Can the first third of a story be entertaining and epic enough to stand alone as its own movie? That’s the question the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, recently released on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download, asks of its viewers. When Peter Jackson took the huge risk of adapting the Lord of the Rings novels into three epic films, there were questions then if moviegoers could stick with it for the long haul. At least each movie was about one book. With this adaptation of The Hobbit, a book only one quarter the size of the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Jackson needed to be able to stretch out the book without making it feel stretched out. I had my doubts, which is why I skipped seeing this prequel in the theater, but now I believe it can be done.

Storytelling

That’s not to say he does it perfectly. Perhaps the biggest flaw of the movie is it’s pacing, or its lack of a filter. Everything is there, and more. Whereas adapting the Lord of the Rings required cutting scenes from the novels to fit the movies, Jackson’s task here is to not only show basically everything in the Hobbit, but to lengthen scenes and add unused portions from the later trilogy and the appendices. 

In this way, it feels very much like the extended cut versions of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. So right up front, if you were a fan of those and getting to see as much of the story as possible, then you should have little issue with this new undertaking. I haven’t read The Hobbit since I was a child, but watching this film, it all came back to me. Jackson is also slowly weaving in bits and pieces of plot introducing the main conflicts of the Trilogy, including the big bad guy Sauron, referred to as The Necromancer here. That really does give me hope that this trilogy can work where other prequels have failed and really tie everything together while still telling Bilbo’s story at the same time

Presentation

The multiple Academy Award winning team that brought the Lord of the Rings Trilogy to life returns for The Hobbit Trilogy as well, and it is clear that they have brought the same skill that made those movies such a joy to watch. Everything from the cinematography to the music is at the high level we’ve come to expect. Because of that consistency, it can only help the viewing experience when this is all over and the prequels do not feel out of place when compared to the originals.
 The biggest new addition to the team is co-writer Guillermo del Toro. He was originally slated to direct, back when the plan was just to split the book into two films. His departure led to Jackson stepping in, and as much as I like del Toro and his movies, I think this was for the better. Jackson is firing on all cylinders again in Tolkien’s universe, after trying his hand at movies like King Kong and The Lovely Bones. He has that perfect blend of filmmaking technique and special effects know-how that a fantasy film needs to look right. From the dwarven miners deep in the Lonely Mountain, to the orc-mounted warg chases across sprawling hillsides, everything looks spectacular. I particularly enjoy the way Jackson’s camera follows the characters during the frenetic chase sequences. They remain locked in the center, the camera fluidly tracking along with them, despite all the chaos around them. It’s very much like a video game, but I mean that in the best way possible. You can take in all the action but it’s very easy for your eyes to drift back to the characters and not lose track of them or get confused. 

Performances

There are a few actors from the original trilogy that return here, the main one being Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey. Much like the other returning aspects of the production, his is seamless as well. It’s tough to imagine anyone else taking on this role as he never plays the wizard as this omnipotent leader, but as one of the group, with flaws all his own.


Joining the cast as the younger Bilbo Baggins is Martin Freeman. Freeman does a great job of portraying the titular hobbit as someone who may not have asked for this adventure, but as the adventure goes on he becomes more and more useful to the group. He comes into a group of 13 dwarves and one wizard. The dwarves reluctantly accept him because Gandalf insists they need him, but are bothered by his rookie mistakes. Still, his quick wit comes in handy on more than one occasion and the ultimate goal of this first film, if one is looking for a story arc much more akin to a single movie, does seem to be creating an adventurer out of this homebody.

And then there are those 13 dwarves. Obviously it’s hard to keep them all straight, but the actors do a good job of giving them all different personalities, especially the notable ones we need to remember. Richard Armitage does a great job as the dwarven leader Thorin. It would be easy to get lost in the costumes and the fantasy dialogue, but the cast sells everything and takes itself seriously. The movie as a whole is more lighthearted though. There are many more whimsical and fun moments than in the original trilogy, and the other dwarves in the cast, outside of Thorin who has the more dramatic arc, have quirky personalities and generally a fun time being dwarves when everything isn’t trying to kill them. And, yes, there is singing.

My Take

The final returning cast member that turned in another amazing performance was Andy Serkis as Gollum. It was during a scene towards the end where Bilbo must engage with Gollum in a battle of riddles that this movie most proved to me that it deserved the epic multi-film treatment. In a single movie adaptation, this may have been the halfway point, but it felt right at home here towards the end. It really stuck with me, and along with the climatic orc battle felt like a satisfying ending to one movie, not just one part. Of course there is a great tease at the end, which brings me to my final criticism: that December can’t come soon enough.This movie surprised me. I read a lot of complaints about the fact that they had taken this small book and stretched it to the same length as the trilogy of books. However, I got the same level of enjoyment as I did watching the Lord of the Rings. I believe when it’s all said and done, these six movies will hold up as one grand epic. At least they proved it to me this time out. We still have a couple of years before I find out if I’ll end up eating my words.