The Hobbitwas adapted into a new blockbuster movie franchise in the 2010s, but never lived up toPeter Jackson’sLord of the Ringsmovies, due to some crucial missteps during development and production. The trilogy that dominated pop culture at the beginning of the 2000s changed the fantasy genre with its unprecedented scale, production value, epic storytelling, and a slew of Oscar wins, culminating in Best Picture forReturn of the Kingin 2004. However, the comparison between the Oscar nominations received by the two trilogies alone demonstrates thatThe Hobbitis simply lacking something.
The Hobbitmovies are sometimes as good asThe Lord of the Rings, with a return to the magical yet foreboding setting of Middle-earth, and themes of taking up an adventure to better the world around yourself. However,the source material is fundamentally different, withThe Hobbitbeing based on a single shorter fairytale-inspired bookversus a three-part epic saga.The Hobbithas been criticized for its bloated runtime and unnecessary plot elements, but it also fell into the trap of trying to be both like its original text and the previous award-winning movies.
The Hobbit Trilogy Couldn’t Decide If It Wanted To Be Like The Book Or The LOTR Movies
Different Points In The Hobbit Movies Lean Into The Book Or The LOTR Trilogy
The Hobbitis a succinct, to-the-point story, and was written with a younger audience in mind thanThe Lord of the Rings. It is ultimately much more lighthearted and, at times, much goofier, with unexpected dinner parties, slapstick conflicts with trolls, and characters engaged in riddle competitions. There is some tragedy towards the end, butit is more about Bilbo’s self-realization and his going on an adventure than the wider-reaching conflict ofThe Lord of the Rings— as the titleThe Hobbitsuggests. At least in the beginning,The Hobbitas an adaptation was committed to this difference.
Infamously,Guillermo del Toro was supposed to helm a two-partThe Hobbitadaptation before Peter Jackson stepped back into the role as director and the story was overhauled. However, when this happened, much of the whimsical and more faithful nature of what del Toro’s movies could have been was thrown out.The Hobbitstarted to lean more into trying to recreateThe Lord of the Rings, but certain moments show the filmmakers trying to have it all and making it unclear what tone they want to achieve.
The Hobbit Movies Trying To Emulate Both Ensured They Didn’t Reach The Heights Of Either
Sequences In The Hobbit Movies Stand In Opposition To Each Other
The firstThe Hobbitmovie starts with a cheerier tune thanFellowship of the Ring,suggesting a cozier atmosphere — but then goes right into the CGI-laden flashback of the dwarves' kingdom being overthrown. Things like the dwarves' upbeat song mocking Bilbo and the confrontation with the trolls are silly, but the battles with the Orcs and the appearances of characters like Galadriel (Cate Blanchette) and Elrond (Hugo Weaving) are clearly trying to emulate the older movies. And so, these different aspects distract from each other and neither comes across the way it is supposed to.
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The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies(2014)
59%
There is less commitment to the production value, as many of the sets and monsters are cheaper-looking than in the movies that came out a decade earlier, and the cartoon elements are out of place. Admittedly, Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Bilbo’s first meeting is delightful, and Martin Freeman is charming as the latent adventurer but nervous titular character.The Hobbitmovies then weighed themselves with too many conflicting factors, when many would agree that they should have remained dedicated to the book asThe Lord of the Ringsonce did with its own origins.
The Hobbit
The Hobbitfilm series is a fantasy adventure trilogy directed by Peter Jackson, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novelThe Hobbit. Set 60 years beforeThe Lord of the Rings, the films follow Bilbo Baggins' quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug. The series grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide and is known for its elaborate visuals and epic storytelling.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
