The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

PG-13

Released Dec 14, 2012

2h 49m

Fantasy

Adventure

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64%

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302 Reviews

83%

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250,000+ Ratings

Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) lives a simple life with his fellow hobbits in the shire, until the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) arrives and convinces him to join a group of dwarves on a quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor. The journey takes Bilbo on a path through treacherous lands swarming with orcs, goblins and other dangers, not the least of which is an encounter with Gollum (Andy Serkis) and a simple gold ring that is tied to the fate of Middle Earth in ways Bilbo cannot even fathom.

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Critics Consensus

Peter Jackson's return to Middle-earth is an earnest, visually resplendent trip, but the film's deliberate pace robs the material of some of its majesty.

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J. Hoberman

The New York Review of Books

There is a good deal to be said about Peter Jackson's long-awaited and exceedingly long adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, most of it bad.

Mar 28, 2017

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Christopher Orr

The Atlantic

It frequently seems as though Jackson was less interested in making The Hobbit than in remaking his own fabulously successful Lord of the Rings series.

Dec 14, 2012

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Perri Nemiroff

Shockya.com

Two thirds is so packed with charming characters, stellar visuals and sense of adventure, it makes that other third come across as much more of a failure than it really is.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 14, 2012

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Patience is exactly the virtue required.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 17, 2024

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

This is a cinematic world so fully realized that leaving it is a sad prospect.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 20, 2022

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

A wonderfully satisfying fantasy adventure that not only connects to the previous films, but charts its own ground with great effectiveness.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 21, 2022

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Terry M

Good family movie. Loved it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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matthias s

**A Middle-Earth Feast with Some Extra Luggage** *The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey* is a visual love letter to Tolkien fans, bringing Middle-Earth to life with Peter Jackson's magic touch. I loved seeing familiar faces like Ian McKellen’s iconic Gandalf and Serkis’s creepy-perfect Gollum—seriously, that riddles scene? Perfection. The cameos by Ian Holm and Elijah Wood were the cherry on top, adding that nostalgic worldbuilding we all adore. And Martin Freeman? He’s a charming Bilbo, no doubt. But let’s be real—this journey could’ve been shorter. At nearly three hours, it drags, stretching a simple story way too thin. It’s beautiful, no question: the landscapes are stunning, and the soundtrack sweeps you away. But at times, it feels like a gorgeous painting you’re forced to stare at for too long. For fans of the book and the universe (like me), it’s still enjoyable. For everyone else? Probably a bit much.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/07/25

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C M

Big ol' nope to all 3 movies. These aren't the worst movies in the world, though they aren't particularly good either. Gratuitous CGI usurps good storytelling, and an entirely stupid romance is forced into the plot, which itself is bloated with unnecessary, and often boring, scenes and cameos crammed in just so 3 movies could be made out of what should have been 1 or 2. But more importantly, the studio raked it in by crapping on the source material and, in some cases, their actors, which is pretty much everything wrong with Hollywood right now. So, they lose an extra star.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/31/24

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Yohanes e

Not something crazy like lord of the rings but it's still very fun

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/29/24

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Daniel N

Nowhere near as good as the lord of the rings trilogy but entertaining enough. Was fun seeing the pre-history on the big screen but felt like it got stretched out too long with too many "filler" scenes. I don't think the book was long enough to justify 3 movies. Could have told this story in two movies and left out the junk.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/23/24

Full Review

Linda K

Love the Hobbit! A well made movie, with lots of love for the books. The world is amazing just like in the Lord of the rings trilogy. The actor’s are very well chosen and Martin Freeman plays Bildo very well 👌🏻 can’t imagine anyone else playing him around this age. And also Benedict Cumberbatch plays an amazing Smaug!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/17/24

Full Review

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Peter Jackson

Director

Ian McKellen

Gandalf

Martin Freeman

Bilbo Baggins

Richard Armitage

Thorin Oakenshield

Ken Stott

Balin

Graham McTavish

Dwalin

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Synopsis

Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) lives a simple life with his fellow hobbits in the shire, until the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) arrives and convinces him to join a group of dwarves on a quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor. The journey takes Bilbo on a path through treacherous lands swarming with orcs, goblins and other dangers, not the least of which is an encounter with Gollum (Andy Serkis) and a simple gold ring that is tied to the fate of Middle Earth in ways Bilbo cannot even fathom.

Director: Peter Jackson
Producer: Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner, Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson
Screenwriter: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: WingNut Films
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Action Violence|Frightening Images|Intense Fantasy Violence)
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 14, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 11, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $303.0M
Runtime: 2h 49m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, SDDS, Datasat

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