle and family-friendly adventure. After a slow beginning, 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' kicks into gear with a narrative of walking, chasing, escaping, running and hiding and that echoes 'The Fellowship of the Ring' to the...
A must see
The Hobbit is a must see for any true cinema lover. The sheer scale of it and the phenomenal visual experience is amazing, and even if you are not a fan of the story, I highly recommend going just for the visual experience. The high frame rate really does make the 3D experience so much better, even if it does take a little getting used to. The story does...
An Unexpected Movie
Not having read "The Hobbit" I was pleasantly surprised with the ease of story flow, with only my knowledge of the past Lord Of The Rings films, I found myself indulged into the movie, understanding the story line completely. Although to understand some scenes in the movie, it is vital to see the Lord Of The Rings movies, or of course read the books, I...
The film that Jackson Made
This film is an awe-filling stroll through the imagination of its creators. Watching it in HFR was not nauseating, head-giving or experience ruining. It was a opportunity to appreciate the finely detailed clothing, textures, colours and expansive and unique sets. The story was elaborate in that in investigated every sentence of plot that was tossed into...
Variety
pressFulfilling just a fraction of Tolkien's There and Back Again subtitle, The Hobbit alternately rewards and abuses auds' appetite for all things Middle-earth.
The Guardian
pressJackson has made it with brio and fun, and Martin Freeman is just right as Bilbo Baggins: he plays it with understatement and charm.
Hollywood Reporter
pressElements in this new film that are as spectacular as much of the Rings trilogy, but there is much that is flat-footed and tedious as well, especially in the early going.
Empire Magazine
pressPlays younger and lighter than Fellowship and its follow-ups, but does right by the faithful and has a strength in Martin Freeman’s Bilbo that may yet see this trilogy measure up to the last one. There is treasure here.
A.V. Club
pressAt its best, it recaptures the Rings movies' breadth, detail, and staggering sense of beauty.
Flicks, Dominic Corry
flicksDespite benefiting from the world-establishing goodwill generated by the Lord of the Rings movies, this film stands ably on its own, offering up generous piles of large scale fantasy underscored by genuine emotional heft and boundary-pushing visuals.
Variety
pressFulfilling just a fraction of Tolkien's There and Back Again subtitle, The Hobbit alternately rewards and abuses auds' appetite for all things Middle-earth.
The Guardian
pressJackson has made it with brio and fun, and Martin Freeman is just right as Bilbo Baggins: he plays it with understatement and charm.
Hollywood Reporter
pressElements in this new film that are as spectacular as much of the Rings trilogy, but there is much that is flat-footed and tedious as well, especially in the early going.
Empire Magazine
pressPlays younger and lighter than Fellowship and its follow-ups, but does right by the faithful and has a strength in Martin Freeman’s Bilbo that may yet see this trilogy measure up to the last one. There is treasure here.
A.V. Club
pressAt its best, it recaptures the Rings movies' breadth, detail, and staggering sense of beauty.
Seen Them All
A very slow and laboured start to the movie had me wondering if I had made a mistake, but 'No' it got better and moved along quite nicely, didn't even realise that it was 2hrs 46mins long by the end of the movie, that's how nicely it progressed. I loved the trilogy and had high hopes for this movie, even though I truly thought there was no way it could...
Did I catch a bad print?.
I apologise now if I offend, but I hope that all those folks who saw the Hobbit and didn't enjoy it may find comfort in this review. I really enjoyed the Ring trilogy and had high hopes for this one. The 48 frames per second concept made perfect sense to me (while I must admit the combo with 3D seemed an unusual choice) and I went in ready to be...
Bilbo Brilliance
A very nice balance between adventure ,duty and good old fashioned merryment. Jackson really captured the spirit of the creatures of middle earth perfectly in an "Unexpected Journey". He stayed very close to the original book thanks in part to the enormous talent and capability of "weta workshop". The sound track was sublime and its quite difficult to...
Spectacular spectacle
Younger fans of 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy won't be disappointed with this return to Middle Earth, which delivers in spectacle and family-friendly adventure. After a slow beginning, 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' kicks into gear with a narrative of walking, chasing, escaping, running and hiding and that echoes 'The Fellowship of the Ring' to the...
A must see
The Hobbit is a must see for any true cinema lover. The sheer scale of it and the phenomenal visual experience is amazing, and even if you are not a fan of the story, I highly recommend going just for the visual experience. The high frame rate really does make the 3D experience so much better, even if it does take a little getting used to. The story does...
An Unexpected Movie
Not having read "The Hobbit" I was pleasantly surprised with the ease of story flow, with only my knowledge of the past Lord Of The Rings films, I found myself indulged into the movie, understanding the story line completely. Although to understand some scenes in the movie, it is vital to see the Lord Of The Rings movies, or of course read the books, I...
The film that Jackson Made
This film is an awe-filling stroll through the imagination of its creators. Watching it in HFR was not nauseating, head-giving or experience ruining. It was a opportunity to appreciate the finely detailed clothing, textures, colours and expansive and unique sets. The story was elaborate in that in investigated every sentence of plot that was tossed into...
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