The Hobbit:
An Unexpected Journey
‘Stop! Stop!
I haven’t got a handkerchief!’
Hobbits are
strange creatures; about three feet tall with pointy ears and very large hairy
feet, they like the warm comfort of their hobbit-holes.
And they most certainly don’t like their hobbit-holes being invaded by big hairy dwarves at supper time.
And they most certainly don’t like their hobbit-holes being invaded by big hairy dwarves at supper time.
Embarking
upon a great quest, Bilbo Baggins leaves his cosy hole behind in exchange for a
wild adventure with dwarves.
He, along
with Gandalf (McKellen) and thirteen (unruly by Bilbo’s standards) dwarves set
off in search of the Lonely Mountain and the great dragon Smaug, who years
before drove out the dwarves who called the mountain their home.
Therein still
dwells the dragon, who sleeps upon heaps of gold and treasures, including the
Heart of the Mountain…
Led by
Thorin Oakenshield, Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) and the dwarves face many perils on
their journey, including trolls who want to roast them alive, goblins, orcs and
other foe. But their resilience and friendship has got them through. Well, this
far at least.
The story
itself is much more light-hearted than Jackson’s ever-successful series,
surrounding the adventure of Frodo Baggins and the One Ring. Set 60 years
previously, much more needs to be explained. There is a whole new set of
characters plus some returning faces.
There is
action and laughs abound especially in the Riddle scene between Bilbo and the
creature Gollum.
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| The thirteen dwarves |
The skill of the writers to include so much of the book, almost word-for-word is an incredible feat. An adaptation such as this is not often seen, and extra parts are not usually well-received. However, as in the recent adaptation of The Hunger Games books, additions (such as the Seneca Crane character and Gamesmaker scenes) can benefit a film and they most certainly do here in the Hobbit. I will say they add much more depth to the film, another layer of mystery and ingenious links to connect this series of films to The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I shall leave them for you to find for I wouldn’t want to ruin the film should you decide to see it.
Agreed, this is slow to get moving, but so was the Fellowship of the Ring. There is so much background to tell, so much to explain and explore in the first film, it’s almost like a prologue. The second and third films are where the real adventure begins.
‘Out of the
frying pan and into the fire’ is an understatement for what lies ahead for this
rag-tag group.
A must-see
for all Lord of the Rings and Peter Jackson fans; this packs a punch and leaves
one wanting more - if you can wait a year.
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| Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins |
