The Hobbit is a Journey Well Worth the Trip

Rating: 8/10 (6 January 2013)

It will doubtless come as no surprise to you that I'm a fan of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (no one was more delighted than me when The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King won its Best Picture Oscar, and well deserved it was!). But while you might think that's to the movie-maker's advantage, it isn't. Sure, I'm predisposed to like the film. On the other hand, you do not mess with something as beloved as Tolkien's masterpiece! Director/Producer Peter Jackson didn't disappoint with his Lord of the Rings series, and I'm truly pleased to say that — so far, at least — he's managed to engineer the same feat with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (part 1 in a series of 3).
The Hobbit takes place sixty years before the events that unfold in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. A much younger Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) is unexpectedly approached by a wizard he scarcely remembers having met as a child. Gandalf (Ian McKellen) wants Bilbo to go on an adventure, something the stay-at-home hobbit has absolutely zero interest in accepting. But when his home is effectively invaded by a troupe of dwarfs led by heir-to-the-throne Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Bilbo becomes even more certain that adventure is not for him!
Suffice it to say that a combination of envy, shame, and a desire for something beyond his own environment convinces Bilbo in the end to join the quest of the dwarfs: to take back the Kingdom of Erebor stolen from them decades ago by the greedy and vicious fire-breathing dragon, Smaug.
Though he knows the journey won't be an easy one, Bilbo is taken aback by the hardships of life on the road which are only exacerbated by the fact the dwarfs are less than impressed with the hobbit or any abilities he might or might not have. Gandalf, however, maintains that Bilbo has hidden depths and that he'll admirably suit the group's need for someone with the skills of a burglar (which, of course, Bilbo steadfastly denies he has).
Along the way, the travelers run into any number of impediments ranging from marauding orcs to duplicitous goblins, to say nothing of mountain trolls, giant spiders, or wizards who appear to be just a little less than entirely sane. And, of course, there are the elves, led by Lord Elrond (Hugo Weaving), and advised by the Lady Galadriel (Cate Blanchett). But perhaps the most dangerous and important creature to surface in their travels is met by Bilbo alone: the warped and undeniably psychotic Gollum who loses his most precious possession for which he blames Bilbo.
Although the script (penned by a team including Jackson himself and Guillermo del Toro, originally tapped to direct) diverges from the book (a certain Orc, for example, plays a pivotal role), it holds beautifully to Tolkien's vision. (In fairness, the added parts are also Tolkien's; they're part and parcel of extensive appendices Tolkien crafted to further flesh out his intricate creation of Middle Earth.) It includes moments of humor which are welcome, as well as some surprisingly deep emotion.
In some ways, it's the special effects that make or break movies like this no matter the caliber of the acting (very good), the direction (excellent), or the editing (also very good). It's also typically my favorite part of any movie like this, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey lives up to expectation. Given the extensive use of CGI, I'm amazed to have only seen a split second or two that might have been improved upon, and I'm still lost in jaw-dropping wonder at an extended battle scene that takes place in the goblin tunnels. I'd like to say that the special effects are brilliant, but that word really isn't sufficient. Though the 3D treatment wasn't strictly needed, I can't lie: It, too, was beautifully rendered and, in my opinion, added to the reality of even the most unreal of moments. Of course, the actual location of the filming doesn't hurt, either. A trip to New Zealand is so on my bucket list!
BOTTOM LINE: If you're a fan of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, you'll love seeing so much of what you've read come to vibrant life before your eyes. If you're not a fan of The Hobbit, you will be if you see this movie! I was a little concerned with the length since I'm not one to sit still for long if I'm not completely engrossed. Perhaps my best recommendation for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, then, is to tell you that the nearly three hours' run time flew by for me. I literally couldn't believe the movie was over already!
POLITICAL NOTES: It's interesting, especially in light of recent debates in Washington, to see how greed can so thoroughly corrupt even previously decent leaders. It's even more heartening to see that there are those who still (as Thorin Oakenshield says concerning his rag-tag company) value "loyalty, honor, a willing heart..." more than anything else, and who are willing to fight for what's decent and right.
FAMILY SUITABILITY: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is rated PG-13 "for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images." The violence, though of a fantasy nature, is sometimes quite graphic; the suspense is beyond what younger children could easily handle. The storyline is also complex enough that younger children aren't going to understand it. Most of us read The Hobbit for the first time when we're 12 or 13 at youngest; The Lord of the Rings is typically read even later than that. And that's frankly not a bad gauge to consider when you wonder if this is a movie for your kids.