The Journey Has Just Begun

Peter Jackson returns with yet another epic from the repertoire of JRR Tolkien. The Hobbit, takes you back into the realm of the middle earth which houses men, wizards, dwarfs, elves, goblins, orcs and many other creatures of the unknown and the mystical. A much-awaited retreat for the Lord Of The Rings fanatics, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; is naught but a start of yet another trilogy. A great foundation for the films ahead, The Hobbit sheds some light on the ‘where have we come from?’ bit that keeps you wondering throughout the LOTR series.

“My dear Frodo, you asked me once if I had told you everything there was to know about my adventures. Well, I can honestly say I’ve told you the truth... I may not have told you all of it,” is where the story of Bilbo Baggins begins, inside the same hole where years later, Gandalf would hand the ring to Frodo. Bilbo, thanks to the wizard Gandalf the Grey, finds himself on a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. He, along with Gandalf and thirteen dwarves that are led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield, set out in the search of the lonely mountain. Fighting giant trolls, goblins, orcs, shapeshifters and what not, the group crosses the forest. But before the Lonely Mountain, they must escape the Goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets Gollum and is introduced to the ring.

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, released in 2003, and nine years later, we finally have the technology that can do justice to Tolkien’s work. Stunning visuals and smooth graphics, which blend the visual layers and make the image synchronous, make it easier for the audience to enter the realm of fantasies. For most part of the 169-minute film, one feels like a 10-year-old child, simply bowled over by the fantastic and unbelievable story that is unfolding before them. However, the awe is limited to the visual faculties. Unlike Lord Of The Rings, this film fails to connect emotionally. It is perhaps the lack of human characters in the story, but that can’t be it. The strong emotions you feel for Frodo don’t emerge for Bilbo, perhaps because his ordeal doesn’t come across as a great one. This could also be because the visuals appear to overcompensate for the lack of that basic connect. At the same time, the action, which is visually stimulating, appears like an opening act before the real show begins.

In terms of the performances, Ian McKellan’s much-loved character of Gandalf emerges as a central character this time around, instead of just being an impact character, like he was in the previous series. Richard Armitage, in his role as Thorin, the Dwarf King, commands respect which is due and is stunning throughout the film. Martin Freeman, perhaps the best choice for Bilbo Baggins in retrospective, does a fine job with his clever sense of humour and timing. However, those of you who are familiar with his role as Dr John Watson in BBC’s Sherlock will agree that, the actor carries the bearing of that character into this one in terms of his dialogue delivery, body language, gestures and posture.

An epic in the making, Peter Jackson is set to provide movie buffs with yet another memorable franchise and a modern classic. The wait for the next film of the series — The Desolation of Smaug, set to release this time next year, has only increased after being enthralled by the magic of An Unexpected Journey. For fans and neutral moviegoers alike, it is safe to say, this film is truly the beginning of something great legends are made of.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on December 15, 2012