THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
Release Date: 13 December 2012 (UK)
Director: Peter Jackson
Running Time: 169 Minutes
Starring: Ian Mckellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Andy Serkis
Screening Reviewed: Royal Film Performance/London Premiere (48 FPS 3D), Theatrical Release (24 FPS)
Reviewed by Kyle Pedley
As Peter Jackson set out on his own unexpected journey to adapt The Hobbit to film, he faced an almost impossible challenge. The incomparable achievement of his The Lord of the Rings trilogy - record-shattering, Oscar-hoarding, smash-hit success with Tolkien enthusiasts, critics and layman moveigoers alike - set expectations at a stratospheric height across-the-board. Not only that, but Jackson and collaboraters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens faced the task of producing engaging and resonant motion pictures in the shadow of Rings with much lighter source material which, despite purists clamouring to have it remain unaltered, would have produced a far more inconsequential and trivial outing had it been adapted without any of An Unexpected Journey’s elaborations and explorations into character and exposition.
