Here's my belated review for "An Unexpected Journey". Though you may be surprised to hear it after reading my thoughts, my first viewing actually left me a bit underwhelmed. This review is in light of repeat viewings, which left me with a
slightly different impression.
[Show spoiler]The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Review by John Michael Webster
"All good stories deserve embellishment." - Gandalf the Grey
There is a most interesting element of the opening moments of An Unexpected Journey that may go unnoticed by many a viewer, and some who do notice it may denounce it as a continuity error. But for those whom this film is made for, it is a kind of treasure. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) begins writing his book by opening with a passage called "Concerning Hobbits", which is - of course - the opening of the prologue found in the novel The Lord of the Rings. Yet in this film - the first part of Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy - Bilbo opens with a historical account of the history of the dwarves and their kingdom Erebor, and follows most notably with the line "In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit." This line, Tolkien lovers will note, opens the enchanting children's book The Hobbit. A mistake by the screenwriters? I think not. It is a way of alerting attentive viewers that while this is indeed also a story set in Middle Earth, it is told from a very different perspective. An Unexpected Journey is a much more innocent tale than it's three cinematic predecessors. Whereas The Lord of the Rings began by showing steaming molten gold being poured to form the great Rings of Power, The Hobbit opens with the simple lighting of a candle. For all Jackson's expanding of the story with material from the appendices, make no mistake - this is still very much a simple hobbit's tale.
The more fantastical quality of this tale is set up amply by the film's opening prologue (flawlessly narrated by Ian Holm appearing as the aging Bilbo Baggins). We see the dwarves' ancient kingdom in all it's shining glory, unlike anything seen in the previous trilogy. Then, after spending a few fleeting moments again with Ian Holm's Bilbo and his nephew Frodo (Elijah Wood), we begin the tale known to so many readers. So well known is the tale, I won't get bogged down in the particulars. Of note, however, in the opening sections of the film is how we come to understand the plight of the dwarves in a much more personal manner than the novel gives us. By becoming acquainted with Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) in the opening prologue, his arrival at Bilbo's front door is quite momentous, and we feel a sense of awe at his presence. While not all the dwarves get anything remotely close to enough screentime in the first film, Thorin and Balin (Ken Stott) have a conversation prior to the beginning of the quest that allows us to understand not only why the twelve dwarves in Thorin's company would follow him - but also why we would.
As for our title hobbit, I adore how the film leaves the question of why he has come along unanswered for most of the duration. In the book, he is pretty much pushed out the door by Gandalf. Though he certainly proves his mettle, and indeed ends up being a hobbit who very much prefers to seek out adventure and give into his Tookish side - the film plays things a bit differently. I like very much that the screenwriters crafted an arc for him in which he realizes by his love for home that he MUST help the dwarves to reclaim theirs. I wondered how they would make the split into three separate films work for a story that is, in fact, a rather slim one-volume narrative. By basing the arc of the first film around character evolution, instead of merely counting on a big ending battle scene (though the film does have that as well), the filmmakers have crafted a tender story that creates a sense that a vast journey has been undergone, even if that story only accounts for the first several chapters of its source material.
Of course, An Unexpected Journey is not only based upon its source material. The writers have also pulled from the appendices found in the back of The Return of the King. While I found not all of this added material to be fully satisfying on my initial viewing, I feel they are well crafted introductions for material that will most certainly pay off in the next two films. The White Council sitting around discussing the Necromancer may not amount to much within the narrative scope of this first part of the adventure - but I'd wager it'll be a different story when they're attacking Dol Guldur next December. I also initially found the material surrounding Radagast to be oddly out of place. Aside from it's narrative relevance, talking with birds and riding around on a sled pulled by large, foot-tapping rabbits is not something viewers of The Lord of the Rings will find familiar. But this goes back to what I said earlier about the tone and perspective of this film. This is a children's story at heart - a hobbit's tale. The world found in the forest that Radagast takes up residence in has been one of wonder and innocence - at least until now. Given that we do not see Radagast in the previous trilogy, I do not imagine things will end in anything other than darkness for our loveable wizard.
After a rest in Rivendell, where the material from the appendices gains most of its focus, the dwarves resume their quest and find themselves in a trap by the devious goblins beneath the Misty Mountains. As Bilbo slips away, he finds himself in the centerpiece sequence of the film. If I had my pick of a perfect moment in this adaptation, it would unquestionably be the Riddles in the Dark sequence. You won't find any replayed moments from the prologue in The Fellowship of the Ring (again, this is a wholly different tale), but what has been crafted by the writers, PJ the director, Martin Freeman, and the impressive-as-ever Andy Serkis is something that ranks among my favorite moments from any of these films. I'd wager that Gollum has never been scarier than he is in this scene. That said, we are not denied the more humorous Smeagol moments - though the character does not even remember his name, so he is much more dependent on his Gollum side than in the later Rings films. I loved that Smeagol lit up so much at the prospect of playing a game with someone, while Gollum simultaneously just couldn't wait to tear into "juicy" Bilbo. It plays more as dark comedy than the book's entirely terrifying sequence - but it doesn't diminish Gollum's frightening nature. Also, as much as I have always loved Ian Holm's Bilbo, Martin Freeman captures Bilbo exactly as I imagined. This is true of the his entire performance, but never moreso than in this sequence. Particularly when he later spares Gollum's life - he perfectly establishes the moral compass of Tolkien's entire vast story. In that moment, you can see the reprecussions that his decision will have on the rest of the six films. Both he and Serkis sell that moment in ways that I, personally, could never have imagined when reading The Hobbit for the first time twelve years ago.
The climax of the film centers around the conflict between Thorin and the pale orc Azog, who has been given longer life here than in Tolkien's mythology. He is a beast unlike any orc we've seen before - and though I'm not fond of messing around with Tolkien's vast histories, he does make for a good nemesis for our lead dwarf. I personally would have liked a non-CG villain, but - such as it is - the effects are well done. He is not given much depth, and I hope that will be expanded upon in later films. Is he under the Necromancer's command? Who alerted him and his pack of Thorin's quest? These are elements I would like to see delved into furthur next year, and I look forward to the introduction of his son Bolg, who looks fearsome indeed. The final moments of the climax are exciting, rousing, and emotional as Bilbo rushes to the defense of an injured Thorin. Though this differs from the book, it created for a most emotional moment to end the film on - a previously haughty Thorin embracing the brave Bilbo, while admitting his mistake in understimating him. A curious choice is made in this scene to use Howard Shore's theme from the victory against Sauron and the dawning of the Fourth Age of Middle Earth. Though this may be a case of revisionist scoring, it may also be that Mr. Shore wishes to alter the meaning of this particular piece of music. Rather than noting the defeat of a great enemy - perhaps he means it to signify Tolkien's eucatastrophe. As things seem their darkest, a ray of light shines though victoriously. Or perhaps as a statement of Tolkien's different races joining together in the fight against their evil opponents. Time may tell.
The film ends on much more of a teasing cliffhanger than the previous films. We follow a thrush to the Lonely Mountain and are treated to the waking of Smaug before cutting to the end credits (covered by Neil Finn's excellent "Song of the Lonely Mountain"). This is surely due, in part, to the decision to change the structure of the story from two films to three. However, after a few viewings, I'm convinced that the film still works in this form. Could Bilbo and Thorin's respective arcs have been more satisfying if given more time on the journey before turning the corner? Perhaps. But, as they exist the film we now have, they are incredibly compelling personal journeys. I look forward to seeing how they interact with each other in The Desolation of Smaug, before their relationship sours in There and Back Again. They seem to have developed a closer friendship than I remember in the novel, and that will be a joy to watch develop on screen.
I couldn't possibly draw this review to a close without a bit more discussion on the work done by the massive behind the scenes crew, as well as the actors. Aside from Howard Shore's majestic score (which equals his magnificent previous efforts), the work from all the other incredible artists behind and in front of the camera has also matched (and, in some cases, exceeded) the work on the trilogy. The cinematography, most expecially, is taken to brand new exciting territory. The film was shot in 48fps 3D, which creates a wholly new cinematic experience. Imagine looking at pure reality inside your theater screen. That is all I can say to explain what the experience was like for me. Though the film is also equally impressive in it's traditional 2D format. If the former creates a wholly new experience, the latter draws you back into the cinematic look and feel of the Rings films' photography. Both are thrilling ways to experience this new film. Aside from the performances mentioned earlier in the film, brilliant turns are also lent by Sir Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, and many other supporting players - including the very large cast of dwarves, who do so much with even the smallest amount of material. I must give a very special shout out to James Nesbitt's scene with Martin Freeman just before the attack of the goblins. There are other moments like this as well for the other dwarves, where they take just a few short lines and make an incredible impression.
An Unexpected Journey is a wonderful tale of Bilbo Baggins and the Quest of Erebor, told within the larger scope of Tolkien's rich historical landscape. It is neither the slim tale found in Tolkien's original novel, nor a vastly altered epic story made to fit the tone of Peter Jackson's previous films. Instead, it is something of a magical, wonderful compromise. It maintains the innocent spirit of the novel and tells it in the context of Tolkien's larger world. Such a thing is not something I was immediately prepared for when I first viewed it. I caught me by surprise. Indeed, without the next two films, some elements do not reach their full fruition. But the fabric of Tolkien's world is in every single frame. It is a beautiful love letter to all of us who love his stories. In a moment that is not to be found in the book, Gandalf tells Galadriel why he has chosen Bilbo Baggins to be the dwarves' fourteenth companion:
"Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid, and he gives me courage.”
This statement encompasses not only the spirit of The Hobbit, but of the entire story stretching to the destruction of the One Ring. It cuts to the heart of why we all love Tolkien's works. Peter Jackson and the legions of artists who have worked on these films throughout the years have given this viewer so many treasures. This latest one was, in many ways, different from what I had expected. Can you imagine that? An Unexpected Journey turned out to be an unexpected film. I wouldn't have it any other way.
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***I'm not good with star ratings - so well just say that I
really liked it.
Enough to have seen it five time already, in any case.
***
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I should've known, they are some of my favorites. 
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