5 Reasons “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is a Perfect Middle Earth Film
This is a safe space for fans of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. If you believe The Hobbit trilogy is a bloated, stretched out mess, this might not be the article for you. But, even if you have issues with the trilogy, we hope you will give us a chance to change your mind, even if just a little.
This will not be a deep exploration of the book-to-film process, or what constitutes a “faithful” film adaptation. Consider this more of a celebration of all the elements of An Unexpected Journey that work so well, particularly when viewed through the lens of the Middle Earth films.
We find it rather odd that The Hobbit trilogy seems to be viewed much more negatively now than it did in the years it first hit the big screen. An Unexpected Journey alone made over a billion dollars at the global box office. It was well-received by fans. Yes, it was a step down from the highs of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but literally every movie ever made is step down from that trilogy, so that seems like a weird criticism to us.
The biggest complaint we’ve read is that The Hobbit trilogy is three very long movies based on one pretty short book. Fair enough. That is an accurate statement, but it says absolutely nothing about the quality of the three very long films. (Or for that matter, the quality of the pretty short book, particularly as a story that lends itself to film adaptation.) We’ve always viewed The Hobbit Trilogy as more of a prequel to The Lord of the Rings trilogy than an adaptation of The Hobbit. It’s major story beats and plot are inspired by the book, but it’s heart and soul are directly influenced by the most celebrated film trilogy in history.
For our money, An Unexpected Journey is a lovely, entertaining, funny, and epic journey back to Middle Earth. We hope this article will do one of two things: Bolster your love for the film or convince you to give it another shot. We limited ourselves to only five reasons, but believe us when we tell you, we could have made this already long article much, much longer. (In that way, we have fully embraced the spirit of the Peter Jackson Middle Earth films!) We hope you enjoy these 5 Reasons An Unexpected Journey is a Perfect Middle Earth Film.
The Atmosphere
This defense may feel like a cop out, but I believe this is such a crucial aspect of these films that is often overlooked. Jackson and company’s aesthetic vision for the Lord of the Rings films is so iconic it is now inseparable from the public’s view of Middle Earth. To drastically change that would affect the film tremendously in ways I believe we take for granted. From the opening title card to the end credits, every shot and sound feels like Middle Earth. Jackson and his world class team were able to return to this world after a decade plus removed from it, and it feels like they didn’t miss a beat. We get a chance to rediscover classic Lord of the Rings locations like The Shire and Rivendell, as well as be introduced to new ones like Erebor and Goblin Town.
Tonally, An Unexpected Journey is lighter than the Lord of the Rings films, yet audiences know both series belong in the same world. The Hobbit feels like a prequel in the best ways. You can profoundly enjoy the story you’re watching all while knowing another story is on the horizon. One of the main reasons this is made possible is due to this film’s perfect atmosphere; the tone, the visual aesthetic, the style, etc. are all perfect in our book. (Aidan Lytle)
Martin Freeman’s Bilbo Baggins
A film (and trilogy) of this nature hangs on the balance of the main character. If Bilbo were to come across as flat, uninteresting, or boring, the movies themselves would feel that way. Freeman’s portrayal of Bilbo is one of the best performances in all of Middle Earth. He adds so many little quirks, ticks, and mannerisms to the character, and his delivery is brilliantly unique. Bilbo is a bit pretentious, and Freeman nails that all while making the character contagiously likable. Bilbo’s harsh adjustments away from the comfort of his home are so enjoyable to watch. If anyone was ever born to play Bilbo Baggins, it was Martin Freeman.
The Hobbit is told from Bilbo’s perspective, and Bilbo’s outrageous eccentricity lends itself to tell the story in a more ridiculous way than The Lord of the Rings. As Gandalf says, “All good stories deserve embellishment.” Without Martin Freeman as Bilbo, An Unexpected Journey would have been missing an essential aspect of its story. (Aidan Lytle)
The Bag End Scenes
I love An Unexpected Journey and one of the main reasons the film works for me is everything that takes place in and around Bag End. If you have seen the behind-the-scenes footage, you know how carefully planned and rehearsed those scenes were. That stands in contrast to many of the later scenes in the trilogy where Peter Jackson and company were flying by the seat of their pants. Honestly, based on their schedule, it’s miraculous we got anything even resembling a cohesive film trilogy. To me, that is just further evidence that Jackson is one of the best directors we have ever seen.
Back to Unexpected Journey. As Aidan articulated so well, Martin Freeman is the PERFECT Bilbo Baggins. Obviously, Ian McKellen IS Gandalf. And the dwarves are all exceptionally cast, each bringing loads of personality to their character. From the moment Dwalin arrives at Bilbo’s front door, I am smiling like an idiot. It’s controlled chaos in the best sort of way. Cheerful, frenetic chaos.
In a master class of writing, acting, and directing, these scenes introduce over a dozen characters, establish various character dynamics, fully explain the goal of the journey, and do it all with levity, whimsy, and finally heart. All the bustling energy is loads of fun, but it would feel empty if it wasn’t fully paid off with one of the most haunting musical moments in film history, as the dwarves sit around Bilbo’s fireplace and sing about their lost homeland. These technically complex scenes, with all the special effect trickery needed to pull them off, should never work as well as they do. But they do and that is a testament to the skill of everyone involved. (Phill Lytle)
Riddles in the Dark
Even the most passionate haters of An Unexpected Journey would be hard pressed to critique this scene. Bilbo and Gollum’s riddle game is so entertaining to watch. Freeman and Serkis put on an absolute spectacle in their performances. Their interaction is wonderfully organic and often times hilarious. Tolkien’s brilliant writing in this chapter makes its way into this scene in so many great moments. From a technical perspective it’s equally as captivating. The set design is phenomenal, and the lighting, the sound design, and the music all work to serve both the humor and the tension.
If I were to rank my 10 favorite scenes in all of Middle Earth, Riddles in the Dark would certainly make the list. It’s just as good as anything we get in the Lord of the Rings films. (Aidan Lytle)
Becoming Thorin Oakenshield
Detractors of An Unexpected Journey will scoff about this point, but it is my contention that the dwarves are substantially more interesting in the movies than in the book. They have much more personality, much more personal agency, and substantially stronger motivations for their quest.
Thorin, in particular, is a vastly improved character in the films. He is noble, proud, heroic, stubborn and flawed. One of film Thorin’s best moments is wonderfully embellished by the filmmakers – when he actually becomes Thorin Oakenshield. At The Battle of Azanulbizar, Thorin loses his shield and is forced to use a tree branch to defend himself. That part is lore accurate. The film amplifies this moment, connecting it with Thorin becoming the leader and inspiration of his people. Peter Jackson and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie film the heck out of this scene, framing Thorin in the most heroic and awe-inspiring manner possible. I get chills every time I see it. (Phill Lytle)
Final Thoughts
If you’re a Hobbit film hater, we hope you will revisit the trilogy soon keeping these things in mind. And if you love The Hobbit films, let us know some of your favorite moments we may have missed.
- A Comprehensive Guide to the Music of Future of Forestry - December 4, 2025
- 10 Reasons We Love “The Rings of Power” Season Two - November 21, 2025
- In Defense of Physical Media - October 8, 2025
- A Comprehensive Guide to the Music of Future of Forestry - December 4, 2025
- My Seven Favorite Versions of “Silent Night” - December 1, 2025
- 10 Reasons We Love “The Rings of Power” Season Two - November 21, 2025
Discover more from Rambling Ever On
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Excellent, excellent review by father and son!
I agree with every single one of your points and still think The Hobbit trilogy was a “bloated, stretched out mess.” In fact, your points are why it was so disappointing. It should have been, especially the first one, a classic masterpiece, but it was a bloated mess which included so much that was unnecessary. It was such a missed opportunity. So I’m more sad about it than angry
Thanks so much for the comment, even if you don’t fully agree with our love for the film. We believe that for these films to fit into the Middle Earth cinematic world that Peter Jackson had established with the LOTR trilogy, the story absolutely had to be expanded and beefed up, as it were. A barebones, streamlined adaptation would feel unequally yoked to the film trilogy.
I personally agree that the subsequent sequels are a little too stretched out for their own good, particularly the Extended Edition of “The Desolation of Smaug”.
We must watch the trilogy every Thanksgiving break, as a prequel to our Christmas tradition of watching LotR.
100%
LOTR can be watched, enjoyed, experienced, and embraced without seeing or even knowing much about the background (except for Tolkien referenced), but, oh, how the Hobbit triology enchanced and fleshes it out! Thank you for your article.
Perfectly stated!