The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
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A reluctant hobbit joins a company of thirteen dwarves on a perilous quest to reclaim a mountain from a dragon.
The story
In the Shire, 51-year-old Bilbo is tricked by the wizard Gandalf the Grey into hosting a dinner for Thorin and his company of Dwarves. Gandalf aims to recruit Bilbo as the company's "burglar" to assist them in their quest to enter the Lonely Mountain. Reluctant at first, Bilbo changes his mind after the company leaves without him the next day, racing to join them. Traveling onward, they face various dangers, including trolls and the treacherous Misty Mountains. Along the way, Bilbo finds himself in a perilous situation where he discovers a mysterious ring that grants him the power of invisibility, while the group faces the looming threat of the dragon Smaug.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Before his 111th birthday, Bilbo Baggins recounts his journey to his nephew, Frodo. The story begins with the history of the Lonely Mountain, which was taken by the dragon Smaug. In the present, Gandalf recruits Bilbo as a burglar to help Thorin Oakenshield and his company of dwarves reclaim their home. After a frantic chase to catch up with the group, they encounter trolls and find Elven blades. They travel through Rivendell, where Elrond reveals a secret door on their map. They then enter the Misty Mountains, where Bilbo is separated from the group and finds a mysterious ring in a crevice, leading to a riddle game with Gollum. The group is later hunted by the Orc war-chief Azog. After a series of battles and narrow escapes, including a confrontation with Azog and a rescue by eagles, the company reaches the Lonely Mountain. The film ends with the dragon Smaug being awakened by a noise, as the group prepares to face the dragon.
- First release year
- 2012
- Runtime (minutes)
- 169
- Production countries
- New Zealand; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Peter Jackson
- Cast and characters
- Ian McKellen · Gandalf the Grey; Martin Freeman · Young Bilbo Baggins; Richard Armitage · Thorin Oakenshield II; Ken Stott · Balin; Cate Blanchett · Galadriel; Ian Holm · Old Bilbo Baggins; Christopher Lee · Saruman the White; Hugo Weaving · Elrond; Elijah Wood · Frodo Baggins; Andy Serkis · Gollum; Manu Bennett · Azog the Defiler; Barry Humphries · the Great Goblin
- Genres
- epic fantasy; adventure
- Themes
- bravery; greed; friendship
- Tone and mood
- epic; adventurous
- Premise and plot tags
- fantasy; adventure; quest; prequel
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
- Franchise connections
- The Hobbit
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics and was praised for its visual style and score, though some criticized its length and use of high frame rate.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 64% · scale: percentage · review count: 303; Metacritic · score: 58 · scale: 100 · review count: 40
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Production Design · Nominated; Academy Award · Best Makeup and Hairstyling · Nominated; Academy Award · Best Visual Effects · Nominated; Academy Scientific and Technical Award · Scientific and Engineering Award · Won; Cinema Audio Society Awards · Best Live Action Motion Picture · Nominated; Saturn Awards · Best Production Design · Won; Empire Awards · Best Actor · Won; Empire Awards · Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Film · Won
- Production trivia
- The film was the first feature film with a wide release to use a 48 frames per second projection rate.; The film's score features several vocal soloists and reprised themes from the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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