The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Stream
Rent & Buy
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarves who seek to reclaim their mountain home from Smaug, the dragon.
What critics thought
DivisivePeter Jackson's return to Middle-earth divided critics sharply: the cast — Martin Freeman especially — and the visual spectacle earned genuine praise, but the bloated runtime, stretched source material, and polarizing 48-frames-per-second photography left many feeling the film fell well short of the trilogy that preceded it. Audiences embraced it far more warmly than critics did, and that gap has only widened over time.
“Thank heavens for Andy Serkis, whose riddling return as Gollum steals the entire film. It is the only time the digital effects and smoother visuals underline, rather than undermine, the mythical drama of Bilbo's adventure. As a lover of cinema, Jackson's film bored me rigid; as a lover of Tolkien, it broke my heart.”
Robbie Collin·The Daily Telegraph
“Though there are elements in this new film that are as spectacular as much of the Rings trilogy was... there is much that is flat-footed and tedious as well, especially in the early going.”
Todd McCarthy·The Hollywood Reporter
“The Hobbit plays younger and lighter than Fellowship and its follow-ups, but does right by the faithful and has a strength in Martin Freeman's Bilbo that may yet see this trilogy measure up to the last one”
Dan Jolin·Empire
“this is a dismally unattractive movie, featuring too many shots that I'm sure were lovely at some point but are now ruined and chintzified by the terrible technology monster.”
Richard Lawson·The Atlantic Wire
“Charming, spectacular, technically audacious… in short, everything you expect from a Peter Jackson movie. A feeling of familiarity does take hold in places, but this is an epically entertaining first course.”
Matthew Leyland·Total Film
Accolades
Genres
Adventure, Fantasy
Cast & Crew
Peter JacksonDirector
Martin FreemanBilbo Baggins
Ian McKellenGandalf the Grey
Richard ArmitageThorin Oakenshield
James NesbittBofur
Ken StottBalin
Sylvester McCoyRadagast the Brown
Barry HumphriesThe Great Goblin
Dean O'GormanFili
Aidan TurnerKili
Graham McTavishDwalin
Adam BrownOri
Peter HambletonGloin / William Troll
Howard ShoreComposer
Fran WalshWriter
Philippa BoyensWriter
Guillermo del ToroWriter
J. R. R. TolkienWriter
Andrew LesnieCinematographyFrom the studio
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarves who seek to reclaim their mountain home from Smaug, the dragon.
What critics thought
DivisivePeter Jackson's return to Middle-earth divided critics sharply: the cast — Martin Freeman especially — and the visual spectacle earned genuine praise, but the bloated runtime, stretched source material, and polarizing 48-frames-per-second photography left many feeling the film fell well short of the trilogy that preceded it. Audiences embraced it far more warmly than critics did, and that gap has only widened over time.
“Thank heavens for Andy Serkis, whose riddling return as Gollum steals the entire film. It is the only time the digital effects and smoother visuals underline, rather than undermine, the mythical drama of Bilbo's adventure. As a lover of cinema, Jackson's film bored me rigid; as a lover of Tolkien, it broke my heart.”
Robbie Collin·The Daily Telegraph
“Though there are elements in this new film that are as spectacular as much of the Rings trilogy was... there is much that is flat-footed and tedious as well, especially in the early going.”
Todd McCarthy·The Hollywood Reporter
“The Hobbit plays younger and lighter than Fellowship and its follow-ups, but does right by the faithful and has a strength in Martin Freeman's Bilbo that may yet see this trilogy measure up to the last one”
Dan Jolin·Empire
“this is a dismally unattractive movie, featuring too many shots that I'm sure were lovely at some point but are now ruined and chintzified by the terrible technology monster.”
Richard Lawson·The Atlantic Wire
“Charming, spectacular, technically audacious… in short, everything you expect from a Peter Jackson movie. A feeling of familiarity does take hold in places, but this is an epically entertaining first course.”
Matthew Leyland·Total Film
Accolades
Genres
Adventure, Fantasy
Cast & Crew
Peter JacksonDirectorMartin FreemanBilbo BagginsIan McKellenGandalf the GreyRichard ArmitageThorin OakenshieldJames NesbittBofurKen StottBalinSylvester McCoyRadagast the BrownBarry HumphriesThe Great GoblinDean O'GormanFiliAidan TurnerKiliGraham McTavishDwalinAdam BrownOriPeter HambletonGloin / William TrollHoward ShoreComposerFran WalshWriterPhilippa BoyensWriterGuillermo del ToroWriterJ. R. R. TolkienWriterAndrew LesnieCinematographyFrom the studio
Stream
Rent & Buy