THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY is an entertaining adventure to the familiar, younger, Middle Earth. We go further back in time to see how Bilbo Baggins received the allusive ring in Lord of the Rings. Despite knowing his fate, we sat at the edge of our seats wondering what would happen next?
The film is part one of the Hobbit prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy and adaptations from the original novels by J. R. R. Tolkein. Before the demise and greed, Bilbo is a relatable, prudent, stubborn, self-deprecating, and innocent, young hobbit who is satisfied with the comfort and safety of his home in the shire. Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) chooses him and only him to unwilling join this quest with 13 dwarves, including Prince Thorin (Richard Armitage), to get their Dwarf homeland back from the great dragon, Smaug, finding vengeance along the way.
Breaking the novel up into three films allowed director Peter Jackson, writers Fran Walsh, Philipa Boyens, and Guillermo Del Toro the opportunity to fully explore the character arcs, plot points, and complexities that would have been cut out otherwise. Just as one did not have to read the Lord of the Rings, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY stands on its own and ready for part two to follow.
The 3D is fantastic immersing us into their world as if we’re really in Middle Earth. “For me, fantasy should always be real,” Jackson said at a recent press conference in New York. He filmed the same way he would if it were 2D, aside from special effects involving height and space ratio. To make Gandalf look taller and bigger than the others, they used to put him closer to the camera. “In 3D,” Sr. Visual Effects Supervisor Joe Lettieri explained, “you can really tell how far apart they are!” So they had to come up with new tactics, which worked well except for the scene with Thorin and the elves. All of a sudden, his legs are half the size?
In this film, there are no 3D gimmicks, like a ring nearly hitting us in the face, just immersement. The only time I’m turned off by the 3D is unfortunately, when they see the beautiful elves’ land, Rivendale, from “so far away,” its lost its dimensions. They look like they’re standing directly in front of a painted wall, which they probably are. And its probably green.
Jackson recreates Middle Earth matching the tone, sets, visual, and even music from the Lord of the Rings. Although its been nearly a decade, The Hobbit is certainly in the same world. Jackson says, “I really wanted to be the same filmmaker going back.” The only difference is the heavy darkness in the Lord of the Rings does not quite make it to the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Its no surprise, since Bilbo is still innocent and the novel was originally told as a bedtime story. “I came to realize,” Jackson says, “there is a lot of charm and humor in The Hobbit. I decided it wasn’t going to be Lord of the Rings.” This is a different story, in the same world, with recurring characters.
Martin Freeman plays the young, spry, Bilbo Baggins with effectiveness. “I wanted him to be like a meerkat,” he says. It’s a pretty accurate description of his movement as he pops his head out and quickly looks around. His body language comically tells a second story beyond his lines. As he meets these characters who presumptuously invite themselves over, agree he’s unfit for an adventure, and then agree that he is, he stands on the side unsure what to make of it. Although Bilbo lacks confidence for this dangerous quest, he holds himself up. He doesn’t mope and never wines. He isn’t afraid to speak up for himself. “Wait! Stop!” He shouts to the band of warriors, “We have to turn around. I’ve forgotten my handkerchief!” Bilbo confines himself, “knowing” his limits. When he embarks on this adventure, he learns he’s more capable than he gives himself credit for.
It goes without saying, this film is action packed. Though the thirteen dwarves are haughty, prideful, and boastful warriors, they keep finding themselves outnumbered and in desperate trouble. Bilbo must fight in sword combat. Rocky giants attack them and split mountains. The orks have a taste for Thorin’s blood.
Fans know what eventually happens to Bilbo and Gandalf. Of course, they live and come back to the shire. But just because they cannot die (or so we think) doesn’t mean they can’t be tortured, wounded, lost, or beaten.
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