The Lord of the Rings trilogy captivated audiences worldwide from 2001 to 2003. Now, the prequel to that famous series, known for its stunning visuals and epic world, has finally come to the screen. That film is The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The story takes place in Middle-earth, the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien, and shows events that occurred 60 years before The Lord of the Rings. The film is planned as a trilogy. Director Peter Jackson returns to lead the project, welcoming us back to the world of Middle-earth.

The World of The Lord of the Rings

As soon as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey started and the Shire appeared on screen, I felt all the emotions from 2002-2004 return. The green hills, round hobbit doors, and peaceful feeling were all there. It was the same world we loved in The Lord of the Rings.

The movie starts in a way that links directly to The Fellowship of the Ring. It opens with an older Bilbo (Ian Holm) writing his autobiography for Frodo, then goes back in time to show a young Bilbo (Martin Freeman) 60 years earlier. This introduction is clever, and you can see director Jackson’s attention to detail. It feels like a new story, but it still connects well with the earlier films.

How did they handle the “children’s” tone of the original work?

The original novel, The Hobbit, has a much lighter and more playful tone than The Lord of the Rings. It’s an adventure story that even kids can enjoy. But since director Jackson had already made the darker and more serious Lord of the Rings trilogy, he couldn’t just make a simple children’s movie this time.

Jackson found an outstanding balance. He kept the humor from the original story, like the fun scene where the dwarves toss dishes in Bilbo’s house or the funny moment with the troll. At the same time, the film keeps the same big-picture feel as The Lord of the Rings. The flashbacks showing Thorin’s tragic past add the needed depth and seriousness.

Comparisons to Other Works: The Shadows of Seven Samurai and Star Wars

Akira Kurosawa’s The Seven Samurai clearly influenced the film’s story structure. The main plot, in which a hero gathers companions to go on a journey and protect a village (here, a dwarf kingdom) from danger, is very similar to Seven Samurai.

At the same time, as a big adventure set in a vast world (in this case, Middle-earth), the film also shares elements with Star Wars. In fact, it’s well known that Tolkien strongly influenced Star Wars creator George Lucas.

This film occupies a position similar to Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. How do you depict the prequel to a legendary series that’s already completed? How do you meet fans’ expectations? And how do you attract a new generation of viewers?

Just like The Phantom Menace, this film will likely get mixed reactions.

The charm of the characters woven by the director and cast

Martin Freeman is the perfect choice for Bilbo Baggins. Unlike Elijah Wood’s Frodo, who seemed delicate and dreamy, Freeman’s Bilbo feels more grounded and practical.

Bilbo doesn’t like adventure and loves the comfort of his home, but deep down, he still wants adventure. Freeman showed this mix of feelings really well. One scene that stood out was after Bilbo met with Gollum, when he could have killed him but let him go out of pity. This choice by Bilbo later becomes a key moment in The Lord of the Rings. Knowing this makes the scene even more meaningful for us as viewers.

How to differentiate between the 13 dwarves

One big challenge for The Hobbit was how to make all thirteen dwarves stand out as individuals. Even in the original book, it’s hard to tell them all apart. But the film handled this well by giving each dwarf a unique look and personality, with Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) at its center.

Thorin especially stands out, much like Aragorn did in Frodo’s story. As the heir to a lost kingdom, he is proud and sometimes stubborn, but also a brave leader who would risk his life for his friends. Armitage’s strong performance gave the dwarves a new sense of dignity.

However, the filmmakers used some tricks. Thorin is much more handsome than most dwarves, and the younger dwarves, Kili and Fili, also have more defined features. It was clearly done to help the audience connect with them. Still, it’s impressive how well the film makes so many characters stand out in a 169-minute movie.

The “Riddle Contest” with Gollum – The Film’s Finest Scene

If I had to pick the most memorable scene in this movie, it would definitely be the “Riddle Contest” between Bilbo and Gollum. This scene alone is worth watching the whole film for.

In the dark cave, Bilbo meets the strange creature Gollum. Andy Serkis returns as Gollum, and with new motion capture technology, Gollum looks even more real and expressive than before. Serkis perfectly captures Gollum’s madness, sadness, and moments of innocence.

The way Gollum’s feelings are shown is exceptionally well done. He truly wants to play the “riddle game.” Gollum is a lonely creature who has lived in darkness for 500 years with only the Ring for company. He is as happy as a child to play with someone again, finally. You can see this in his face, his voice, and his movements.

Then comes the moment when Bilbo could kill Gollum, but lets him go out of pity. At this point, Howard Shore’s music quietly plays the Shire theme. The music alone shows why Gandalf believed in the Hobbits. Without any words, just through looks and music, this scene captures the whole message of The Lord of the Rings. It’s a truly great moment in film.

The Maturity of Cast and Crew

Ian McKellen is, as always, amazing as Gandalf. Even after ten years, he truly becomes the character. He is gentle, wise, and sometimes very powerful. McKellen’s presence gives the whole film a sense of stability.

Richard Armitage’s Thorin is just as memorable. He is proud and stubborn, but also intensely loyal to his friends. You can really feel his longing and sadness to win back his lost kingdom in Armitage’s acting.

And above all, Howard Shore’s music. The emotion that wells up when the themes from The Lord of the Rings gently play at just the right moment is beyond words. The newly composed dwarves’ song, “Song of the Lonely Mountain,” also beautifully expressed their longing for home with its melancholic, haunting melody.

Visually, the film fully maintains the standard set by The Lord of the Rings. The Shire, Rivendell, the goblin caves—every set is meticulously crafted and utterly convincing. The design of Goblin Town, in particular, possessed a strange beauty alongside its sheer repulsiveness.

Visual Innovation and Technical Challenges

Compared to The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit uses a lot more CGI. The earlier films focused on real props and special makeup, which made them feel very realistic.

But in this movie, many of the enemies, like the Goblins, Wargs (the wolves the Orcs ride), and Azog, are made entirely with CGI. While some CGI, like Gollum’s motion-capture performance, looks great, other parts seem a bit rough.

It might be because of time limits from making a long trilogy and using the new HFR technology. I hope this gets better in the next two movies.

Pacing Issues – The First Hour is a Trial

The biggest problem with the film is its pacing. The first hour to an hour and a half can feel slow at times. Watching the dwarves gather at Bilbo’s house, eat, sing, and finally leave takes a while.

Of course, this was done on purpose. Director Jackson probably wanted to really show the characters’ relationships and reasons for their actions. For fans who love the extended versions of The Lord of the Rings, this slower pace might actually be a good thing.

But the original The Hobbit is a pretty short story (just two volumes). Making it into a trilogy that runs almost 9 hours is bound to draw mixed opinions. Even in this movie alone, there are about 30 minutes that could have been cut. For example, the rock giant fight looks cool, but it doesn’t really move the story forward.

That said, the final 45 minutes are breathtaking. Once the story starts accelerating, it doesn’t let up. The goblin cave, the confrontation with Gollum, and the climactic battle—these scenes rival the best action sequences in The Lord of the Rings.

Summary: The beginning of a great story spun by small beings

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey does have its flaws, such as pacing issues, rough CGI, and the decision to turn it into a trilogy for commercial reasons.

Even so, it’s still a great movie and clearly made with love for Middle-earth. Martin Freeman’s Bilbo is charming, and Andy Serkis is just as good as ever as Gollum. The action is exciting, and the music is moving. Most of all, it’s wonderful to be back in Middle-earth.

I can’t wait to see how the rest of the Hobbit trilogy turns out. But even this first movie is worth watching on its own. I recommend it to anyone who loves The Lord of the Rings, and to anyone who hasn’t visited Middle-earth yet.