Parents' Guide to

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Tolkien tale isn't as great as LOTR, but better for tweens.

Movie PG-13 2012 166 minutes
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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  • The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Movie: Scene #1
  • The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Movie: Scene #2
  • The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Movie: Scene #3

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age 11+

Based on 52 parent reviews

BothnianReviews
BothnianReviews Adult
February 4, 2019
age 7+

Suitable for kids IMO.

I think they really messed up the hobbit movies in a sense that they could have been a lot better, the book was good after all. They made these movies very "cartoonish" so to speak, and i think they were targeting the kids in the first place, so yes there is violence - but yes it is still suitable for kids, it doesn't get much worse than violence in a comic book or something like that. Although you have to judge on the behalf of your own children, check to movie yourself before trusting me, i don't want to cause traumas by recommending movies for too young kids. LOL at the one who rated this 18+, you can google "The hobbit, dwarf king decapitated" and see that the scene is not nearly as bad it sounds like. The violence does not look realistic at all, the movie if pg-13, and in my opinion can be observed by 7 year old as well, it is way better than letting them play GTA or something that people actually do let their 7 years olds do.
Inana J.
Inana J. Parent
October 28, 2021
age 10+

Definitely not as good as the book...

Not as good as the book, but still very good. They did a great job with this movie though some parts didn't go along with the book. Despite the mistakes it is an incredible movie!
See all 52 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Peter Jackson's first installment in his three-part adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY starts off with an eleventy-one-year-old Bilbo Baggins (played once again by Ian Holm) narrating the tale of how he, a mellow hobbit from the Shire, ended up enmeshed in a dangerous quest. Sixty years before The Fellowship of the Ring is formed, a considerably younger Bilbo (Martin Freeman) sets off an the titular Unexpected Journey with his friend Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) to help 13 dwarves reclaim their homeland -- the kingdom of Erebor, which was taken over by a killer, gold-seeking dragon that forced the dwarves into exile. The motley crew, led by Gandalf and the smoldering heir to the Erebor throne, Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), encounter two-and-a-half hours of conflict (most notably with the bloodthirsty orcs) with a brief respite found in the elven homeland of Rivendell, where Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) offers Gandalf her unconditional support.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (52 ):
Kids say (232 ):

Despite issues with length and pacing, there's no denying this is a production worth seeing, especially with kids new to Tolkien's detailed universe. As a novel, The Hobbit skews younger than The Lord of the Rings, so it's only natural that the film is also more accessible for tweens -- just have them look the other way for a few of the darker battle sequences. The story is simple enough, and the visuals are dazzling (the 48 frames per second rate is neither as spectacular or headache-inducing as rumors would have you believe). The acting is admirable, including the return of our favorite wizard, Gandalf, Lady of Lorien Galadriel, and head elf Elrond (Hugo Weaving). Unfortunately, the dwarves all sort of blend together in a tangle of hair and mischief, with the notable exception of the broody Thorin and his swashbuckling nephews, Fili and Kili (Dean O'Gorman and Aidan Turner).

The main issue with Jackson's adaptation is that the run time is brutal, even for hardcore fans of Jackson's epic LOTR trilogy. Whereas that trilogy made sense as three separate movies -- considering it was the adaptation of three books -- The Hobbit isn't a substantive enough work to demand three movies, even with Jackson pulling extra material from Tolkien's indices. The fabulous visuals and impressive action sequences reminiscent of the trilogy are bogged down by an overlong and overly thorough first quarter that could have used a considerable edit job.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how The Hobbit compares to The Lord of the Rings. How are the stories similar (a hobbit joins a dangerous quest), and how are they different? Which adventure do you prefer?

  • For those familiar with the book, how does the movie adaptation differ? If you haven't read the book yet, does the movie make you want to delve into Tolkien's classic? Why do you think Tolkien's fantasy tale has withstood the test of time?

  • What does Bilbo learn about himself throughout the journey?

  • How do the characters in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey demonstrate curiosity and courage? What about perseverance and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?

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