The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) dir, Peter Jackson

Rating: 3/5

Back in 2001 when Peter Jackson started making the Lord of the Rings into a film series, it was a sensation, and gained enormous new recognition for Tolkien's original work. Now, in a fashion many have compared to the Star Wars series, Jackson has gone back to the beginning, with The Hobbit, which tells the story of Frodo's loving uncle Bilbo Baggins, and his adventures with Gandalf (Ian McKellan) in their younger days. It was frequently questioned as to why the subtitle 'An Unexpected Journey' had been used where The Hobbit had only been a single book. Well, the annoying answer is, this also comes as a trilogy. And rather unnecessarily, I believe. Years ago, I saw The Hobbit on stage, and it nicely captured the story and its characters in a fairly standard theatre running time.

I, as I'm sure most did, read J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' back in high school, and have particularly fond memories of the way my teacher's Australian accent sounded when he mentioned Fili and Kili. It's a lovely book, as are its successors, and unfortunately, there are several ways in which Jackson just doesn't seem to have captured it this time.

There are the small, superficial things: why Gandalf looks older when he's supposedly 60 years younger; why the scene of Bilbo finding the Ring doesn't match its depiction, which Ian Holm played, in LOTR; and why, for that matter, if he could've played the younger character in LOTR, Holm couldn't have reprised his character throughout. And yet again, those pesky Eagles come to the rescue when there's no other way, begging the question: why not just fly the Eagles the entire way?

Then there are the big things, like the questionable 3D feature, and it's serialisation. Having paid several quid extra, you expect to get your money's worth of 3D, but in this case, the 3D trailer featuring mostly Avatar footage was the most impressive thing we get on the dimensions front. Some movies are made specifically for 3D by including many jump-out-of-the-screen sequences, such as My Bloody Valentine (2009). But with the exception of the odd butterfly floating past, it was really a very obsolete addition. 

But, of the several things not flowing in The Hobbit's favour, there are many commodities. The acting is superb- with veterans Ian McKellan, Cate Blanchett, Elijah Wood and Ian Holm, among others- as are the visuals. The same stunning scenery and set design we remember from LOTR is ever present, so are the tremendous special effects. The Stone Giants sequence is particularly exceptional. It is also amazing to see what just 10 years in technological advances have done to the Gollum character, he looks more lifelike than ever. 

So, should you see The Hobbit? I guess so, and if you watched Lord of the Rings, then I guess you're obligated. But don't expect as much as Lord of the Rings, or as much as The Hobbit really is. It's easily the weak link in Jackson's Tolkien series.