"To look ahead."
"And what brought you back?"
"Looking behind."
Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) lives comfortably in his family hobbit hole in the Shire. His peace is interrupted by the appearance of Gandalf (McKellen), a wizard, who is planning an adventure. Despite Bilbo's reluctance, he ends up with a home full of dwarves. The Dwarves are planning a dangerous mission to return to reclaim their home and sizable treasure in the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug. The 13 Dwarves: Thorin (Armitage), Balin (Stott), Dwalin (McTavish), Bifur (Kircher), Bofur (Nesbitt), Bombur (Hunter), Fili (O'Gorman), Kili (Turner), Oin (Callen), Gloin (Hambleton), Nori (Brophy), Dori (Hadlow), and Ori (Brown); are superstition and need an additional member to their team. Bilbo reluctantly agrees to be their burglar and the journey begins.
Bilbo is not accustomed to adventures and the dwarves question his abilities and are not sure if he will survive the trip. They are pursued by an old enemy: Azog (Bennett), the Orc leader who killed Thorin's grandfather. With trolls and goblins in hot pursuit, and the emergence of a new evil, can the dwarves reach their home.
In 1937, author J.R.R. Tolkien published "The Hobbit" a fantasy novel for children. The novel was widely revered and led to demand for more stories about Middle Earth. Tolkien obliged with "The Lord of the Rings" series. In the 2000s, director Peter Jackson began filming the Lord of the Rings series. Over a decade later, he turned to Middle Earth to bring "The Hobbit" to life. To tell as much of the story as possible, the novel was cut into thirds, with plans to release the films over a three year period (much like the LOTR films). After the success of LOTR, expectations were high for this series.
I am currently rereading "The Hobbit" in preparation to watch the film (I wanted to be one of those people that could point out what changed from the novel). Jackson wisely chose to open the film with familiar faces: Ian Holm, as old Bilbo, and Elijah Wood, reprising his role as Frodo. The story opens moments before the action of Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. It is familiar and helps to establish Bilbo as the lead role. The film is a sweeping epic, that sticks near the source material... while making changes for the lay audience (and to help tie everything to the LOTR films).
It was well-done, and I look forward to the sequel, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) 169 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins
Ian McKellen as Gandalf
Richard Armitage as Thorin
Ken Stott as Balin
Graham McTavish as Dwalin
William Kircher as Bifur
James Nesbitt as Bofur
Stephen Hunter as Bombur
Dean O'Gorman as Fili
Aidan Turner as Kili
John Callen as Oin
Peter Hambleton as Gloin
Jed Brophy as Nori
Mark Hadlow as Dori
Adam Brown as Ori
Manu Bennett as Azog
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