Movie Review: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"

Although I wasn't so die hard about seeing The Hobbit film that I went to the midnight showing, I definitely saw it the next morning (for the discounted pre-noon price!).  If box office earnings are any indication, it set a new December record for opening weekend at $84.8 million in North America.  

Top 5 Reasons to See "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"

1. To Understand How the Events of "The Hobbit" Affect "The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy

• Did you ever wonder how Bilbo obtains the One Ring?  Or how Gollum knows that it is Bilbo Baggins of the Shire that has the Ring?  Or how and where Sauron hides between the time of his 'death' at the hand of Isildur (see flashback scene at the beginning of "The Fellowship of the Ring") and his resurgence as a lidless, flaming eye atop the black tower?  Or how Bilbo gets the sword (a.k.a. "Sting") that he passes on to Frodo in LOTR?  So many questions to which you will find answers in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey."
2. To Reenter Middle-earth with a Whole New Story
• Although we are still talking about Middle-earth, a hobbit named Baggins and the One Ring, there is a completely different storyline. Thorin and his company of dwarves are on a quest to reclaim their homeland, the dwarven kingdom of Erebor, from a foul dragon named Smaug. Gandalf convinces Bilbo, a homely little hobbit, to come along as the company's "burglar."  The rest of the story revolves around their adventures on the way to the Lonely Mountain as well as the appearance of a rising dark power in Dol Guldur.  
• The One Ring makes its appearance, but its role in this story is much less significant than in LOTR.  As a result, we get to see Middle-earth from a much different perspective. For example, we get to learn a lot more about the dwarves and their history (although it understandably does not necessarily line up with Tolkien's written work all the time).  
3. To Enjoy a Fantastic Soundtrack
• Howard Shore, composer for "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy's score, doesn't disappoint. I, for one, love the music from LOTR.  I feel like it perfectly complements the story and amplifies the emotions of each scene.  To be honest, I was a bit worried that he wouldn't be able to create a new, unique and equally captivating score for The Hobbit - fortunately, I was dead wrong.  I loved the film score and found myself humming the main theme for the next few days after seeing the movie.
4. To See Some Familiar Characters

• Not everyone in this film is brand new.  Gandalf, Bilbo, Elrond, Galadriel and Saruman all play important roles in this film.  Not to mention a brief appearance by Frodo in the first few minutes of the movie.  Since Thorin and company will eventually pass through Mirkwood Forest, where the Wood Elves reside, it is likely that they will run into Legolas in the next few films as well. 
5. To Be Genuinely Entertained
• Do you like action?  There is plenty of sword swinging, arrow shooting, mountain climbing, orc killing action to satisfy anyone - although it's done very tactfully, with little to no gore.  
• Do you like comedy?  The dwarves' interactions are often hysterical and Martin Freeman's portrayal of Bilbo is quite entertaining. 
• Do you like romance?  Well, there really isn't any to speak of, since the only woman in the film is Galadriel and she's already married - sorry ladies.
• Do you like great storytelling?  Then prepare yourself for a fantastic tale of adventure, friendship, honor and heroism. 

Overall, I am very pleased with the way they pulled it off.  Although there is a good chunk of time dedicated to back story and introductions, which is to be expected with any epic trilogy, I was impressed with how Peter Jackson was able to interweave slower dialogue with exciting action scenes in order to maintain audience engagement.  What are your thoughts on the movie?  Have any of you seen it at 40 frames per second?  Please let me know what you think.  Thanks!

What is "The Hobbit" About?

With Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" hitting theaters in about two weeks, I'm sure there are plenty of people asking, "What is The Hobbit even about?"  Well, I'm here to answer that question for you.

Our story centers around a simple little hobbit named Bilbo Baggins.  He is fairly well off, as far as hobbits go, and is thus able to spend much of his time relaxing at home with a good book and his smoking pipe.  Although he, like most hobbits, enjoys the quiet, simple life of the Shire, deep down he has always had a taste for adventure - though he never acted upon it...

Until one day, when Gandalf the Grey, an old friend and wizard, shows up with 13 dwarves who are in need of a "burglar" to help them reclaim their stolen treasure.  Indeed, they hope to reestablish their dwarven kingdom that Smaug (a terrible, fire-breathing dragon) invaded and stole from them many years before.

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again as Bilbo pens it, is the story of their journey through Rivendell (where they meet Elrond, an Elvish ruler and friend), the Misty Mountains (infested by Orcs and home to Gollum), Mirkwood Forest (home of the cunning Wood Elves and terrible giant spiders), Laketown (a human settlement on the shores of the Long Lake under the shadow of The Lonely Mountain) and finally, to The Lonely Mountain, where dwells Smaug the Magnificent (the antagonist of the story).

One of the reasons that I love The Hobbit is because there is almost non-stop action, fun characters that you grow to love and root for, and great lessons about friendship, forgiveness, loyalty, courage and love (among other things).  It is a fantastic read and I have every confidence that the movies will be quite entertaining.

Again, this is a relatively simple overview for those unfamiliar with the story.  This is certainly not the most in-depth synopsis, but I think it gives you a good idea of the plot without giving away any of the exciting twists.  Please let me know if this was helpful to you or if you have anything to add.

Thanks!

What is a Hobbit?

For those of you who don't know, a hobbit is a simple little creature largely considered to be extinct - although most of us know better.  They were first brought into the public eye through J.R.R. Tolkien's fantastic tale, The Hobbit about a friendly little hobbit named Bilbo Baggins who gets swept away on an adventure with 13 dwarves and a wizard named Gandalf.

Some years after Bilbo's adventure, his adopted son, Frodo Baggins, becomes a primary character in an adventure of his own chronicled in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.  This trilogy was later made into a series of blockbuster films directed by Peter Jackson.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.  Quite simply, a hobbit is a child-size person (between 3'5" and 4') with generally curly hair on their head, of course, and their feet as well!  They have thick skin on their feet that allows them to walk about without shoes, although they wear other clothes just the same as you and I do.  Although they are very hospitable and love a feast followed by a good pipe, they tend to shy away from strangers.

They generally prefer to live separately from the rest of the world in "The Shire" and are content to be left alone.  Hobbits tend to live in holes in the ground, but not dirty holes like snakes or rabbits; hobbit holes are clean, well-kept houses that just happen to be underground (by nature of having been built into the side of a hill, in many cases).

Photo Credit: alilapop

We'll get into a bit more about them in my next post but I think that is a good start.

Let me know if you have anything to add!

"The Greatest Adventure is What Lies Ahead"*

Welcome to TheHobbitReader.com!  

After years of lonely and desperate searching, you’ve arrived!  This fantastic forum promises to be a haven where long-time fans can gather to discuss The Hobbit, but also where newbies ("halflings", if you will) can receive an introduction to the magical world of Middle-earth.

More is on the way!

Check back regularly and you will soon see all of this and more at TheHobbitReader.com:

• Places to buy, sell and show off The Hobbit memorabilia, movies, artwork and books
• Forums dedicated to discussion of the different chapters / topics of The Hobbit so that you can discuss it with your friends while you read
• "Riddles in the Dark"
  • A section where readers can post interesting questions about the story
  • Try their hand at some riddle-writing to see if others can guess the answer
  • Quizzes on Hobbit lore and chapter details
• Character Profiles of each of the main characters (with pictures of course)
• Polls / Contests / Newsletters
• Reviews / Predictions about the upcoming films: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again
• Places to showcase your own fan fiction and artwork as well as breathtaking work from professional artists like John Howe and Ted Nasmith
• Input by authors of commentaries about The Hobbit such as John Rateliff (author of The History of the Hobbit) and maybe even some insight from the actors who will play the characters in the upcoming movies

So please, look around, comment, and come back often to see new content, discussions, contests, reading clubs and more!  I would love to hear from you in the comments section below each post with any suggestions, ideas or comments!

This is a place where your voice is heard and your opinion matters!
*Glenn Yarbrough's "The Greatest Adventure"