---
title: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
year: 2012
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey"
fi1m_score: 60
critics_score: 59
critics_reviews: 25
published: "2026-09-19T12:51:47.742140+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-19T12:51:48.008529+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Directed by Peter Jackson · 2h 49m · MPA PG-13 · Adventure, Fantasy, Action

**Fi1m score: 60** · Critics 59 from 25 reviews

*In a sentence:* Thirteen dwarves, one hobbit, and a walk to the mountain that takes three films and still has not got there

> Peter Jackson returns to Middle-earth with a children’s book stretched across 169 minutes, and the strain shows. Martin Freeman is a near-perfect Bilbo and the riddle game in the dark is a small marvel; much of what lies between is handsome, noisy and far too long.

## Synopsis

Bag End, in the Shire, sixty years before *The Lord of the Rings*. Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) is a hobbit of comfortable habits and a well-stocked pantry, and wants to keep both. Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) has other plans and scratches a mark on Bilbo’s door. That evening thirteen dwarves arrive for supper, empty the larder, sing at the table and lay out a map. Their leader, Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), means to march east to the Lonely Mountain and take back the dwarf kingdom of Erebor from the dragon Smaug who drove his people out. The company needs a burglar, and Gandalf has decided it is Bilbo. A contract is produced. Bilbo faints, sleeps on it, and in the morning runs down the lane after them.

## Review

Nine years after *The Return of the King*, Peter Jackson goes back to Middle-earth for J. R. R. Tolkien’s slimmest book and makes the first of three films from it. This one runs 169 minutes and covers roughly the first third of a story that fits comfortably in a coat pocket. The odd result is that the best of it is the slowest: a long evening at Bag End with a flustered host and too many guests. Once the company sets out, the film gets bigger and louder and worse, with one exception we will come to.

Martin Freeman is the reason to see it. His Bilbo is a man who has arranged his life so that nothing happens in it, and Freeman plays the arrival of thirteen dwarves as an assault on the crockery. He counts plates, rescues a doily, watches his pantry emptied and mouths small objections nobody hears. It is very funny and it is exact. Ian McKellen slips back into Gandalf as if he had never taken the hat off. Richard Armitage gives Thorin a brooding, wronged dignity that the script keeps confirming with speeches. Ken Stott is warm as Balin, James Nesbitt’s Bofur gets the jokes, and the other dwarves are largely a matter of hats.

The craft is what you would expect from these people. Dan Hennah’s Bag End is all round doors, low beams and honey-coloured wood, a home you could draw from memory after one visit. Andrew Lesnie shoots the Shire green under a low sun and the road east in grey and rock. Howard Shore brings back his old themes and adds a low, slow dwarf song that is the film’s one new tune worth humming. Jabez Olssen has cut it as though every scene had been told to run long enough to justify the trilogy, and most of them obey.

We saw it as many cinemas showed it, at a doubled frame rate in 3D, and we did not like it. Motion smooths out, the image sharpens, and sets start to look like sets and costumes like costumes. The Shire, which in 2001 looked like a place, here looks like a very good exhibition about a place. At home, at the ordinary frame rate, this problem disappears and the film looks like its predecessors again, which is a point in favour of the sofa.

Then there is the action, of which there is a great deal. Three trolls (Peter Hambleton doubles as William Troll) argue about cooking, and the scene has the book’s shape and some of its comedy. Sylvester McCoy’s Radagast the Brown arrives on a sled pulled by rabbits, with birds nesting under his hat, and we winced. The goblin town, ruled by Barry Humphries’s Great Goblin, is a long tumble through wooden walkways in which dwarves fall hundreds of feet onto rock and stand up, and here we were bored, and then irritated at being bored by something that plainly cost so much. Nothing in it has weight. When nobody can be hurt, the noise is just noise.

And then, deep in the second half, the film stops running and starts to think. There is a stretch in which Bilbo is on his own with a single creature and nothing to fight with but his wits, and Andy Serkis makes that creature pitiable and lethal by turns, sometimes within a line, while Freeman answers him with a terrified politeness that is exactly right. For ten minutes there are two figures, some water and a light, and the film is better than anything around it. We were gripped in a way the stone giants and the wolf-riders never managed. It is also the only stretch in which Bilbo has to be clever rather than lucky.

*The Fellowship of the Ring* had the same shape, home, road, a night in the mines, and got through it in less time with a great deal more at stake. Jackson knows this journey; what he has lost is the sense that it has to move. The 12A is fair, and the children around us were happy enough throughout. If you are ten, or you own the extended editions, this is for you. Everyone else should bring a cushion and know that the mountain is still a long way off when the lights come up.

*Fi1m score 60, published 19 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean positive by a narrow margin, and almost every critic finds the same things to enjoy. Martin Freeman’s Bilbo is praised repeatedly as the film’s anchor, and the riddle scene between Bilbo and Gollum is named as the highlight by critics on every side of the argument, including several who dislike the film. Most agree Jackson recaptures some of the scale and detail of the Lord of the Rings films, with a lighter, more comic tone than before.

The reservations cluster around two things. Nearly everyone finds the film overlong, with a slim book stretched into the first of three parts and a slow opening in the Shire; several call it bloated or padded. The 48-frames-per-second presentation draws widespread complaint for making Middle-earth look like television or a stage set, though a few critics think it merely unfinished. The spread is wide: Screen Daily calls it robustly entertaining, while The New York Times finds it plodding and mercenary.

### Reviews we read (25)

- **Screen Daily** (90/100, inferred): Jackson delivers a robustly entertaining epic that recaptures the spectacle of the Lord of the Rings films. The critic singles out the mythic grandeur of the battle scenes and visual astonishments for praise. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey/5049601.article)
- **Empire**, William Thomas (80/100, inferred): The adaptation embellishes the story effectively as a prequel while centering on Bilbo's personal arc of committing to adventure and helping the dwarves reclaim their home. Martin Freeman's performance as Bilbo is singled out as flawless and emotionally anchoring amid the jauntiest Middle-earth entry yet. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/hobbit-unexpected-journey-review/)
- **Sight and Sound** (80/100, inferred): Peter Jackson juggles homely and epic tones effectively in this expansive first part of the trilogy. The critic singles out the humorous, theatrical quality and the standout Gollum scene for praise. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-hobbit-unexpected-journey)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez (70/100, inferred): The 48fps format gives the film an unpleasant televisual quality that flattens Middle-earth's grandeur, but the long opening in the Shire builds to an emotional realization about leaving one's comfort zone, and the set pieces deliver with ravishing sweep. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey/)
- **The AV Club**, Tasha Robinson (B-): The film recaptures some of the Rings movies' breadth, detail, and beauty but feels muddled and overextended, with too many stories mashed together and an erratic tone that makes it feel more like a Harry Potter installment. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-1798175271)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (70/100, inferred): The expansion into a trilogy slows the dash of the original and the moral shape has yet to emerge, though much is still to relish in the performances and thrills. On balance, honor has been done to Tolkien, especially in the riddle game between Bilbo and Gollum. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/12/17/ring-cycle-2)
- **The Guardian**, Xan Brooks, Peter Bradshaw and Henry Barnes (65/100, inferred): Peter Jackson brings brio and fun to the Tolkien tale with Martin Freeman ideal as Bilbo, but the HFR technology and sheer length may test non-believers. The film offers energy and purpose yet leaves the sense that the traditional filmic look of Lord of the Rings was preferable. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/dec/09/hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review)
- **Radio Times**, Stella Papamichael (60/100, inferred): Jackson pushes the boundaries with technology and detail but the result feels overlong and overexposed. The critic singles out the Gollum confrontation as a highlight while noting the film's mixed success overall. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review/)
- **The Independent**, Geoffrey Macnab (60/100, inferred): The film stretches Tolkien's slim novel into an overlong epic with limited plot development in this first installment. The critic praises the Bilbo-Gollum riddle scene for its balance of menace and humor but faults the 48fps visuals for looking kitsch and alienating in places. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/first-night-the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-peter-jackson-8397515.html)
- **Time Out**, Dave Calhoun (3/5): The film is grand in scale but suffers from sluggish pacing and tonal issues in its first half. The critic singles out the Gollum sequence and later darker scenes for finally delivering peril and purpose. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey)
- **Evening Standard** (55/100, inferred): Jackson pads the story excessively into a nearly three-hour film that feels stretched, though children will enjoy the spectacle of dragons, dwarves and wizards. The Gollum riddle scene stands out as the highlight, brilliantly played by Andy Serkis. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-cert-12a-169-mins-review-8413896.html)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (50/100, inferred): The film is solid and acceptable instead of soaring and exceptional, hampered by choices including the push for 48-frames-per-second technology. Newcomers Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage are excellent, with Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis indispensable. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-dec-12-la-et-mn-hobbit-review-20121213-story.html)
- **Vulture**, David Edelstein (50/100, inferred): The distracting 48fps format makes the film look like cheap video or summer-stock theater and the story shows signs of bloat from stretching one book into three films. The Gollum riddle scene stands out as a highlight. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2012/12/movie-review-david-edelstein-on-the-hobbit.html)
- **Film Comment**, R. Emmet Sweeney (35/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an awkward first step into higher frame rates, with excessive length and exposition diluting the story and characters. The HFR format is singled out as alienating and overly realistic in a way that destroys immersion. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/review-the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-peter-jackson/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (30/100, inferred): The film is a purist's delight in its studious fidelity to the source but a bit of a slog in pure movie terms, with too much exposition and lack of forward movement. Martin Freeman grows into the role of Bilbo as the character begins to come into his own. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-397412/)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (30/100, inferred): The film expands Tolkien's book into an overscale and plodding spectacle that feels arbitrary and mercenary as the first of a trilogy. The meeting between Bilbo and Gollum stands out as the one fully enchanted piece. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/14/movies/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-by-peter-jackson.html)
- **Variety** (30/100, inferred): It delivers more of what made the earlier trilogy compelling but does not offer nearly enough novelty to justify the three-film treatment, with the first installment overlong and slow to start. It is more comical and child-friendly than the Rings films but runs just as long and violent. [Read](https://variety.com/2012/film/reviews/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-1117948867/)
- **The Playlist**, The Playlist Staff (B+): The critic says the film initially seems self-indulgent but rallies into a thrilling, familiar action-adventure epic that is grand and enjoyable. The last two acts are highlighted as a non-stop rollercoaster of excitement comparable to the previous trilogy. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-rallies-from-a-goofy-opening-to-become-another-thrilling-if-familiar-action-adventure-epic-20121204/)
- **Digital Spy**, Emma Dibdin (4/5): The critic calls it a lightweight but big-hearted and detailed adventure elevated by Freeman's soulful Bilbo performance and genuine joy in the filmmaking. The 48fps format and some overlong exposition are singled out as mis-steps. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a443987/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (B-): The critic finds the film slightly repetitive and bloated but with intact magic and strong performances from Freeman, McKellen, and Armitage; however, the HFR 3D technology ruins the visuals, making it look unnatural. [Read](https://collider.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review/)
- **Den of Geek**, NP Horton (70/100, inferred): The review praises the film's capture of the book's lighter spirit, strong performances especially from Freeman and McKellen, and sense of wonder, while noting some pacing issues from stretching the story. It singles out the HFR presentation as a major flaw that makes the film look fake and like a soap opera. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review-2/)
- **/Film**, Germain Lussier (7/10): The critic calls it rousing yet repetitive, a huge beautiful piece of entertainment with adrenaline-pumping highs that works overall but feels bloated and uneven due to its length and expansion of the source material. The HFR format is noted as promising but not fully realized yet. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/524018/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-hfr-3d-review-peter-jacksons-latest-is-rousing-yet-repetitive/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Jon Lyus (3.5/5): The critic finds it hugely enjoyable and visually stunning, lighter in tone than the Lord of the Rings films, but notes it is not as stirring overall and suffers from a disjointed tone due to being stretched across multiple films. Martin Freeman's Bilbo and the visual splendor of Middle-earth are singled out positively. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review/)
- **The Wrap** (35/100, inferred): The film is an expected and bloated retread of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, with less distinctive characters and more sword-swinging battles that fail to engage non-fans. The hyper-realistic 48fps format is singled out as jarring and making scenes look fake, while the CGI monsters lack wit or memorability. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/hobbit-unexpected-journey-review-bored-rings-67796/)
- **Eye for Film**, Max Crawford (30/100, inferred): The critic complains that the pacing is agonisingly ponderous and the film is stretched far too thin across nearly three hours with too many unnecessary elements, failing to hold attention. Some strong moments like the riddles scene and solid 3D effects are noted, but overall it is deemed disappointing. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-2012-film-review-by-stuart-crawford)

## Details

- **Director:** Peter Jackson
- **Director:** Peter Jackson
- **Screenplay:** Guillermo del Toro, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson
- **Novel:** J. R. R. Tolkien
- **Cinematography:** Andrew Lesnie
- **Editor:** Jabez Olssen
- **Music:** Howard Shore, London Philharmonic Orchestra
- **Production design:** Dan Hennah
- **Producer:** Carolynne Cunningham, Peter Jackson, Zane Weiner
- **Cast:** Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins; Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey; Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield; James Nesbitt as Bofur; Ken Stott as Balin; Sylvester McCoy as Radagast the Brown; Barry Humphries as The Great Goblin; Dean O'Gorman as Fili
- **Runtime:** 2h 49m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13
- **Release (the US):** 14 December 2012
- **Genres:** Adventure, Fantasy, Action
- **Budget:** $250 million
- **Box office:** $1.02 billion
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXqZK-nbZ74

## Where to watch in the US

- HBO Max: streaming, uhd
- Hulu: add-on, hd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $5.99, uhd
- Apple TV: rent $5.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, uhd
- Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-19.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2013: Best Makeup and Hairstyling (nominated); Best Production Design (nominated); Best Visual Effects (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* (2001), Fi1m 90: The same journey done first, tighter, and with real danger on the road. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring.md)
- *The Princess Bride* (1987), Fi1m 86: A fairy tale that knows it is one, and never outstays its welcome. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-princess-bride.md)
- *Time Bandits* (1981): Small people, big adventure, a map, and Terry Gilliam’s cheerful disrespect.
- *Spirited Away* (2001), Fi1m 92: A reluctant child in a strange world, drawn with more wonder than any computer. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/spirited-away.md)
- *Stardust* (2007): British fantasy with a light touch, a quest, and a sense of proportion.

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© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey