the hobbit an unexpected journey rating uk

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The hobbit: an unexpected journey, common sense media reviewers.

Tolkien tale isn't as great as LOTR, but better for tweens.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

As in The Lord of the Rings, the message of The Ho

No one except Gandalf thinks that Bilbo can be of

Less violent than The Lord of the Rings, but there

Slang use of "jaxie" (meaning "ass").

Although there are no product placements in Middle

The dwarves are a voracious lot -- even more than

Parents need to know that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, director Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's stand-alone quest through Middle-earth, is less violent than the scarier Lord of the Rings trilogy. But there are definitely some frightening sequences, like the battle between the…

Positive Messages

As in The Lord of the Rings , the message of The Hobbit is that even the smallest person can make a huge difference. Gandalf even says "it's the small things that keep the darkness at bay" in reference to Bilbo's involvement in the dangerous mission. Gandalf advises Bilbo that it's not knowing how to take a life that takes courage but knowing when to spare one. The dwarves' quest reminds viewers of the importance of home, kinship, and belonging somewhere. Curiosity, perseverance, and teamwork are major themes.

Positive Role Models

No one except Gandalf thinks that Bilbo can be of much help, but Bilbo rises to the occasion by summoning his courage when the time calls for it -- except for the fact that he fulfills his destiny as a "burglar" by stealing Gollum's precious ring. Thorin is dedicated to his fellow dwarves, and they in return revere him as their faithful leader.

Violence & Scariness

Less violent than The Lord of the Rings , but there's still some carnage: a battle between the dwarves and the dragon leads to the dwarf king being decapitated, an orc leader's arm amputated, and a multitude of dwarves and their property destroyed. There are several close calls when Bilbo, Gandalf, and the dwarves are pursued or nearly die on their journey across Middle-earth, usually by orcs and their beasts. The orc leader is a frightening sight -- particularly with his claw-like prosthesis, and he's bloodthirsty. A group of goblins/orcs tries to kill the group as well.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Although there are no product placements in Middle-earth, the Tolkien books and Peter Jackson film adaptations have spawned a ton of merchandise: apparel, video games, LEGO toys and board games, role-playing games, special movie tie-in editions of the books, and more.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

The dwarves are a voracious lot -- even more than hobbits. They ransack Bilbo's pantry and consume large quantities of drink (and food). Gandalf and Bilbo smoke the mellowing pipeweed.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, director Peter Jackson 's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's stand-alone quest through Middle-earth, is less violent than the scarier Lord of the Rings trilogy. But there are definitely some frightening sequences, like the battle between the dragon and the dwarves of Erebor, during which one character is decapitated, another has an arm amputated, and there's mass destruction. The group of Bilbo, Gandalf, and 13 dwarves is often tracked and pursued and nearly killed several times, but they manage to avoid death -- at least in this installment. Bilbo (like Frodo and his friends in the LOTR movies) again shows that size doesn't matter when it comes to making a difference. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (52)
• Kids say (233)

Based on 52 parent reviews

Suitable for kids IMO.

Definitely not as good as the book..., what's the story.

Peter Jackson's first installment in his three-part adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien 's THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY starts off with an eleventy-one-year-old Bilbo Baggins (played once again by Ian Holm ) narrating the tale of how he, a mellow hobbit from the Shire, ended up enmeshed in a dangerous quest. Sixty years before The Fellowship of the Ring is formed, a considerably younger Bilbo ( Martin Freeman ) sets off an the titular Unexpected Journey with his friend Gandalf the Grey ( Ian McKellen ) to help 13 dwarves reclaim their homeland -- the kingdom of Erebor, which was taken over by a killer, gold-seeking dragon that forced the dwarves into exile. The motley crew, led by Gandalf and the smoldering heir to the Erebor throne, Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), encounter two-and-a-half hours of conflict (most notably with the bloodthirsty orcs) with a brief respite found in the elven homeland of Rivendell, where Galadriel ( Cate Blanchett ) offers Gandalf her unconditional support.

Is It Any Good?

Despite issues with length and pacing, there's no denying this is a production worth seeing, especially with kids new to Tolkien's detailed universe. As a novel, The Hobbit skews younger than The Lord of the Rings , so it's only natural that the film is also more accessible for tweens -- just have them look the other way for a few of the darker battle sequences. The story is simple enough, and the visuals are dazzling (the 48 frames per second rate is neither as spectacular or headache-inducing as rumors would have you believe). The acting is admirable, including the return of our favorite wizard, Gandalf, Lady of Lorien Galadriel, and head elf Elrond ( Hugo Weaving ). Unfortunately, the dwarves all sort of blend together in a tangle of hair and mischief, with the notable exception of the broody Thorin and his swashbuckling nephews, Fili and Kili (Dean O'Gorman and Aidan Turner).

The main issue with Jackson's adaptation is that the run time is brutal, even for hardcore fans of Jackson's epic LOTR trilogy. Whereas that trilogy made sense as three separate movies -- considering it was the adaptation of three books -- The Hobbit isn't a substantive enough work to demand three movies, even with Jackson pulling extra material from Tolkien's indices. The fabulous visuals and impressive action sequences reminiscent of the trilogy are bogged down by an overlong and overly thorough first quarter that could have used a considerable edit job.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how The Hobbit compares to The Lord of the Rings . How are the stories similar (a hobbit joins a dangerous quest), and how are they different? Which adventure do you prefer?

For those familiar with the book , how does the movie adaptation differ? If you haven't read the book yet, does the movie make you want to delve into Tolkien's classic? Why do you think Tolkien's fantasy tale has withstood the test of time?

What does Bilbo learn about himself throughout the journey?

How do the characters in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey demonstrate curiosity and courage ? What about perseverance and teamwork ? Why are these important character strengths ?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 14, 2012
• On DVD or streaming : March 19, 2013
• Cast : Ian McKellen , Martin Freeman , Richard Armitage
• Director : Peter Jackson
• Inclusion Information : Gay actors
• Studio : New Line
• Genre : Fantasy
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Book Characters
• Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
• Run time : 166 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images
• Last updated : May 4, 2024

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The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey – review

Peter Jackson has managed to dart off in new directions as he returns to Middle Earth.

By Ryan Gilbey

The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey (12A) dir: Peter Jackson

J R R Tolkien’s The Hobbit was published in 1937 for a young readership, with the author moving into a more highfalutin register for the sequel, The Lord of the Rings (written as one volume but split into three in the mid-1950s). The New Zealand film-maker Peter Jackson is approaching the material from the opposite direction. Having secured an inbuilt audience of many millions through his more adult Lord of the Rings movies, he may have been tempted to apply their solemnity to his new three-part film of the earlier, jauntier book. On the evidence of the first episode, An Unexpected Journey , he has resisted.

In print, The Hobbit is far superior to its sequel: it’s accessible and full of pace and punch where LOTR , with its tortuous descriptions of the density of bogland and undergrowth, can be recommended to only the most patient devotees of Gardeners’ Question Time . The later book’s sales figures (more than 150 million copies and counting) prove as effectively as anything by E L James that masochism is big business. However, Jackson somehow managed to find the wistful magic buried in the marshy prose.

The LOTR films, released between 2001 and 2003, had sincerity and cinematic sweep, not to mention eyefuls of handsome New Zealand landscape previously unexploited on screen. They also had longueurs within longueurs, though the extended viewing time brought the audience closer to the arduous experience of the characters, even if the perils faced during all those hours in a cinema seat came not from giant spiders and snarling Orcs but deep-vein thrombosis.

Other parties had tried to adapt LOTR , including the Beatles, who failed to interest Stanley Kubrick in making a version for them to star in. (It’s worth noting that their 1965 film, Help! , revolves around a sacrificial ring lodged on Ringo Starr’s finger.) In the 1970s, John Boorman shopped around a script featuring a scene in which Frodo Baggins has sex, which is a bit like putting cancan dancers in a Stalingrad movie – lust for power being the nearest thing to carnality in the chaste vistas of Middle Earth. Ralph Bakshi made an atmospheric 1978 animated version but its commercial failure precluded any follow-ups.

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It would be unfair, then, to mock the studios and financiers who baulked at Jackson’s idea of making the project as two movies. Wizard hats off to Bob Shaye at New Line Cinema, who took an educated leap of faith by suggesting that Jackson should make a trilogy.

Jackson shed a large amount of his body weight after finishing the third LOTR film – anywhere between three and five stone depending on whom you read (and whether the director removed his shoes before climbing on the scales). But his subsequent films, King Kong and The Lovely Bones , were not correspondingly streamlined. The latter was so feeble in vision and philosophy that a return to Tolkien (after The Hobbit ’s original director, Guillermo del Toro, stepped down following production delays) seemed the only possible salve for his reputation. Still, my heart sank at the news that a book as breezy as The Hobbit was being given the nine-hour treatment.

Happily, An Unexpected Journey has zip. Set in Middle Earth 60 years earlier than LOTR, it begins with the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) nominating the pipe-and-slippers hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) to join a hazardous mission. A band of dwarves plan to wrest back control of their kingdom, Erebor, from the dragon Smaug, which is snoozing among stolen treasures while the ordinary folk live in fear and poverty. I won’t say “banking crisis allegory” if you don’t.

Like LOTR , An Unexpected Journey revolves, essentially, around an eventful country ramble. (As a character in Kevin Smith’s Clerks II remarks of the first trilogy: “All it was was a bunch of people walking. Three movies of people walking through a fucking volcano.”) But the new film is distinguished by a swashbuckling simplicity, a sense that the thrill of the adventure might not need to be paid for with quite so many ponderous interludes.

For an indication of the differences, you need only compare the Ents, those impossibly dull walking-talking trees from LOTR , with their nearest equivalent in An Unexpected Journey : a range of jagged, stony mountains that knock seven shades of flint out of one another. But not everything has changed. Humour in Middle Earth remains folksy: someone falls over, someone else has the size of his sword impugned. The sanctuary of Rivendell still resembles a tacky New Age spa and weighty conversations occur on mountain-side platforms. When a flock of benevolent birds deposits the dwarves on a vertiginous rock face, no one has the presence of mind to say: “Not to be ungrateful but couldn’t you have dropped us on the mezzanine level?”

Set pieces are cut together fashionably fast without any cost to clarity. The attack by Smaug the dragon on the dwarf kingdom is staged without showing the beast itself: we glimpse nothing but its stomping feet, its slashing tail and the rippling tease of a dragon kite dancing above the rooftops. Through the wonders of motion-capture, Benedict Cumberbatch plays the monster, but we will have to wait until next year’s episode ( The Desolation of Smaug) to see whether those layers of concealing pixels will throw his many amorous admirers off the scent.

Most caveats about An Unexpected Journey will pertain to Jackson’s use of 48-frames-persecond 3D technology (as opposed to the standard 24). It brings a polished clarity to the nocturnal scenes but looks appalling during chases through a sunlit forest, worse even than the fuzzy blue-screen effects that used to crop up during old flying-carpet movies. Many scenes appear unforgivingly bright. Even then, it’s not a deal-breaker, though there’s always the risk that audiences will wonder why these epic battles for the soul of Middle Earth are lit like The Only Way is Essex .

Watched together, Jackson’s six Tolkien films may eventually reveal poignant continuity glitches: McKellen will surely age in reverse, while special effects and make-up will be more sophisticated in the pictures that figure earliest in the narrative. The seedy, pasty-faced look is very in among this year’s ghouls and grotesques: a trio of trolls resemble lardy likenesses of Steven Berkoff, while Barry Humphries is in Les Patterson mode as the Goblin King, whose distinguishing feature is a floppy scrotal chin.

As usual, the CGI scene-stealing honours go to Gollum (Andy Serkis): the shoulder blades saw beneath his unkissed skin, the moist eyes strain imploringly at the limits of their sockets. Gollum has achieved the status of Special Guest Star now – I could feel the audience on tenterhooks when he scampered into view – but An Unexpected Journey is not merely the victory lap for Jackson that it could have been. He may be back in the familiar surroundings of Middle Earth but as a film-maker he’s darting off in new directions. I’m happy to follow.

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey a qualified hit with trade critics

The first reviews have hit the web for Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – and the verdict is almost as puzzling as one of Bilbo's riddles.

While the majority of critics praise the first film in the trilogy based on JRR Tolkien's 1937 children's novel – which was followed 17 years later by the better-known Lord of the Rings – there are considerable misgivings about the length of the movie, the decision to split the book into three films, and Jackson's determination to shoot at a controversial 48 frames per second. The film currently maintains an 82% "fresh" rating on the review aggregator site rottentomatoes.com , yet you wouldn't know it from some of the comments made in the reviews.

The US trades, in particular, are a bit sniffy. "Spending nearly three hours of screen time to visually represent every comma, period and semicolon in the first six chapters of the perennially popular 19-chapter book, Jackson and his colleagues have created a purist's delight, something the millions of die-hard fans of his Lord of the Rings trilogy will gorge upon," writes Todd McCarthy of the Hollywood Reporter . "In pure movie terms, however, it's also a bit of a slog, with an inordinate amount of exposition and lack of strong forward movement. In Jackson's academically fastidious telling, it's as if The Wizard of Oz had taken nearly an hour just to get out of Kansas."

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"Bilbo's three-hour journey is awfully slow to start," agrees Variety's Peter Debruge . "Jackson and his team seem compelled to flesh out the world of their earlier trilogy in scenes that would be better left to extended-edition DVDs (or omitted entirely), all but failing to set up a compelling reason for fans to return for the second instalment." However, he admits: "Few film series have achieved the consistency of look and feel maintained across these Middle Earth-set stories, and once the adventure gets going, Jackson reminds audiences of his expertise at managing action on a scale that would have made David Lean wish he'd had CGI in his toolbox."

IGN's Jim Vejvoda says The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey "almost attains greatness yet despite so many moments of epic fun, greatness remains just out of its reach". He adds: "This is a very good and entertaining movie even if it never quite recaptures the wonder or mystique of the Lord of the Rings. HitFix's Drew McWeeny makes sure we are aware that Jackson's film is "a very good movie" before lingering fastidiously into its faults: "There is more of a sense of heavy lifting involved at the start of the film as the older version of Bilbo, played once again by Ian Holm, shows up in a framing device that takes place mere moments before the opening of 'Fellowship'," he writes. "There is also the difficult nature of the way it all opens, with a dinner sequence that introduces all 6,000 dwarf characters and that seems to go on for a few hours. It is one of two major momentum killing sequences in the film, and taken together with the frantic, overwhelming nature of some of the action sequences, it makes for a very mixed experience."

What of those 48 frames per second, the format introduced by Jackson for his new trilogy which has been criticised in some quarters for looking like daytime TV, and – worse – causing some viewers to feel nauseous. Debruge complains that it's "disconcerting" and exacerbates the "phoniness" of sets and costumes, while McCarthy thinks it "looks like ultra-vivid television video, paradoxically lending the film a oddly theatrical look". The movie is also viewable at the standard, 24 frames per second rate, which most preferred. "[It] had a softer, noticeably more textured image quality," says McCarthy.

I failed to find a single review which offered unfettered praise for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, though most – like cinemablend.com's Katey Rich – thought it "a good enough excuse to make a return visit to Middle Earth". Devin Faraci of badassdigest.com perhaps sums up the general word on Jackson's film, which arrives in US and UK cinemas on 14 December. Below a headline that describes the film as being "perfectly OK" sits the legend: "It's not as bad as you feared, not as good as you hoped."

• Peter Jackson
• JRR Tolkien
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Where to watch.

Watch The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey with a subscription on Max, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

Peter Jackson's return to Middle-earth is an earnest, visually resplendent trip, but the film's deliberate pace robs the material of some of its majesty.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Peter Jackson

Ian McKellen

Martin Freeman

Bilbo Baggins

Richard Armitage

Thorin Oakenshield

Graham McTavish

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

• Parents Guide

Certification

• Sex & Nudity (2)
• Violence & Gore (11)
• Profanity (1)
• Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking (3)
• Frightening & Intense Scenes (4)
• Spoilers (2)

Sex & Nudity

• None 123 of 144 found this to have none Severity? None 123 Mild 16 Moderate 3 Severe 2 We were unable to submit your evaluation. Please try again later.
• In the extended edition, there is a brief scene in which dwarves' naked backsides are seen from afar Edit
• Brief nudity and no sex in movie Edit

Violence & Gore

• Moderate 60 of 91 found this moderate Severity? None 2 Mild 19 Moderate 60 Severe 10 We were unable to submit your evaluation. Please try again later.
• Many lengthy battle scenes, without much blood splatter but some slashing and dismembering. Edit
• Azog the Orc has had his forearm cut off in one of the flashbacks. Later in the movie he is shown wearing a primitive prosthesis - a construction of hooks attached to the stump by piercing the flesh. Edit
• A severed head is brandished and thrown. Edit
• An extremely large pile of corpses is shown as the aftermath of a battle. Edit
• A non-human character's belly is sliced open with a sword. He says something humorous then his throat is sliced as the scene cuts Edit
• A few heads are (non-gorily) cut off onscreen. Edit
• A non-human character is stabbed through the throat and thrown to be eaten (offscreen but heard) by wolf-like animals. Edit
• A non-human character is killed by repeated smashing in the head with a rock, seen from a distance. Edit
• It is implied that humanoid characters such as trolls or the creature Gollum might eat other human-like creatures like hobbits, dwarves or goblins. Edit
• A giant wolf-like animal is killed by stabbing with a sword. Edit
• A non-human character is killed by repeated stabbing and slashing with a sword. Edit
• None 88 of 95 found this to have none Severity? None 88 Mild 6 Moderate 1 Severe 0 We were unable to submit your evaluation. Please try again later.
• Character says dammit Edit

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking

• Mild 69 of 89 found this mild Severity? None 10 Mild 69 Moderate 8 Severe 2 We were unable to submit your evaluation. Please try again later.
• Many characters smoke pipes full of "pipeweed". Reference is made to the calming effects of "pipeweed" (Tolkien was clear on the fact that pipeweed is tobacco, not cannabis although the expression on a characters face after having a puff may contradict that). Edit
• Ale and wine is drunk with a meal. Edit
• A character is described as crazy because he eats too many forest mushrooms, probably a reference to "shrooms". Edit

Frightening & Intense Scenes

• Moderate 55 of 84 found this moderate Severity? None 1 Mild 20 Moderate 55 Severe 8 We were unable to submit your evaluation. Please try again later.
• The initial image of the necromancer might frighten some viewers. It's very ghastly looking though obscured. Edit
• Gollum's appearance may scare younger viewers, especially when he screams in closeup. Edit
• Characters are almost thrown from a mountainside path and crushed by rocks. Edit
• There are some very emotional scenes between characters, especially Bilbo and Thorin. Edit

The Parents Guide items below may give away important plot points.

• Many lengthy intense battle scenes that features scary-looking goblins, orcs, and wargs (wolf-like creatures). In the last half of the movie the main characters spend nearly all of their time being chased by, or in combat with, these creatures. Edit
• There are quite a few scenes where a character or an animal is close to death or looks dead and someone cries in pain because of that. For instance when characters are separated during a rock avalanche, when Thorin passes out during the battle or when an animal-loving wizard Radagast tries to save a little hedgehog suffering from an unknown disease. Edit

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Review

13 Dec 2012

169 minutes

Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The

“All good stories deserve embellishment,” Gandalf The Grey (Ian McKellen) tells Bilbo (Martin Freeman) before the latter has even left the snug, leathery comfort of his Bag End armchair and embarked on his Unexpected Journey. There is no way this line, a pithy conclusion to a tall tale of Bilbo’s Tookish grandfather (beheads goblin, invents golf), could have been written unknowingly. The Hobbit is a good story. And embellishment, controversially for some, has been the order of Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo Del Toro’s adaptation — both narratively (An Unexpected Journey is now a trilogy opener rather than part one of two) and visually; this sunnier, 60-years-younger Middle-earth was digitally shot at double the frame rate of the three earlier movies which concerned this mythic realm’s difficult autumn years.

To begin with the first form of embellishment is to immediately address the concern that Jackson and co.’s Hobbit may be a painful inflation of a slim, bedtime storybook, as opposed to The Lord Of The Rings’ leaner interpretation of a vast fantasy-historical epic. Team Jackson looks outside the novel’s narrative (which, while quicker than Rings, is still rich in detail and packed with incident) to the Tolkienverse yonder, and unashamedly treats The Hobbit as a prequel in which the return of Sauron The Deceiver is foreshadowed ominously.

Yet the cutaways to guano-faced nature-wizard Radagast The Brown (Sylvester McCoy) nursing hedgehogs, going boss-eyed and rabbit-sledging to creepy ruined forts do feel of limited relevance to the main quest. Beyond Gandalf expressing to a sceptical Saruman (Christopher Lee) his fear that dwarf economy-hoarding wyrm Smaug could come into play as a fiery WMD for “the enemy”, the threads concerning the White Council, the Necromancer and aforementioned fort Dol Guldur— all direct prequel material — have yet to be firmly twined with Bilbo’s relatively modest adventure. He may find the One Ring here, but for now its connection to Sauron is known only by us and Howard Shore’s string section.

Even so, this particular trek to a mountain has been smartly remoulded — the final destination’s always a mountain, this one Lonely rather than Doomed. It is well-paced, bringing in chief antagonist Azog (Manu Bennett), the albino orc-lord barely in the book, who from the start is hunting the “dwarf scum”, soon giving the quest frantic chase movie impetus. Existing set-pieces have been thoughtfully redrafted, so don’t expect the encounter with the trolls (a cockney Three Stooges) to play out as it does in the novel. And new sequences have been added, such as a skirmish with warg-mounted orcs on Rivendell’s borders. The Goblin Town diversion comes replete with Jacksonian grace notes, featuring a neat swinging gantry gag that references King Kong — although he doesn’t let these set-pieces breathe as freely as those in either Rings or Kong. While it’s good to see Gandalf get stuck in like never before, this is no Moria. And despite the running time, there is still the occasional sense that Jackson is rushing, underpinned by the fact that, for all their elaborate individuality, the dwarves remain somewhat amorphous, with only Thorin (an impressive Richard Armitage), Balin (Ken Stott), Bofur (James Nesbitt) and Fili/Kili (Dean O’Gorman/Aidan Turner) given any special attention.

Still, thanks to an Ian Holm-presented prologue, we’re in no doubt as to the significance of their mission. This isn’t just a treasure hunt: this is a desperate gambit to reclaim a homeland for a people who have suffered a generation of bitter diaspora. There is an appeal to the way Tolkien’s book begins small, seemingly trivial — Bilbo the reluctant burglar off on a perilous jaunt — then rises out into something so huge that five armies roll up to the ultimate fracas. But it is appropriate to Jackson’s cinematic rendition of Middle-earth that we should swiftly understand Thorin’s position (part Aragorn, part Boromir) in its weighty narrative history. This comes not only via the prologue, in which we witness the full glory of Erebor and its nuking by malevolent bat-lizard Smaug (of whom there are glimpses), but also an impressive flashback to Thorin’s hard-fought, albeit temporary, triumph over Azog on the slopes outside Moria.

One question raised by the book is: why precisely did Bilbo, a homely fellow and appreciator of simple comforts, agree to head off into such danger? And why didn’t he bail when the going got extreme? These are ingeniously addressed, and in fact form the arc of An Unexpected Journey. The Hobbit Episode I is the story of how Bilbo commits to adventure, how he realises his motive. And Team Jackson’s answer is elegantly simple, a fine-brushed masterstroke of scripting: the creature who just wants to go back home discovers that what he’s doing here is helping these homeless dwarves reclaim theirs.

It’s a concept sold flawlessly by Martin Freeman, perfect casting for the fusty halfling. There really is no other character like Bilbo in Tolkien’s chronicles, and he is arguably this saga’s strongest: a proper, decent, everyday sort of chap (if a little on the conservative side) whose resourcefulness is drawn from a deep well of inner strength. Not as beleaguered as Frodo, nor as acquiescent as Samwise, nor as comical as Merry and/or Pippin. “I’m not a hero or a warrior,” Bilbo asserts. He’s us. And Freeman encapsulates that throughout, without mugging or winking. His Bilbo does take his predicament seriously, and while this is the jauntiest — at times silliest, at times funniest, certainly the most child-friendly — Middle-earth movie yet, Freeman remains its emotional lodestone.

The most powerful moment comes during the Riddles In The Dark incident, which briefly brings back Andy Serkis’ Gollum, the other arguably strongest character in the saga. It is a joy and a thrill to once more see mo-cap master Serkis owning the role, and to have the celebrated encounter brilliantly re-envisioned through the prism of the Sméagol/Gollum split personality. However, the true punch of poignancy comes at that most pivotal of moments: when Bilbo, invisibly standing over Gollum with sword at his throat, exercises mercy. Jackson holds on Freeman’s face. This isn’t just Tim-from-The Office or Watson in pointy ears, but an actor at the height of his prowess finding every layer to a character it now seems he was born to play.

So what, finally, of that other embellishment, the history-making visual treatment? 48 frames per second is, as they say, something else. And you can take that both ways. On the one hand, the crispness of detail is almost overwhelming, whether you’re noticing the seam down the back of Gandalf’s hat, or repulsed by the scabby goitre dangling from the Great Goblin’s (Barry Humphries) hideously distended face. On the other, there’s something about the lack of grain and motion blur that oddly makes the movie feel less epic — it’s so immediate and intimate that the distance between seat and screen is all but removed. This may make you feel more thrillingly part of the action, or it may diminish the spectacle and unflatteringly highlight the film’s more set-bound nature. Something to bear in mind when deciding if you’re going to seek out the upgraded experience.

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Vin diesel's fast & furious replacement role is the exact opposite of dominic toretto, star wars' next movie will break an incredible $11 billion record only one other franchise has managed, if the hobbit: an unexpected journey is any indication of what's to come, lord of the rings faithfuls have reason to be hopeful that the director will create another captivating round of adventures..

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first installment in Peter Jackson's new Middle-earth trilogy - once again based on the beloved fantasy world created by author J.R.R. Tolkien. After director Guillermo del Toro left the project, Jackson returned to the director's chair and expanded the would-be film series - originally conceived as a two-part adaptation of  The Hobbit storyline - into a full-on  Lord of the Rings  prequel trilogy.

While the plot of Part 1, An Unexpected Journey , and Part 2, The Desolation of Smaug , offer a relatively straightforward storyline, the mystery surrounding Part 3, There and Back Again , has left many fans wondering if Jackson and New Line Cinema sacrificed a quality Hobbit adaptation in favor of a third opportunity for box office earnings.

There and Back Again is set for release in summer 2014, so it'll be awhile before we can definitively weigh in on that trilogy decision; however, if The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is any indication of what's to come,  Lord of the Rings faithfuls have reason to be hopeful that the director will create another captivating round of adventures in Middle-earth.  An Unexpected Journey does not match the scale established in Lord of the Rings , but there are still plenty of eye-popping visuals, enchanting action set-pieces, and intriguing character cameos, to prevent the film from being the underwhelming (and cheesy) experience that some skeptics were anticipating. In fact, the more intimate storyline, centered around reluctant/adventure-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), his thirteen dwarf companions, and the renowned Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), often outshines similar plot beats from The Fellowship of the Ring .

In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , a pre- Lord of the Rings Bilbo Baggins has abandoned his thirst for adventure in favor of a safe and comfortable life in The Shire. For years, Bilbo has preferred the quiet of Bag End, his Hobbit-hole, a well-stocked pantry, and the warmth of his fireplace to the beauty and terrors of the lands beyond his home - until Gandalf the Grey knocks on his door.

The wizard invites the hobbit on a quest to help a band of dwarves retake their homeland, The Lonely Mountain, from a ruthless and dangerous dragon, Smaug. Unwilling to resist the chance for adventure, Bilbo agrees to accompany the group, which is led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), heir to the King Under the Mountain crown. The company faces challenge after challenge, and - unbeknownst to even the wise Gandalf - bears first witness to a dangerous sequence of events that will haunt the next generation of hobbits, dwarves, elves, and men.

Unsurprisingly, there are several similarities between An Unexpected Journey and The Fellowship of the Ring , most notably the core premise (a ragtag group of heroes on a life-or-death quest through the wilds of Middle-earth); however, Jackson's latest installment is differentiated by a number of smart filmmaking choices and solid character dynamics that were present in the Tolkien source material - especially the multifaceted Bilbo Baggins.

Freeman gives a sharp and charming performance as the brave hobbit - adding nuance to a role that draws stark contrast to Elijah Wood's turn as Frodo (who enjoys an especially light-hearted cameo return). Unlike the Lord of the Rings protagonist, Bilbo revels in his adventure - even when he's in over his head - with a solid balance of wit, humor, and bravery that translates into genuinely entertaining (as well as emotionally impactful) scenes. Even though the tone of The Hobbit novel is a bit lighter compared to  Lord of the Rings , the film version of Bilbo easily fits into Jackson's darker overarching movie universe - which should be a relief to viewers that were put-off by the rowdy dwarf antics that have dominated the movie adaptation's marketing.

In fact, the dwarves successfully walk a very fine line between jolly goofballs and downright tough-as-nails warriors. Many of their respective combat sequences aren't just exciting, they include unique action beats that are especially impressive when you take into consideration the blend of camera tricks, CGI, and practical prosthetics used to make onscreen interactions look believable when dwarf, goblin, hobbit, and wizard parts all collide in battle. A flashback sequence that establishes Thorin as the leader of the dwarf company is especially impressive, and could rival fan-favorite battles from Return of the King - cementing the character as one of the toughest brawlers in Middle-earth.

Several subtle (and some not-so subtle) changes lead to tense and exciting action sequences, complete with imaginative visual spectacle, helping to ratchet up the relatively modest Hobbit source material storyline - and produce a film experience that matches the thrill and breadth of the original film trilogy. That said, franchise fans will also appreciate many iconic character moments in An Unexpected Journey - notably the fateful game of riddles between Bilbo and Gollum (Andy Serkis). Jackson manages to provide even the quietest scenes with weight - as certain developments carry impact far beyond the short-term  Hobbit -centric storyline.

Unfortunately, not all of the Hobbit / Lord of the Rings bridging serves the story at hand - resulting in a lengthy film (169 minutes) that contains a few overlong or disjointed scenes. All of the Lord of the Rings  foreshadowing is interesting, but at times it undercuts the importance of the current objective (Smaug and the Lonely Mountain). It's clear that The Hobbit story could have likely been told in two films and, as a result, viewers will probably be mixed on the success of the bridging scenes in An Unexpected Journey , The Desolation of Smaug , as well as  There and Back Again ; however, the extra content hardly undermines the quality of Jackson's latest effort - even for especially cynical moviegoers.

Adding to the controversy is the director's choice to shoot in 48 frames-per-second - a format that results in hyper-realistic visuals but, as many filmmakers argue, is so true-to-life that it can actually be a distraction - depriving filmgoers of immersion. We've put together a separate editorial discussing the successes and shortcomings of The Hobbit  in 48fps but, with regard to a review recommendation, without question the format is worth experiencing - if for no other reason than to form your own opinion (assuming there's a HFR 3D-ready theater near you). 48fps can be disorienting at first, but An Unexpected Journey makes smart use of the presentation - delivering a number of jaw-dropping visual set pieces. There are plenty of movies that we would not want to see in 48fps and, much like 3D, filmmakers should be smart about when to use and avoid the format, but Jackson's Hobbit movie is a worthy (and encouraging) trial run.

In the long run,  The Hobbit prequels could be weakened by Jackson's expanded three film plan, but if Part 2 and Part 3 are as enjoyable as An Unexpected Journey , it'll be hard for moviegoers to complain. The film includes everything that made the original Lord of the Rings trilogy so memorable - action-adventure, charm, humor, and breath-taking fantasy battles. Sure, a few extemporaneous Lord of the Rings elements slow things down and distract from the core Hobbit storyline, but overall, the director has once again presented audiences with a captivating and exciting trip to Middle-earth.

If you’re still on the fence about  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , check out the trailer below:

[poll id="477"]

Let us know what you thought of the film in the comment section below. If you’ve seen the movie and want to discuss details about the film without worrying about spoiling it for those who haven’t seen it, please head over to our Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Spoilers Discussion .

For an in-depth discussion of the film by the Screen Rant editors check out our Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey  episode  of the  SR Underground podcast .

Follow me on Twitter @ benkendrick  for future reviews, as well as movie, TV, and gaming news.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey  is rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images. Now playing in 2D, 3D, IMAX, and 48fps theaters.

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THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY Review

THE HOBBIT Review. Our review of director Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, starring Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage & Ian McKellen.

• Pros: Incredible clarity and sharpness of detail. Characters and objects in the background are nearly as clear and defined as those in the foreground of a shot. It makes for absolutely gorgeous establishing shots and exploration of new settings (Erebor, the Dwarven Kingdom before Smaug’s attack, is amazing. I’d love to see a film just about the Dwarves and their lives under the mountain). It’s great when steady or slow-moving camera work is applied. Beautiful for scenery or landscape shots; would make for excellent documentary applications.
• Cons: Definite “motion sickness” potential during scenes of chaotic action or fast-movement; the increased clarity often feels as if you’re standing on set with the actors/characters, so when they take a crazy tumble down a rabbit hole, for example, you feel just as disoriented…which might not be too pleasant for some. There is a bit of an adjustment period for 48fps; I was jarred by it at the start but warmed up to 95% of its usage over time. 48fps means you cannot hide mistakes…period; there were some poorly-rendered VFX sequences that were unintentionally comical and resembled the old-school tactic of filming a stationary actor in front of a moving background. These effects were bad, bad, bad; there’s no way around it.

I admire and support Jackson’s decision to use 48fps and 3D going forward, but there is still some work to do to make it seamless. If you want more technical explanations of 48fps, head over to PC Mag’s explanation (via The One Ring ). Another quick note on a technical aspect: most of the enemies simply had no weight to them. Goblins were tossed aside like paper dolls with the Dwarves flicking them out of the way without breaking a sweat. I can only think of a handful of instances of this happening in Lord of the Rings, such as the surge down the stone ramp leading out of Helm’s Deep in The Two Towers or parts of the massive Battle of the Pelennor Fields in Return of the King. But for An Unexpected Journey, there was no sense of real danger during most of the fight scenes, right up until the end. This is strange, because the flashback battles were, for the most part, epic and brutal and heavy, with real emotion tied in to the loss of believable warriors. On the plus side, the costume and make-up design for the flesh-and-blood characters and creatures was phenomenal, even managing to surpass the original  Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The greatest achievement of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, is how well it ties in with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, much better than, say, the original Star Wars films and their prequels, which are widely-considered to be inferior. As we recently discussed in our Star Wars podcast, watching the films in episode order is not only visually jarring, it ruins the dramatic tension of the whole arc. At first blush, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey  appears to avoid this pitfall. The film   is set up in such a way that new viewers are briefly introduced to Bilbo and Frodo, but regard them only as an old storyteller and his nephew, nothing more. Returning viewers of the Lord of the Rings feel a bit of nostalgia for the old films and are transitioned into the new films by having a familiar starting place. This introductory scene, which some early reviewers cited as unnecessary, links the trilogies together in a much stronger way. I don’t know how Jackson plans to end his Hobbit trilogy, but the opening of An Unexpected Journey and Fellowship of the Ring are already neatly tied together.

Also, “Easter eggs” are not just there for fun; they actually refer to each other in the films (depending on which order you watch them in), as well as to the source material in the books. Without giving too much away, An Unexpected Journey enriches the relationship between Gandalf and Bilbo (and, by extension, Frodo), as well as Gandalf and the elder powers of Galadriel, Elrond and Saruman. The film also explores the reasons for the deep-seated hatred between Dwarves and Elves, Gandalf’s connection to nature, the desecration of the Greenwood, the secrets of Saruman, the origin of some of the famous weaponry in the series and, of course, the lore of the Ring. So An Unexpected Journey manages to pay homage to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, while forging strong introductions to the themes that are explored in the chronologically later-occurring films, especially for first-time viewers. It’s evident that much care was given over to consideration of how to weave these two tapestries together and it’s brilliantly achieved.

Special attention must be given to the musical score of the film, both for original pieces (such as "Misty Mountains," the haunting yet stirring theme for the Dwarves) and incorporation of the themes from Lord of the Rings. The musical cues go a long way to reinforce the connection I mentioned above. While the Misty Mountains theme pervades the film, there are also ties to the Shire, the Ring and even a heroic bit of music that I won’t spoil here, but will come as a welcome surprise.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has set a high bar for the next two installments, but if the Lord of the Rings trilogy is any indication, I fully believe that bar will be surpassed. Moving forward, I’d like to see the films become a bit more serious, especially since Bilbo is now in possession of a certain ring and all the grave consequences that portends. It would also be a more gradual transition into the Lord of the Rings trilogy and would allow new fans to mature along with the entire six-film arc, much like the Harry Potter films so expertly achieved. While The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is destined to be a stand-alone adventure classic in the vein of The Neverending Story, Willow and Legend , it is surely strongest when viewed as a satisfactory part of a greater whole.

For more on The Hobbit , here's 6 clips from the film and twenty minutes of behind-the-scenes footage .

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Den of Geek

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Review

Well, the verdict is in and High-Frame Resolution (HFR) 48 FPS - not so good.

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Warner Brothers Pictures

174 mins. dir. by: peter jackson with,, martin freeman, richard armitage, and ian mckellen.

Peter Jackson and company brought a series of books to the big screen that many thought to be un-filmable when they struck gold with  The Lord of the Rings  trilogy. Returning to the world of J. R. R. Tolkien by tackling the precursor novel to  The Lord of the Rings  and its appendices, Jackson brings back all the charm and wonderment of Tolkien’s mystical world, and then crushes it under the obtrusive fist of the films HFR (High Frame resolution) 48 FPS presentation.

Bilbo Baggins (the always wonderful Martin Freeman) leads a simple life that he doesn’t care to see change. Unbeknownst to Bilbo, the great wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellan) has signed Bilbo up to take part in a perilous journey for which he is ill equipped. Gandalf has agreed to help a group of thirteen dwarves reclaim their home from the great dragon Smaug. To complete their plans of re-capturing their home, Gandalf has convinced the dwarves they need a Hobbit to fulfill the role of, burglar; someone who can sneak in and out of the dragon’s lair without being detected. Reluctant to join up at first, Bilbo has a change of heart and heads off on the adventure of a lifetime.

Much like a docudrama,  The Hobbit  loses heaps of dramatic tension as we all know certain characters will not meet their untimely doom when caught in a sticky situation. That dumbfounded awe and power of discovering the nooks and crannies of Middle-Earth and its colorful array of inhabitants has faded. The story has changed and the goal is different in specifics alone. Little people doing big things, the naive hero learning the world expands past his fence, the wise guide who doesn’t disclose what he really knows; it still holds a modicum of entertainment, but holds no surprises. A movie doesn’t need nail biting tension to make it a success, but  The Hobbit  certainly tries to sell the angle too many times to ignore.

Story is everything when it comes to a great film. I’ll never stopped saying it–a film can have a great story and succeed through spotty cinematography or poor sound, yet the newfangled 48FPS style of  The Hobbit  is the exception to the rule.  The Lord of the Rings  trilogy took digital effects to new heights making creatures we all know don’t exist, look real.  The Hobbit  on the other hand, takes real people and makes them appear fake. The sharp detail and fluid 3D aspects work well, but the entire film looks like a made for T.V. movie rendered into a video game cinematic instead of a stunning display of glorious eye candy. Characters often move at odd speeds, as if someone sat on a remote’s fast forward button or like a buffering video catching up after it stalls. The visual disruption of  The Hobbit  is so distracting it was hard to focus on the dialogue of the film’s two openings.

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The fear has set in that Peter Jackson may fall into the George Lucas trap.  Jackson is a far better director than Lucas ever was, but like the original  Star Wars  films (Lucas as a director or not),  The Lord of the Rings  trilogy was a milestone in cinematic history that marked an evolution in digital effects and created a marker for younger generations to adore as the defining moment in film for their childhood. Now, just like Lucas, tacky inconsequential visual styles and fancy technology have become more important to Jackson than telling a good story. It’s not so much that the HFR delivery affects his ability to tell the story, as it completely ends up deflating every aspect of the movie from that story to its stunted sense of whimsical joy.

As the film pressed along and my eyes adjusted, things did progress a little. The entire second half of the film has some great little vignettes as the team of small warriors fall into the hands of the Goblin King and Bilbo runs into our old friend Gollum, which leads to him obtaining a certain ring. Even through the unnatural character movements of the HFR process, Gollum is more impressive than ever. With even more of actor Andy Serkis’ real face bleeding through the twisted creature’s digital features, the battle of wits between Bilbo and Gollum is playfully silly while resting on a layer of terrifying uneasiness.

Ian McKellan isn’t the only familiar face returning to Middle-Earth, of course. Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis and Elijah Wood are all back in this installment. In another example of a prequel being affected by our knowledge of films/novels we’re familiar with, it’s hard not to set aside any ill feelings one might have for Christopher Lee as Saruman. When  The Hobbit  was written, he was still very much a highly respected “good guy.” Knowing that he becomes corrupted by Sauron’s re-emergence, changes the situations at hand when he is on screen. For the other recurring characters though, we do get to see a slightly different side of them at times. I’d say it’s almost awkward to see a happier, kinder Lord Elrond. Personally, I was also happy to see Flight of the Conchords’ Brett Mackenzie reprise his role as a nameless elf. He gets a bit more featured time here; go Brett.

It’s hard to tell if  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey  would be a different movie if it were presented in a format that simply looks better than this HFR garbage. A film’s presentation shouldn’t play such a contributing factor in its ability to satisfy an audience, but there’s just no escaping the misfire it causes to a film series that became an instant classic. Put  The Hobbit  next to any of the original three films and it looks like the direct-to-DVD knock-off with a slightly different name meant to trick you into a purchase.  The Hobbit  will still entertain its audience, but will never live down the stigma of its technological failure. When you buy your tickets for  The Hobbit , make sure you see the 24fps version and only pay for the HFR if you are still that curious about how bad it really looks.

Rating: 65/100

Matthew Schuchman | @stachereviews

As a young man growing up on the, not so mean streets of North Massapequa, Matthew Schuchman became a film buff at the age of 10. Encouraged by…

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Parent Guide

Fans (and others with the patience to endure the drawn out plot) will undoubtedly love what they discover here, and so they should..

Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first in a trilogy that follows the adventures of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), a Hobbit who joins Gandalf the Wizard (Ian McKellen) and a group of Dwarves on a dangerous quest to reclaim a stolen treasure.

Release date December 13, 2012

Run Time: 170 minutes

Official Movie Site

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by rod gustafson.

There are a few movies that are “critic proof,” and needless to say The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is likely one of those select titles. Released nearly a decade after the first of Peter Jackson’s film depicting the troublesome ring that was tossed into the fiery pit, Tolkien aficionados have had their eye firmly set on the day the acclaimed author’s junior companion novel would be put to film. And no nay saying of any kind is likely to keep them from filling up theater seats.

For the few, like me, who have not enthusiastically read the book, you can anticipate a road trip movie of massive proportions—think Lord of the Rings with a little more humor and not quite as much blood. The tale opens with Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) reminiscing to Frodo (Elijah Wood) about a time, 60 years ago, when he became the very unwilling 14th member of a Dwarf army determined to regain their lands from fierce invading dragon named Smaug. Led by the legendary warrior Thorin (Richard Armitage) and under the guidance of the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), the little group battles a new foe around every corner… and in every scene. Orcs, goblins, trolls, giant spiders and a variety of other nasty nemeses populate the screen en masse giving much opportunity for epic scenes of swordplay. 

Like the LOTR trio, this film easily winds past the two-hour mark. And don’t expect a tidy ending, with this being only the first in yet another triple title adaptation. Considering this time director Peter Jackson only has one book to stretch into three movies, this adventure sometimes slows to the pace of a hobbit on holidays. Battles are tediously long and there’s lots of time to admire the beautiful surroundings of the director’s home and native land (this franchise is also shot in New Zealand). That being said, at least the visuals are an engaging feast filled with digital and real world characters and objects.

Perhaps the greatest issue with this film will be the question of its appropriateness for some of the youngest admirers of the novel. Unlike reading a book, where a child’s imagination is limited by his or her own experience, this movie often details battle scenes with fairly explicit imagery. Decapitations leave heads rolling, arms are sliced off and countless humans and other beings meet their deaths in massive battles. While the violence is a bit less explicit than the previous Lord of the Rings movies, and blood effects are minimal, there is still plenty here to keep children up at night. As well there are frequent jump scenes and moments of peril. Thankfully sexual content and profanity are pretty much non-existent.

Fans (and others with the patience to endure the drawn out plot) will undoubtedly love what they discover here, and so they should. This is a massive undertaking and while the story isn’t complete, there are positive messages about extending ourselves beyond our comfort zones and committing to a greater cause. For teens looking for adventure at the theater The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will likely be a satisfying return to the shire.

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Rod Gustafson

The hobbit: an unexpected journey rating & content info.

Why is The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey rated PG-13? The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images.

Violence: Dragons attack a castle causing mass destruction and implied loss of life. Many large battles take place between humans and other mythical creatures, resulting in many deaths and some explicit injuries including decapitations and dismemberment (one creature’s arm is sliced off—we see the stump afterward). Large creatures capture dwarves, rope them to a spit and attempt to cook them over a fire. The movie includes some scary “jump” scenes and depictions of characters in nearly continual peril.

Sexual Content: None noted.

Profanities: A single humorous colloquial reference is made about male anatomy.

Drugs/Alcohol: A character smokes a pipe with an unknown substance, and at one point he offers it to another character to calm his nerves.

Other: Characters burp loudly. A character makes an informal wager on the possibility of a future event. There is a discussion about a necromancer, and other occult and mystical themes are found throughout the script.

Page last updated July 17, 2017

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Parents' Guide

Bilbo Baggins is very reluctant to join the dwarves on their adventure. What are his reasons for not wanting to go? Have you ever passed up an opportunity that you lived to regret afterward? How can we determine if our reasons for not wanting to do something risky are justified?

What are some historical examples of one group of people agreeing to help another in a time of need? How can we offer this same assistance in our everyday lives?

Learn more about J.R.R. Tolkien and his novels that ignited the world’s imagination here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien

The most recent home video release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey movie is November 5, 2013. Here are some details…

October 11, 2016 Warner Brothers studios has announced the combined release of all six of Peter Jackson’s films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. This compilation is available in two packages: The Middle Earth Theatrical Collection (A 6-disc set (Blu-ray or DVD) featuring the theatrical versions of each movie) and The Middle Earth Limited Collector’s Edition (a box set of 30 discs featuring the extended editions of each movie plus extras).

Home Video Notes: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Extended Edition) Releases Date: 17 November 2015 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies releases to home video (Blu-ray/ DVD Copy/UltraViolet Digital Copy) in an Extended Edition with the following extras: - Featurettes - Music Video - Trailers - Commentary with Peter Jackson, Director/Producer/Screenwriter and Philippa Boyens, Co-Producer/Screenwriter. - The Appendices – The Appendices Parts XI and XII showcase a chronological history of the filming of The Battle of the Five Armies, documenting the work done on set chronologically through the three shooting blocks and in the world of its digital effects. - New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth – Part 3.

Also Releasing on November 17, 2015: The Hobbit Trilogy Extended Edition This box set includes extended editions of all three movies: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Home Video Notes: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Extended Edition)

Release Date: 5 November 2013

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey releases to home video in an Extended Edition (now 182 minutes long). Both the Blu-ray (3 Discs) and the Blu-ray 3D (5 Discs) packages include: 

- The Filmmakers’ Commentary

- New Zealand: Home of Middle-Earth

- The Appendices Part 7: A Long-Expected Journey

-The Appendices Part 8: Return to Middle-Earth

- And More!

Home Video Notes: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

- New Zealand: Home of Middle Earth

- Video Blogs

- Theatrical Trailers

- Game Trailers

Home Video Notes: The Hobbit: The Motion Picture Trilogy Release Date: 24 March 2015 The Hobbit: The Motion Picture Trilogy releases to home video (Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy, or Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy). The boxed set includes the following: - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Related home video titles:

J.R.R. Tolkien’s book The Hobbit has been turned into a three-part saga.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

He followed up this novel with a trilogy of his own (The Lord of the Rings) that has also been adapted for the big screen:

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

Related news about The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Warner Brothers studios announce release of Middle Earth Movies

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