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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Popcornmeter

64%

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303 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

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

It’s big, bloated even, impressively produced but overburdened with import and foreshadowing.

Apr 26, 2025

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Patience is exactly the virtue required.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 17, 2024

Full Review

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

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Terry M

Good family movie. Loved it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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Gareth v

A lovingly crafted, slightly bloated but deeply enjoyable start to the Hobbit trilogy. Not quite LOTR in scale or seriousness, it is still a grand and heartfelt journey.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/24/25

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Hughe J

The Hobbit was released in theatres in 2012 and was the first part of a new trilogy set in the Lord of the Rings Universe directed by Peter Jackson. It was based on the short children's novel of the same name written by J.R.R. Tolkien. Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf, Martin Freeman plays Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage plays Thorin Oakenshield, the Dwarven leader of the group. Thorin puts together a group to return to his homeland to recover treasure that was stolen from his people by a dragon named Smaug. During their travels they meet all types of magical and dangerous peoples and creatures, have lots of adventures but eventually arrive at their destination where the movie ends setting up for the 2nd movie. The actors are fine, the SFX is fine, the score is fine, but the plot is awful. Far too much humor, all of it ill timed and poorly written, with not enough gravitas to make me care for the characters or take what they were doing seriously. The story just felt stretched, like this should have been one movie not three especially since Tolkien only wrote one short Hobbit book. Anyway, as a fan of the original trilogy I was disappointed in this movie and have never rewatched it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/24/25

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David R

It was a good movie. The end was good, and Bilbo overreacting is…funny.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/25/25

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Audience Member

An unexpected journey of Bilbo...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/20/25

Full Review

Audience Member

FAR OVER THE MISTY MOUNTAINS COLD. Now it's in my head. Every single actor was incredible. Richard Armitage and Martin Freeman portrayed their characters so well. The deep voices, Gollum, singing, and Gandalf take me back to Middle-Earth.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/20/25

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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