The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (extended) [M]

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty wet hole full of worms and oozy smells. This was a hobbit hole and that means good food, a warm hearth, and all the comforts of home. 

Bilbo Baggins of Bag End was a reputable hobbit who never had any adventures or did anything unexpected. That was until the day that the wizard Gandalf appeared on his doorstep. Now, before he can say, “second breakfast” Bilbo finds himself out of his door and on the road with a company of thirteen dwarves questing to go to the Lonely Mountain and take back their homeland from the vicious dragon Smaug who lies deep inside. A simple and peaceful creature, Bilbo is so small in the world of dwarves, wizards, and danger, but there is courage in him and an adventure might just be what he needs to find it. 

This is not going to be a long-winded review about The Hobbit because, really, I’ve already done that. What this review is is a look into the extended edition that undoubtedly all self-professed LOTR nerds will have in their collection. It is my thinking that Jackson, Walsh, basically everyone involved released extended editions because they did so with Lord of the Rings. Adhering to the expectations of fans is nothing to be sneered at and I tip my hat to them for creating this 5-disc (the extended LOTR movies were only 4) edition that fleshes out my cinematic library. 

Bilbo Baggins of Bag End was a reputable hobbit who never had any adventures or did anything unexpected. That was until the day that the wizard Gandalf appeared on his doorstep. Now, before he can say, “second breakfast” Bilbo finds himself out of his door and on the road with a company of thirteen dwarves questing to go to the Lonely Mountain and take back their homeland from the vicious dragon Smaug who lies deep inside. A simple and peaceful creature, Bilbo is so small in the world of dwarves, wizards, and danger, but there is courage in him and an adventure might just be what he needs to find it. 

Let’s talk about the movie first. Whilst ‘extended’ is technically the word to use, we’re really only getting an additional 30-40 minutes by my reckoning. Whilst there are some significant scenes that really cement the fact that this is the precursor to LOTR e.g. the image of Sauron and Isildur in Rivendell and the shards of Narsil, ultimately the extent of extension to Unexpected Journey comes in the form of additional musical numbers and humorous but semi-pointless quips that foreshadow things to come (i.e. Killi’s attraction to elves). 

The real fascination that comes with these special editions is all the special features and behind-the-scenes wonderment that accompanies them. I will admit that when I first saw this movie in the cinema, I was a little underwhelmed: frankly I felt that there wasn’t anything new and amazing that Peter Jackson could show us. But sitting down and watching all the special features of this movie has made me realise what a gross judgement that was to make and has made me eat my words a little…ok a lot. 

Watching the special features and learning about how everything on the set was achieved not only made me appreciate the things that I took for granted, but it made me aware of things that I had not noticed in the film at all. The amount of strenuous detail and uncanny precision that everyone from the art department to the speech and script department, to makeup, Weta Workshop, design of every facet, and of course Peter and his actors put into this makes is a masterpiece in its own right. A fine-toothed comb is taken to everything and not even a hair out of place gets missed, I’m telling you! Watching the 3 discs of special features gets you familiar with the actors, indeed it even makes you love the characters even more, makes you marvel at how far technology has advanced and what it now allows cinema to do, discover in a very Monty Python-esque way just how many women make it onto the set, and even lets you in on little histories and secrets that are otherwise hidden. 

Filled with technology, interviews, music, action, romance, drama, suspense, and tension, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Extended Edition) makes you see the film in a whole different light.