# The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Blu-ray Review



## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=11359[/img] 
*Title: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey* 

*Movie:* :4.5stars:
*Video:* :5stars:
*Audio:* :4.5stars: 
*Extras:* :1.5stars: 

*HTS Overall Score:*88




[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=11360[/img]*Summary*
Finally, after years of waiting, fans have finally gotten to be transported back to Middle Earth once again. Immediately after the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was complete there were rumors and mumblings of Peter Jackson considering doing “The Hobbit”. Years later, and several legal battles over profits that were do him, Peter Jackson launched himself back into full gear creating a duo of movies that will center on Bilbo Baggins’ youth and acquiring of the Ring of Power. Closer to the release date of the movie we find out that Peter Jackson is not doing splitting the novel into two parts, but rather creating another trilogy. Whether that is a good sign, or a milking of the fan base is still to be determined this early on in the game. I’ve been a rabid Tolkien fan since I was in middle school and read “The Hobbit” for the very first time, and was ecstatic when I heard that they were going to adapt my favorite book regarding Middle Earth into a film. As you can tell, I’m not the only fan who decided to go see the movie in theaters being that it grossed over 1 billion dollars worldwide.

It’s once again that point in the past (or future for this timeline), the same day as Bilbo Baggins’ fateful party where he vanishes into the night amidst a flurry of theatrics. While preparing for the party Bilbo decides to leave Frodo his legacy, the story of how it all began, as it would be known later as “here and back again: a hobbit’s tale”. Bilbo Baggins was not always the wild adventurer he was rumored to be, back in his younger days he was more than willing to putz around his hobbit hole and smoke pipe weed all he wanted, without a care in the world. That was all about to change when Gandalf the grey decides to rope poor Bilbo into the adventure of a life time. It seems that the Dwarves of Erabor had lost their home decades ago due to the invasion of a fire dragon named Smaug. Driving them from their home Smaug laid claim to the Dwarven fortune and has guarded it’s richly adorned walls for years. However, a part of 13 dwarves, led by Thorin Oaken shield, heir to the throne apparent, has formed in secret to take back their home. Warriors, tinkers, tailors and toy makers, they have come together to find out if Smaug is dead, or whether they need to fight to reclaim their home once more. One member of their company is missing though, they happen to be in need of someone small, light on their feet and unknown to the dragon. As fate would have it Bilbo fits the bill perfectly. Setting out on their quest they must battle Orcs, Goblins, a mysterious necromancer and above all, their own fears. 

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=11361[/img]
“The Hobbit” is both similar and dissimilar to the “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy in many ways. “The Hobbit” was originally a fun adventure romp, rather than a dark and deep story as with the later written trilogy regarding the ring of power. The movie showcases the more light hearted feeling of the film as well as trying to blend itself into the look and feel of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy as well. As a result the film can feel a bit disjointed a times, with some of the more humorous aspects of the film seemingly out of place among the more serious moments. The scene with the Goblin king meeting his demise comes to mind, his lines almost jolting me out of the epic battle and causing me to shake my head.

On the flipside, what the movie does right it does RIGHT. The characters are near flawless and Martin Freeman does an amazing job at portraying a young Bilbo, I was actually worried that casting another actor as Bilbo would be a bit Jarring, but the transition went smoothly and without any feelings of miscasting. Thorin was stunning as regal and frustrated Prince, albeit too “human” like to be seen as a dwarf in my opinion. Gandalf was epic as he ever was in the trilogy and his character played a perfect blend of lighthearted humor and somberness that helped keep the movie both adventurous and serious without seeming TOO disjointed. I’m not sure if going to 3 films from the original plan of only doing two was a good idea, being that we went through and incredible amount of the book in just under 3 hours, leaving us with only the prologue to the ending battle with Smaug. This makes me think that Peter Jackson has a few things that he’s created outside the book to create some filler for the next film, but as yet that’s only conjecture. 



*Rating:* 

Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images


*Video* :5stars:

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=11362[/img]
Oh my, can we say GORGEOUS? Peter Jackson’s cinematography in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was absolutely phenomenal and it’s obvious that he hasn’t lost his touch. “The Hobbit” is a stunning display of digital mastery, shot on 30 digital RED EPIC cameras at 48 fps it is a shining example of just how good digital can look. Unfortunately for us, Blu-ray and DVD don’t support 48fps, so we have to make do until a new format emerges that can fully realize the potential of the cameras. Don’t let that limitation fool you however, even without 48fps’s judderless ability “The Hobbit” looks as stunning a transfer as one could hope for. Detail is absolutely incredible and both long shots and close ups are a sight to behold. Facial detail is crystal clear and makes you feel as if you were standing in the company of 14 yourself. The rich New Zealand country side is ripe for eye candy and doesn’t disappoint here as it didn’t in the trilogy before it. Blacks are deep and inky as can be and shadow detail is spot on. Contrast and facial colors are natural and satisfying, the only slight thing to be aware of is the fact that Peter Jackson tinted this film with the same green tint that he used on the remastered versions of the LOTR trilogy. 






*Audio* :4.5stars:

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=11363[/img]
Not to be outdone by the video, the audio roars onto the scene with a thunderous monster of a 7.1 DTS-HD MA audio track. Gorgeously balanced it gives proper credence to both subtlety and pure aggressive battle mode. Voices are locked in the center channel and the surround usage is through the roof. The thundering footsteps of the wargs echo all around and the simple crunch of leaves underfoot are clear as a bell. The scene with Gollum in the goblin caves is a perfect example of fantastic directionality of the mix among all 7 speakers. Howard Shore’s beautiful score fills the room with sounds of Dwarven melodies and epic battle songs. The LFE was fairly mild in the first 40 minutes of the film, so mild that I checked my subwoofers to make sure that I had these puppies turned up. However, once the trolls came on scene the subwoofers started and just wouldn’t stop vibrating my house (albeit mostly in the higher frequency range). The Rock giants made my pant legs vibrates and the thunderous sounds of battle echoed throughout the whole house. A fantastic audio track that is just nigh perfect.


[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=11364[/img]*Extras:* :1.5stars:
• _The Desolation of Smaug_ Sneak Peek Access Code
• New Zealand: Home of Middle-Earth 
• Video Blogs
• Trailers 
• Game Trailers





*Overall:* :4.5stars:

A fantastic romp, “The Hobbit” is a wonderful adventure that will appeal to anyone who enjoyed the “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy years ago. With fantastic audio and video scores this is a must buy for certain. The only real flaw to the presentations is in the fact that there are next to no special features, which pretty much sets us up for the eventual double dip that occurs when the inevitable extended cut comes out in a year. Overall, a highly recommended film for people of all ages.

*Additional Information:*

Starring: Sir Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Written by: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 AVC
Audio: ENGLISH: DTS-HD MA 7.1, Spanish, French, Portuguese DD 5.1
Studio: Warner Brothers
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 169 minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: March 19th, 2013


*Buy The Hobbit Blu-ray on Amazon*

*Recommendation: BUY It!​*







More about Mike


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Thanks for the review Mike. This was a blind buy for me and is in the ready position for the next movie night.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Thanks for the review Mike! :T

I watched it last night (blind buy for me as well) after watching it twice in the theater. I thought the same thing as you - "Are my subs on?" 

By the way, as I understand it, the second movie will end with the death of Smaug. The third movie will focus on the Battle of Five Armies and the journey home.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Thanks for the review Mike. We will be playing this on Movie night this week with my new addition to the family... Denon 4520, DCN tf700 rears and some temp new height channels... 9.1


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

ALMFamily said:


> Thanks for the review Mike! :T
> 
> I watched it last night (blind buy for me as well) after watching it twice in the theater. I thought the same thing as you - "Are my subs on?"
> 
> By the way, as I understand it, the second movie will end with the death of Smaug. The third movie will focus on the Battle of Five Armies and the journey home.


yeah, I was reading that this afternoon. sounds like Jackson might also try to make some more connections with the necromancer as Sauron


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## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

I enjoyed the movie in the theater. It started off very slow but did pick up near the middle and went fast near the end.. I do wish the next movie's are not this long! 

Thanks for the review.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

tripplej said:


> I enjoyed the movie in the theater. It started off very slow but did pick up near the middle and went fast near the end.. *I do wish the next movie's are not this long! *
> 
> Thanks for the review.


I must admit - I hope they are longer. One of the things I enjoyed so much about LOTR was how true to the books they stayed (for the most part - the ending of TT :rolleyesno and I do not know how well they could have done that in a shorter movie. 

Of course, they took some liberty with the main protagonist for the first Hobbit installment.....


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## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

I have read the books (The Hobbit as well as the entire LOTR books) and I must admit the movies have mostly stayed on point with the book. Some things they didn't translate to film but overall a good copy..


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## Jon Liu (May 21, 2007)

I must say that I've seen quite a few reviews and they seem to vary from Great to Mediocre. I'm curious, but I am still a bit wary on the Hobbit trilogy. The LotR trilogy raised the bar so high for fantasy films.

Thanks for your review, Mike, it is pushing me towards just biting the bullet and finally checking it out!


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

Jon Liu said:


> I must say that I've seen quite a few reviews and they seem to vary from Great to Mediocre. I'm curious, but I am still a bit wary on the Hobbit trilogy. The LotR trilogy raised the bar so high for fantasy films.
> 
> Thanks for your review, Mike, it is pushing me towards just biting the bullet and finally checking it out!


it is NOT as good as the original LOTR trilogy, I full admit, but after a second viewing it grows on you a bit more. Still a very fun romp


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## Jon Liu (May 21, 2007)

Thanks for the heads up, Mike. I'll likely go pick it up later this week, maybe when I pick up Les Miserables.


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## ericzim (Jun 24, 2012)

Bought this up on pre-release, one of the few movies I sat through at the theater. Long time Tolkien fan and was anxious to add this one to my collection. As always Mike, a great review.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Mike Edwards said:


> it is NOT as good as the original LOTR trilogy, I full admit, but after a second viewing it grows on you a bit more. Still a very fun romp


You know, I wonder if that is why Jackson decided to flesh out the main protagonist part for this movie as even in the book, the story starts out fairly slow.


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## mpompey (Jan 5, 2007)

Is Jackson going to release an extended cut version in the fall like he did with LOTR?

If so I think I might wait to purchase the EE version rather than get the theatrical
release. I agree with many of the points in the review that the film's light hearted
sections felt a bit disjointed. I was looking for something dark and somber like his
versions of LOTR. But thorough enjoyable nonetheless.

Great review by the way.


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

mpompey said:


> Is Jackson going to release an extended cut version in the fall like he did with LOTR?
> 
> If so I think I might wait to purchase the EE version rather than get the theatrical
> release. I agree with many of the points in the review that the film's light hearted
> ...


1. yes, another 20 minute extended cut is announced with a rumored date of mid sept 
2. you probably won't get a darker version for the simple fact that the BOOK was a lighthearted adventure, the LOTR books were a drastic change in tone from the Hobbit due to the fact that the Hobbit was written for children as an adventure book and the trilogy was written more for adults


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## ironglen (Mar 4, 2009)

It definitely has a different tone to the film than LOTR, heartily enjoyable nonetheless. Bilbo and Gandalf casted and portrayed perfectly thus far. The audio is recorded at a much lower level than most films, as my volume is typically a 6-12 range and watched this at 3, probably should have increased to 1 or 0.


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

ironglen said:


> It definitely has a different tone to the film than LOTR, heartily enjoyable nonetheless. Bilbo and Gandalf casted and portrayed perfectly thus far. The audio is recorded at a much lower level than most films, as my volume is typically a 6-12 range and watched this at 3, probably should have increased to 1 or 0.


I've noticed this with many 7.1 mixes being played back on 5.1 (I don't know if it's the same being played back on 7.1), I always have to turn the volume up a few notches to compensate.


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## ironglen (Mar 4, 2009)

Mike Edwards said:


> I've noticed this with many 7.1 mixes being played back on 5.1 (I don't know if it's the same being played back on 7.1), I always have to turn the volume up a few notches to compensate.


Right on. I viewed it 5.1 and I must say it even looked significantly better than most films on my 720p projector.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Mike Edwards said:


> 1.*yes, another 20 minute extended cut is announced with a rumored date of mid sept *
> 2. you probably won't get a darker version for the simple fact that the BOOK was a lighthearted adventure, the LOTR books were a drastic change in tone from the Hobbit due to the fact that the Hobbit was written for children as an adventure book and the trilogy was written more for adults


Yay! I am always anxious to see what had to be cut - with the LOTR movies, I noticed that the EE really got rid of that disjointed storyline.


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## TheLaw612 (Jan 17, 2012)

Nice review. I saw this once in the theater and enjoyed it even though I thought it was slow at times. I think I'll wait for the extended boxed set to be released after all three movies come out though. It'll be years but hey, I waited for the LOTR trilogy.


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## ozar (Feb 12, 2012)

This one was good, but certainly not great, in my opinion. I'm going to watch it again later this afternoon to see if it's better the second time around, and the wife will be watching this time, so we'll see what she thinks of it. Oh, and I watched in 3D the first time, but today it will be 2D (wife gets nauseated by 3D).

Thanks for the review, Mike!


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## brian6751 (Jul 8, 2010)

i enjoyed this movie but didnt think the 3D added to it. maybe it was too subtle. there was more depth to the scenes but not as much separation of depth as there could be imo. being filmed in 3D, i expected more. The Avengers had more enjoyable 3D and i think that was done post production. Picture quality and audio is top notch though. still a really good movie and i look forward to the next one.


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## cavchameleon (Jan 7, 2008)

Thanks for the great review Mike. Even though it didn't score really high (with a lot of reviewers) we still have it on our list for watching.


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## Bob R (Apr 21, 2013)

As an avid LOTR series reader (5 times), I alway start with the Hobbit.

Watching them milk out this relatively short novel to three movies makes me ill.

No Smaug untill a tease at the end? Arrrrrghhhh. :hissyfit:

I do admit napping and missing the troll scene so I'll give it 6-8 more tries before final judgement. lddude:


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

I really enjoyed this movie... But I really went I to it without judgement, just looking for a small escape. It's really tough for some of these series to live up to their lofty expectations, IMO.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Todd Anderson said:


> I really enjoyed this movie... But I really went I to it without judgement, just looking for a small escape. It's really tough for some of these series to live up to their lofty expectations, IMO.


Agreed Todd. I never expected the movies to even come close to the books for me. With that, I was completely tickled when the LOTR movies did a pretty good job of sticking to the story - as well as pulling dialogue from the book word for word in certain spots.

And, I see it as a plus that I get to spend just that much more time (3 movies as compared to 1) in Middle Earth!


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Well said!


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## ewardjr69 (Feb 25, 2013)

Overall I liked the movie but it started off really slow. I did like the scenes in middle earth. Curious to see what happens with the second act.


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## jefny (Mar 1, 2013)

My wife and I saw it the other night on my 7.1 projector system. It looked spectacular. My wife felt that it played up the violence too much. I also felt that the fight with the goblins (as well as the flight) was a bit over the top. It almost reminded me of the flight from the mines of Moria in LOTR. In the book, other than Gandalph killing the Goblin King, it was mostly just escaping and not fighting.

I still thoroughly enjoyed the movie and I will wind up with both the extended edition (when all 3 movies are out) and the movie editions.

John


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## kingnoob (Mar 12, 2013)

Absolutely flawless movie , phenomenal 100/100 3d effects are amazing. Peter Jackson rarely has bad movies, king Kong being his worse. Great actors, amazing animations I cannot wait until the second hobbit movie.


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