OK for kids 11+
Tolkien tale isn't as great as LOTR, but better for tweens.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, director Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's stand-alone quest through Middle-earth, is less violent than the scarier Lord of the Rings trilogy. But there are definitely some frightening sequences, like the battle between the dragon and the dwarves of Erebor, during which one character is decapitated, another has an arm amputated, and there's mass destruction. The group of Bilbo, Gandalf, and 13 dwarves is often tracked and pursued and nearly killed several times, but they manage to avoid death -- at least in this installment. Bilbo (like Frodo and his friends in the LOTR movies) again shows that size doesn't matter when it comes to making a difference.
- Families can talk about how The Hobbit compares to The Lord of the Rings. How are the stories similar (a hobbit joins a dangerous quest), and how are they different? Which adventure do you prefer?
- For those familiar with the book, how does the movie adaptation differ? If you haven't read the book yet, does the movie make you want to delve into Tolkien's classic?
- What does Bilbo learn about himself throughout the journey?
- Why do you think Tolkien's fantasy tale has withstood the test of time?
The good stuff
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Messages: As in The Lord of the Rings, the message of The Hobbit is that even the smallest person can make a huge difference. Gandalf even says "it's the small things that keep the darkness at bay" in reference to Bilbo's involvement in the dangerous mission. Gandalf advises Bilbo that it's not knowing how to take a life that takes courage but knowing when to spare one. The dwarves' quest reminds viewers of the importance of home, kinship, and belonging somewhere.
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Role models: No one except Gandalf thinks that Bilbo can be of much help, but Bilbo rises to the occasion by summoning his courage when the time calls for it -- except for the fact that he fulfills his destiny as a "burglar" by stealing Gollum's precious ring. Thorin is dedicated to his fellow dwarves, and they in return revere him as their faithful leader.
What to watch for
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Violence: Less violent than The Lord of the Rings, but there's still some carnage: a battle between the dwarves and the dragon leads to the dwarf king being decapitated, an orc leader's arm amputated, and a multitude of dwarves and their property destroyed. There are several close calls when Bilbo, Gandalf, and the dwarves are pursued or nearly die on their journey across Middle-earth, usually by orcs and their beasts. The orc leader is a frightening sight -- particularly with his claw-like prosthesis, and he's bloodthirsty. A group of goblins/orcs tries to kill the group as well.
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Sex: Not an issue
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Language: Slang use of "jaxie" (meaning "ass").
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Consumerism: Although there are no product placements in Middle-earth, the Tolkien books and Peter Jackson film adaptations have spawned a ton of merchandise: apparel, video games, LEGO toys and board games, role-playing games, special movie tie-in editions of the books, and more.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: The dwarves are a voracious lot -- even more than hobbits. They ransack Bilbo's pantry and consume large quantities of drink (and food). Gandalf and Bilbo smoke the mellowing pipeweed.
Fan Reviews provided by
3
(Shaking Head) Oh, Peter Jackson... by DAMProductions
Will someone please explain to Peter Jackson that length does not equal epic!
He we be well served to learn:
Extended chase/battle sequences that do nothing to further the story, do not make the moving exciting.
Added geek fluff (material not in the original book) does not add to the movie (and I'm a geek).
Trust your actors more than your effects wizards. You have such a talented cast given fantastic performances that you have a great movie. Cramming more spectacle in only adds length, slowing the pace and diminishing the heart of the movie. Now, Gollum is an amazing merge of both, but the wargs and goblin caves look like a lame video game.
There. I have ranted. The Hobbit was a beautiful movie with lovely performances, but plagued by PJ's penchant for length. Go see it, but pack a lunch and know that anytime Gandalf says "Run!" you have 5-10 minute to visit the restroom without missing anything.
5
Gollum is better than ever! by pedsarq
Peter Jackson does it again! The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is an excellent movie that takes its time to be true to the book and sets up the trilogy nicely for the next films. The adventure involves a vicious, gold-loving dragon by the name of Smaug, but before we get to his mountain and all that treasure, we get plenty of action involving orcs and, best of all, a younger, more realistic Gollum. This movie is a prequel to The Lord of the Rings (occurs over 60 years prior to the story in that trilogy) and there are several scenes where the two trilogies share characters and mythology. So, it's no surprise that time is spent tying the two together. In my opinion, some of those scenes could've been shorter, or omitted entirely. In fact, you'll find that the first 45 minutes of this film are slow and long-winded. I was still at the edge of my seat from the beginning and am now looking forward to the next two! BTW, I may see it again.
5
amazing..excellent! action packed epic! by nng
im not a LOTR fan and didnt really watch most of the movies completely..i didnt know much about hobbit but after the first 30 minutes was of course pleasantly surprised. the journey just got more and more intense, interesting, suspenseful full of action exciting with of course the same characters and some concepts. there were lots of action packed battles, evil people, and really the dwarves there to reclaim their homeland. I had no idea that this was probably the first of a trilogy or more...so i was disappointed to find the ending not really being the ending, however the 2.5 hours goes by really fast...it is an extremely exciting interesting entertaining awesome movie... you can't miss it for sure....
5
Lives up to the Legend by ardensia
While it's not LotR, The Hobbit is a wonderful romp through Middle Earth. It is good to spend some time there before the character's hearts grow heavy with the weight of the war against Sauron. Martin Freeman is brilliant as a young Bilbo Baggins, and while it's a bit difficult to keep so very many dwarves straight, they are enjoyable and wonderful to watch as a group.
If you're not sure about the high frame rate + 3D technology, go see it without 3D. It is still beautiful and a very well-told story even without our gimmicky technology.
5
The Unexpected Journey: A long-anticipated quest by thomas_j_gracie
As a whole, Peter Jackson and cast did a great job with the first Hobbit film. As a self contained movie, The Hobbit was fairly powerful and provided a very rich visual experience (I viewed it in 48 frames without 3D). That being said, the Lord of the Rings cinema enthusiasts might find that the application of CGI was a bit liberal relative to and distinct from what they experienced with the original trilogy. The script and acting were exceptional--a respectable balance between faithfully scripting from the book and giving dramatic hard-hitters like Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis a chance to really shine. To comment on the family viability of the film: the level of violence is comparable to Lord of the Rings, but I note this: The Hobbit was scripted with some comedic relief in mind--all the better reason to bring younger siblings/kids if in doubt. To make things brief, I believe that The Hobbit accomplished its goal: recreate the heartwarming but intrepid Hobbit story.
5
Beautiful! by ksanabia
All I have to say is go. Just go. It was amazing, they did a very good job and I can't wait for the last two movies XD
4
Of course LOTR fans must go..... by Nacho Baggo
The story is fun and there is nothing else like this series.
However, the beginning is awkward and long, the chemistry between the characters is weird, and much of the CGI is too exagerated. The CGI was very ambitious and after a while, it was a problem to me. I can tell it is a Peter Jackson call to be this ambitious. It reminded me of the silly dinosaur segment in his KING KONG.
Andy Serkis and Ian McKellen are great. Martin Freemen is not so good. He is charming, but some of his lines were poorly done.
The stopping point for the ending is fitting for the start the second film, but it is also awkward. It didn't climax and I thought more was coming instead of ending.
I am very critical of the quality. I expect more from these films and PJ is not so great.
5
simply amazing! by x4elizabeth
I've read the book and was really hoping that the movie would match up pretty well and it did!! of course they added a few things but thats just to make the movie interesting. and that it did! I loved the added scenes and for things that were in the book it was spot on! I loved it and if you love the book and the Lord of the Rings series you'll love this movie!! Defiantly a must go!!!
5
Don't miss the chance to go on this journey! by Lucyabigailseward
"The Hobbit" is a wonderful film from beginning to end that truly transports the audience on a magical adventure. I was a little dubious about seeing it in 3D, but it allows a really evocative immersion in the world of the film -- particularly some of the views through the arches in Rivendell. There are certainly some wonderful new characters -- Richard Armitage has been one of my favorite actors for years, and his portrayal of Thorin is very powerful -- but there is also something wonderful about the feeling of "coming home" that is conveyed by the use of the familiar theme music from 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy. The fight scenes are epic, the dwarfs are hilarious, and there are a few tearjerker moments too -- what more do you need from a film?!
5
Unexpected Treats by tunews
Great movie! I enjoyed the 'extra fluff' and have always wanted the 'Extended Editions/Director's Cut' kind of movies to played on the big screen. Yes, I know that this was not classified as either of those, but it felt great to see it 'all'!