A long journey gets longer.
The release of the three Lord of the Rings Extended Editions were something of a revelation a decade or so ago, particularly for J.R.R. Tolkien fans that wanted to immerse themselves even further in the cinematic landscape of Middle-earth. The nature of the LOTR novels dictated that the film adaptations would be packed to the brim with characters and locations while still excluding a wealth of material that couldn’t
possibly be included in the movies, so introducing more material made for a fuller experience.Peter Jackson and company have taken a similar approach with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition Blu-ray release, but the new cut of the film doesn’t feel like the definitive version that the LOTR extended cuts did. Instead, a movie that is already stretched too thin simply becomes longer, feeling
like an indulgent director’s cut rather than a noteworthy superior cut. If you’re a fan that took issue with the decision to split the 310-page novel into three movies (compared to LOTR’s combined 1571 pages), then these longer and lingering scenes will only exacerbate your frustration. In general, it feels as though this release is more an attempt at uniformity than utility.All of that being said, An Unexpected Journey Extended as a Blu-ray release is still a worthwhile
purchase for fans of the movie or the universe. The real selling point is the continuation of the Appendices, which even pick up the numbering from the LOTR Extended Editions so that this set holds Appendices 7 and 8. Spread across two different discs, the documentary material is just as rewarding to watch as the LOTR Appendices were, spanning about nine hours of in-depth production footage and interviews. The Appendices cover all aspects of building Tolkien’s world, from returning to the
original LOTR sets to casting the new characters to developing the culture of the Dwarves to the score and even the early involvement of initial director Guillermo del Toro.For fans of Middle-earth or just the process of making a film, these Appendices stand as the most thorough documentation of blockbuster movie-making in recent memory. But perhaps the most engaging part of the behind-the-scenes footage is the depiction of the friendships and bonds forged in the trenches of making a movie of
this stature. For such a large scale production, seeing these relationships blossom in this footage is inspiring. The only downside to the Appendices is that unless you opt for the “Play All” option from the beginning, each segment will kick you back to the main menu after it ends rather than just continuing on from where you begin.The commentary track from Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens is insightful and entertaining, even if a lot of the same content is covered in the
Appendices at various points. Still, their rapport was amusing enough to keep me engaged throughout the length of the movie. The other special feature included on the movie disc is the “New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth” featurette that’s a holdover from the initial Blu-ray release of the movie. It’s kind of unfortunate that the Extended Edition couldn’t have included all of the video journals and trailers from the first release, making this at least a definitive version in supplemental material
if not the film itself.Despite being confined to one disc (hooray for no disc-swapping), An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition’s audio and visual presentation is absolutely stunning with no noticeable flaws to speak of. The colors are lush and balanced and the sheer amount of detail visible in every frame is intense and crisp. I found nothing to nitpick in my viewing of the new edition, and even the HD video quality of the behind-the-scenes footage of the Appendices is impressive.
Similarly,
the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 is impeccable in its presentation, giving the low-end of the mix just enough rumble to keep the soundtrack thundering along while the rest of the mix fleshes out the world around you. The score is penetrating and the dialogue is clear, leaving An Unexpected Journey to completely immerse you in Middle-earth, even if the movie itself runs a bit too long.
Cliff Wheatley is a freelance writer and a fiend. Follow him on
IGN.
Verdict
The first Hobbit Extended Edition feels bloated as a movie, but the bountiful supplemental content and absolutely stunning audio/visual presentation of the set is well worth a purchase for fans of Middle-earth.
In This Article
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition Blu-ray Review
amazing
The Hobbit: An
Unexpected Journey Extended Edition is a bloated movie but the Blu-ray itself is well-worth a purchase for any Tolkien fan.
Cliff Wheatley
Is The Hobbit extended version better?
While the theatrical versions are more accessible to a wider audience due to their shorter length, the extended cuts are the preferred choice among fans. They have a host of scenes bringing the movies closer to J.R.R. Tolkien: character interactions which echo the books in the best way.
How much longer are the Hobbit Extended Editions?
The extended edition of An Unexpected Journey clocks in at 183 minutes long (13 minutes of additional footage) and the extended cut of The Desolation of Smaug is 186 minutes long (25 minutes of additional footage) so when the time comes to marathon the entire The Hobbit trilogy, we'll be spending about 543 minutes in ...
Which version of The Hobbit is better?
4/6 The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (2013)
The best Hobbit movie, according to Metacritic, is The Desolation of Smaug which has the most satisfying balance between action and character development in the Hobbit movies as the main bulk of the adventure from the original book plays out.
What is different in the Hobbit battle of the five armies Extended Edition?
After reaching Erebor and encountering the dragon Smaug, Five Armies assemble for an epic battle that could decide the future of all in Middle-earth. The Extended Edition film is 20 minutes longer with new and extended scenes not seen in the theatrical release.