The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | Reaction & Review

I read The Hobbit and LOTR books when I was a teenager. Like you, Spartan, I was mesmerized at the world Tolkien created. The fact that he created an entire language (Elven) and has maps of the world in addition to the interesting characters, non human characters, wizards that appear human like was pretty genius. The rings are so cool and dangerous but thread the entire story and become the mission to destroy the last one in the fire before Sauron took over Middle Earth and reigned terror on all its inhabitants, halflings and all is so genius and imaginative. I don't have many complaints about The Hobbit movies, but LOTR had a huge budget and lots more impetus to become an adventure of life and death. I love Frodo and the hobbitses that were salt of the earth people and small of stature and the last beings we would think would venture out of The Shire and go on such a dangerous mission is so inspirational. The little guys do win in this tale.

Lyn Hurst

Yes I really hope that too, I've enjoyed it more than the Hobbit personally, and it has elements that they would be interested in like the exploration of the world, all the different factions...etc

Lise

Balin in this movie is gimlis cousin who died in Moria if you didn’t catch that

Ludus Aurea

i think it is a bad idea rings of power is an abimination and a complete direspect to the world of Tolkien

Erdanxela

It def didn't live up to its expectation following the original trilogy. But i really think it would be something S&P would enjoy, as a return to the world. And as a show that is currently ongoing.

Samatar Agon

Westworld and Castlevania would be amazing shows you guys would love whenever you finish your current ones or have time

Eshwar Tangirala

Great reaction! I think some people exaggerate how ‘bad’ these movies are and I’m glad you’re enjoying them for what they actually are: another fun trip to Middle Earth. Pudgey saying “Oh, but it is” before the wizard Radagast killed me… girl, you’ve got psychic powers, ha ha! Also, the Hobbit story is very much centred around the dwarves and their quest to reclaim their home, so (Spartan) you’re going get your fill of learning more about them in these movies. Will try to clarify a few things that you seemed unsure about… • GOLLUM is named for that horrible noise he makes when swallowing. It literally sounds like “gollum, gollum”… a sort of choking noise. It’s what he’s been called since the ring ruined him. In fact, Gollum doesn’t even remember his own real name (Sméagol) until Frodo (who learned it from Gandalf) reminds him of it in LOTR. So he’s been “Gollum” for about 500 years when Bilbo meets him. • The RING is said to “have a mind of its own”. It doesn’t actually think, but it sort of ‘tips’ fate in a way, and is always seeking to return to its master Sauron. That’s why sometimes it “conveniently” falls out of pockets or onto outstretched fingers, is found by unlikely people, etc. Its ultimate goal is not to stay hidden with Gollum under a mountain forever, which is why it rolls towards Bilbo, who (it senses) will take it elsewhere. Think of it like an evil charm with a spell on it that automatically seeks its master. • The dwarves falling through the goblin TRAP DOOR was just bad luck. The goblins didn’t plan it, and the dwarves didn’t realize they had laid down on top of a goblin “door” because it was covered in sand. It’s just a sneaky entrance/exit the goblins use to get in and out of the mountain. • Bilbo is indeed descended from the TOOK FAMILY: his mother was a Took. The name Took does NOT mean foolish or stupid. The Took family had a reputation of being unusually adventurous for hobbits. That’s why Gandalf asks Bilbo to remember he’s part Took when he’s trying to convince him to go on the adventure. When Gandalf called Pippin a “fool of a Took” in LOTR, he wasn’t implying that all Tooks are foolish; he was saying that Pippin had let his Tookish adventurous spirit make him foolish in that moment. (Pip acted rashly when he should have been careful.) • DRAGONS (in western mythology) are traditionally shown as hoarders and guardians of treasure, and so are attracted to shiny valuables like gold & jewels. Dragons symbolize greed. So, yes, Smaug is a greedy dragon and he loves that treasure! He likes to steal treasure and kill innocent people because he’s pure evil. It’s that simple.

DominaZeta

Sherlock is so underrated. Top 5 favorite shows ever.

TallTyrionLannister

I’d say we all spare each other from that pain

Jan

you shoudl react to Rome it is kind of like GOT

Erdanxela

Just think of the Hobbit movies as fanfiction and you'll be fine. The voice of Smaug the dragon is Benedict Cumberbatch. You would probably recognize him as Dr Strange of the Marvel universe. I first saw him as Sherlock Holmes in the modern 'Sherlock', which makes the Hobbit so much better, since Martin Freeman (Bilbo) played Watson in that Sherlock. That would be a good show for you to react to! For more time in the LOTR world, watch the BTS stuff. There's hours of it and it's all really good!

MamaSeesa

I have not been that disappointed for a very long time. I was soooo looking forward to it, with all the resources they had they could've done something really special. It looks spectacular, no doubt about that but both the story and the character/dialogue writing is just bad. Checked out after 3 or 4 episodes I believe.

neutchain

Rings of Power is the first series I've started but didn't finish. I just couldn't watch it till the end because of the writing, acting and overall inconsistencies.

If only they had spent some of that money on the writers room.

SuddenImpulse

Plus I feel like they did a good job staying true to its roots in somewhat being more of a kids movie, even though there is blood and gore, and death. There is also riddles, jokes, and songs and such. And I have a love hate relationship with the "goblin town" song. I feel like it doesn't fit the movie, and shouldn't be there. But i also think, "they can talk, why the hell can't they sing" lol

Jonah Bertorelli

The hobbit was originally written more as children's fantasy novel and that's why it's not as long and extravagant as the LOTR. But I feel like they did an amazing job telling the story, keeping to the LOTR universe and plot lines, filling the space necessary to make longer movies out of a shorter tale, and are wholeheartedly entertaining. I feel like you have to have a certain grudge against them to not like them, like trying to compare them to the LOTR or trying to match the nostalgia from growing up with frodo and sam. Or being in love with the books and not wanting any change. If you watch it objectively and nonbiased it's hard to dislike these movies.

Jonah Bertorelli

Hope you guys react to the Rings of Power series (biggest budget of any series ever by a mile!) after you guys finish the Hobbit movies!

Samatar Agon

Hey, a few things which people probably already told you lol: there are only 5 Wizards (or Istari as they ar called). The other 2 Blue Wizards are lost in the East and no one knows anything about them. There is not much written about them either. Also, regarding the magic of the wizards, I am not sure of this so someone more knowledgeable can provide mroe information, but to my understanding the magic they have is less "action oriented" or used to do damage or that sort of thing. As Spartan said, it'd a bit more grounded. Aside from that, it is not something they use in any situation. Something similar regarding the eagles. The eagles are servants of one of the Valar (basically one of the minor gods of this world). And they do not interfere as much with the issues of middle earth, except for certain occasions. Gandalf talking to the moth in the fellowship of the ring is basically him asking for help to escape. And then in the Return of the King, the eagles come to aid in that final, determining battle.

Ricky

That movie is amazing. It'd be cool if they react to it

Ricky

That dang copyright. Awesome reaction guys, as always

Captainivy1

That assertion was so completely ridiculous I didn't even know what to say lmao

Julien

Incidentally he had to do the whole bit with Gandalf, Galadriel and Elrond remotely due to his age and not being able to travel as well as he would like. So they combined his remote bit with the rest of the cast in (what's the right term here) post-processing?

Hans Engelen

you should react to kingdom of heaven director cuts

Erdanxela

The above link is a behind the scenes of Christopher Lee as Saruman

Brian Peters

https://youtu.be/yxdCIf91mcQ?si=g6P5jkLTuc5zUV4t

Brian Peters

You guys can continue more LOTR content with the Tv Show that just came out called The Rings of Power. Never saw it personally, but would watch it with you guysb

Colin Ryan

Oh, I must have missed the parts in the movie where : - Frodo went to Crick Hollow - Went through the Old Forrest - Met with Bombadil - Got caught by the Barrow-wights where Merry and Pippin got their swords (which proved good later on because these were swords made for the wars with Angmar, which is why Merry could hurt the King of Angmar with it) - Somehow got picked up by Arwen and not Glorfindel before getting to Rivendel - ... You get my drift. The list goes on. And to be clear I don't mind these changes one bit. Might be a bit bummed that Bombadil never made it into the movies but as I said cramming 6 books into 3 movies meant they had to cut corners. My point simply was that they didn't have to axe as much of the books due to time constraints. They even could add some extra lore onto it that was briefly mentioned in, well for one the LotR books (during the council of Elrond Gandalf explains how they drove the necromancer out of Dol Guldur and that Gandalf found Thorin's father there in the dungeons locked up).

Hans Engelen

The wizards are angelic-like beings who appear in the bodies of what looks like old men. They are guardians of Middle Earth in different aspects and regions, but they are not allowed to fully intervene and use their full power. Most of the situations you’ll see them use their power is not against humans or orcs etc, but against other beings of similar likeness. Like Gandalf vs Sauruman, or Gandalf vs the balrog, which the Balrog is also a Maiar spirit like the wizards, but in a corrupted beastly form. This is why Gandalf was sent back as Gandalf the white to finish his task. They’re not in Middle Earth to rule over other beings or try to fully control and manipulate the events. Gandalf will often talk about things as what is meant to happen will happen.

Angela

The hobbit movies are not more book accurate than the LOTR movies lol. This is the only movie that is mainly book accurate. The next 2 go so off the rails it’s not even funny.

Angela

I said it before and will say it again, these movies are better than LotR. Simply because it allowed for a lot more accurate representation of the book as opposed to LotR where they had to cram 7 books (well 6 + addendum) in 3 movies. Also insanely important is that these movies went above and beyond in explaining something that wasn't really made really clear in the book. The fact that actually we already see the groundwork being laid for LotR with Sauron looking for the rings (and of course the one ring) specifically with Thorin's father imprisoned in Dol Guldur and one of the dwarf rings being taken from him. It also shows a story line that was hinted too in the book nl. the involvement of Azog (in the book referred to as Azog the goblin, here Azog the defiler). As to the Fluff, what people forget is that the book (irl) is supposed to be a copy of the red book written by Bilbo. The fluff (usually they refer to including Legolas and Tauriel) is actually not that big of a problem for me. In these movies these two extra characters (who do not appear in the book) is perfectly fine because they barely interact with Bilbo in the movies so it makes sense Bilbo would write little or even nothing about them in his book. I think it was a good addition because it ties in a lot of extra lore and ties this story in to LotR even more closely. Also, and I have to work of my failing memory here, but there Tolkien did on many occasions go back to reworking parts of his stories. Based on feedback from people he asked to read it for him and also his writing of LotR. So while some style elements were indeed not in line I think the goal for Tolkien was always to fix that. So again I don't mind that Peter Jackson did it in the end. I am sure Tolkien (unlike with that abomination Netflix put out) would approve greatly.

Hans Engelen

Basically The Hobbit was a children's book, and Tolkien wrote it before knowing it would be connected to the universe in LotR that he was forming. The ring had no significance other than being a magic ring that makes you invisible. So most of these movies are filler to appease LotR fans. In reality, the story of the book could've fit into a single movie.

Steffen Eide

Yeah the wizards are limited in their power when they are sent to Middle-earth. They are sent to guide the people of Middle-earth and almost encourage them instead of subjugating them, they use magic when they have to. When The Hobbit was written, it wasn't really connected to the larger Middle-earth mythos and was mainly written for Tolkien's children, some of the elements in the book don't fit the tone of the later worldbuilding. But even Tolkien actually wanted to rewrite it later on. When you think that the Hobbit was written by Bilbo and he has embellished some elements, it makes more sense lol

Jozzer

Also copyright 🫠

CpaSpartan Pudgey

Damn, cuz of my timezone, I can't indulge in this reaction for almost another day

Kevin DiSalvo

Oh boy Ive waited for this. Bit of a missed opportunity to cut both Frodo and the Misty Mountains song but fully understandable when its just one part. Good thing we got full length innit 😁

Captainivy1