For hardcore fans of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was a refreshing way to revive old characters without cheapening it with a remake. For those who have never seen Lord of the Rings, it was a chance to enter Peter Jackson’s interpretation of the world created by author J.R.R. Tolkien. While the film is in very much the same style as the older trilogy and contains some of the same characters, one needs little to no prior knowledge of Rings to follow along with The Hobbit, as it is a prequel.
The film follows Bilbo Baggins, played by Martin Freeman, the title character, as he is thrust into an adventure across Middle Earth. Prompted by the wizard Gandalf, played by Ian McKellan, he joins a group of dwarves led by Thorin, played by Richard Armitage, on a quest to reclaim land that was once theirs. Through the journey, the characters encounter many familiar faces and there is a dark and intriguing scene involving Baggins and Gollum.
For a movie that is about three hours in length, it is very fast paced; there is always some sort of action going on that is more than just a filler scene. The characters themselves are noteworthy and while many are static characters, some, like Baggins, develop throughout the film, making it that much more in-depth.
Since The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first part of a trilogy, the movie predictably and suitably ends as a cliffhanger, presenting the conflict the next film will tackle. Amidst all the surrounding hype is a genuinely spectacular film that just might convince a few viewers to check out the Lord of the Rings films, as well as Tolkien’s literature.