The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Being a near 60 year-old, I have been in love with Tolkien's Hobbit and Middle World fantasy for a long time--since my teenage years. I introduced the Fellowship of the Ring movie to my sons when it first came out and they became big fans too--seeing it repeatedly in the theaters and with great anticipation and a famished appetite, consumed the next two parts of the trilogy when they finally arrived in theaters. We bought the VCR and DVD versions and would have marathon watching sessions together often. They introduced it to my grandchildren so the tradition continues.

Even though I no longer enjoy going to see many movies in the theater, I decided that I wanted to see the Hobbit with a full screen and sound of a theater. I even went alone so I would not be distracted by conversation with anyone else. I was prepared to see the "slow parts" reviewers warned would be there. However, I didn't experience any scenes that were slow at all. It was a story that had me engaged the whole way through as well as having amazing cinematography and other qualities that are best experienced at least once in a theater. I have come to think that the reviewers lacked the understanding of how good conversation and narrations really give the heart and soul of a good story. This movie restores that quality to the mix better than any I have seen in decades, including the Lord of the Ring. Action scenes are there to enhance and illustrate the story more completely, but they should not be the foundation of it. If action and great cinematography is the foundation of the story in a movie, it lacks staying power and is hollow. This is a movie I will enjoy and get more out of it each time I watch it. This is a movie of great substance and balance that will also be wonderful to watch at home using any device we have available to see it. None of the artists who brought us this product were lacking. - Customer Reviews

Synopsis: The adventure follows Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim Erebor with the help of Gandalf the Grey and 13 Dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield.
Starring: Ian Mckellen, Martin Freeman
Supporting actors: Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Runtime: 2 hours 50 minutes
Captions and Subtitles: English Details
Release year: 2012
Studio: Warner Bros.
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images