The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The first time I saw Martin Freeman, he was a porn star. Well, not quite a star: he played the role of a body double for sex scenes in the film Love Actually, a rather marginal role to which he brought warmth and humor, qualities that continue to make him stand out as he takes the lead in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Based on J.R. Tolkein’s timeless novel, the film is the first in a trilogy that will follow the adventures of Bilbo Baggins (Freeman), who takes an unexpected journey at the prompting of wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan). It is somewhat amusing to  note that before Freeman went wandering through Middle Earth, he took a spin through space as Arthur Dent, in the film version of Douglas Adam’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Apparently, bewildered, reluctant travelling is Freeman’s forte. Bilbo’s fastidiousness (that’s a doily, not a dishcloth!), anxiety as a dozen or so dwarfs convene in his kitchen, and muted diffidence slowly give way to curiosity about the world, and a genuine concern for his companions. In Bilbo, Freeman creates a character that audiences will enjoy accompanying throughout the trilogy.

Directed by Peter Jackson, the film is a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the filmfest imprinted the landscape of New Zealand on a generation of fantasy enthusiasts. Building on the success of the Lord of the Rings, where three books by Tolkein were adapted somewhat freely into films, this series goes back in time to The Hobbit, Tolkein’s first venture into Middle Earth, taking the book and developing it into three films. It is inevitable that fans of the first films will be sitting in their seats making comparisons, but worth remembering that time has passed in our world as well, and there is a generation of movie-goers for whom this will be their first introduction to Bilbo and the landscape of his adventures.

A wonderful and essential continuity has been preserved between the two trilogies, in the settings, characters played by the same actors (Ian McKellan as Gandalf, Hugo Weaving as Elrond, Ian Holm as the older Bilbo), and the music, composed by Howard Shore. In some ways, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey seems somewhat lighter fare, with characters less fully developed and more of a burp and booger-fest with a healthy scattering of juvenile humor. Whereas in Lord of the Rings one became acquainted with remarkable individuals, here, the dwarfs with whom Bilbo travels, all seem mostly similar in characteristics, although the astute viewer will surely take note of hot brothers Kíli (Aidan Turner) and Fíli (Dean O’Gorman).

The Hobbit may be viewed in 3D or 2D, and it is strikingly apparent that the use of this technology has influenced the film’s design. Shots are clearly composed to take advantage of the 3D effect, with an emphasis on high contrast between relationships of depth. Every now and then a bird hovers in the foreground, fluttering its wings ever so close to the audience! The beautiful panoramas that recall Lord of the Rings are present in the film, yet there are many more sweeping shots that swiftly move the focus from up close to far and wide or vice versa, enhancing the sensation of movement. There is plenty of fast action in the film, and the combination of flying or falling objects, with the movement of the camera, mimics the feel of a theme-park ride for the 3D viewer.

Sticklers for precision may object, but there is one change made to Tolkein’s narrative in this adaptation that I applaud with enthusiasm. The ethereal, regal Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) does not appear in The Hobbit, yet has been written into the film. She is the only female character in the film, so remaining true to Tolkein would have made this a very male environment. The lovely elf, co-ruler of Lothlórien, gifted with the ability to read minds, is one of the most compelling, magical characters in the film series; her presences here deepens the enchantment and mystery, and Cate Blanchett’s presence enhances any film.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is currently showing in Israeli theatres in 2D, 3D, IMAX 3D and HFR 3D.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (USA, 169 min, 2012, English with Hebrew subtitles)

Directed by Peter Jackson; Screenplay based on the novel by J.R. Tolkein: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro; DOP: Andrew Lesnie; Editing: Jabez Olssen; Music: Howard Shore; Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett.