--- title: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey" critics_score: 59 critics_reviews: 25 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): what the critics said Critics' score 59 from 25 reviews: 12 positive, 7 mixed, 6 negative. 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. ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 4 December 2012. Festival review. 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 the review](https://www.screendaily.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey/5049601.article) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2012. 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 the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/hobbit-unexpected-journey-review/) ## Sight and Sound Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-hobbit-unexpected-journey) ## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 8 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey/) ## The AV Club — Tasha Robinson Rating B-. 13 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-1798175271) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 17 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/12/17/ring-cycle-2) ## The Guardian — Xan Brooks, Peter Bradshaw and Henry Barnes Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 9 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/dec/09/hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review) ## Radio Times — Stella Papamichael Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 9 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review/) ## The Independent — Geoffrey Macnab Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 10 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/first-night-the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-peter-jackson-8397515.html) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 3/5. 6 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey) ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2013. 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 the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-cert-12a-169-mins-review-8413896.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-dec-12-la-et-mn-hobbit-review-20121213-story.html) ## Vulture — David Edelstein Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 14 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.vulture.com/2012/12/movie-review-david-edelstein-on-the-hobbit.html) ## Film Comment — R. Emmet Sweeney Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 13 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/review-the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-peter-jackson/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-397412/) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 14 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/14/movies/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-by-peter-jackson.html) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 December 2012. 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 the review](https://variety.com/2012/film/reviews/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-1117948867/) ## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff Rating B+. 4 December 2012. 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 the review](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 Rating 4/5. 9 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a443987/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating B-. 13 December 2012. 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 the review](https://collider.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review/) ## Den of Geek — NP Horton Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review-2/) ## /Film — Germain Lussier Rating 7/10. 4 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/524018/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-hfr-3d-review-peter-jacksons-latest-is-rousing-yet-repetitive/) ## HeyUGuys — Jon Lyus Rating 3.5/5. 9 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-review/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 4 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.thewrap.com/hobbit-unexpected-journey-review-bored-rings-67796/) ## Eye for Film — Max Crawford Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 11 December 2012. 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 the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-2012-film-review-by-stuart-crawford) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey.md