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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
CAST & DIRECTOR
Directed by Peter Jackson. With Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage.
7.4/10
MOVIHERO RATINGWHAT IT'S ABOUT
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarves who seek to reclaim their mountain home from Smaug, the dragon.
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7.4/10
MOVIHERO RATINGYOUR WATCHLISTBilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarves who seek to reclaim their mountain home from Smau…
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RELEASE SNAPSHOT
Release snapshot for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
MoviHero lists December 12, 2012 as the release date for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Peter Jackson is the listed director. The listed cast includes Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey, Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, James Nesbitt as Bofur. A trailer and 5 stills are available on this page.
Release dateDecember 12, 2012
GenresAdventure · Fantasy · Action
Runtime2h 49m
DirectorPeter Jackson
CastMartin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey, Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, James Nesbitt as Bofur
TrailerAvailable on this page
Images5 stills
BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY
Is The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey right for tonight?
Pacing, attention and emotional impact are estimates from the current MoviHero Watch Profile, not verified scene-by-scene reviews.
How much time should I set aside?
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey runs 2h 49m. Allow extra time for breaks.
Is it slow or fast?
The current MoviHero pacing estimate is 9/10: a faster-moving watch.
Is it a good choice when I am tired?
The attention estimate is 6/10. Expect to follow the story rather than use it as background viewing.
How emotionally intense is it?
The emotional-impact estimate is 4/10, suggesting a lighter emotional load. This does not tell you whether the ending is happy or sad.
CHANGE ONE THING
Like this, but...
These share a listed genre with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Profile differences are estimates, not a guarantee of the same story or mood.
MOVIE RATING
MoviHero Rating
MoviHero Rating: 7.4/10 from 20,290 votes. Updated Nov 4, 2026.
Rating data supplied by TMDB, shown on a 10-point scale. MoviHero audience ratings are calculated separately from scores submitted here.
MOVIHERO AUDIENCE RATING
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WHAT WATCHING IT FEELS LIKE
Watch Profile
Seven estimates of the viewing experience, based on the stored Watch Profile. These are separate from the movie rating and are not verified scene-by-scene assessments.
Pacing9/10
Emotional Impact4/10
Mind-Bending3/10
Scary1/10
Violence6/10
Rewatchability6/10
Attention Required6/10
VIEWER REVIEWS
What viewers say about The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Selected viewer reactions, in their own words. These excerpts reflect individual opinions, not an overall verdict.
Viewer reaction
“An other great master peace has been added the the Lord of The Rings collection.”
Viewer reaction
“Peter Jackson creates the same world that he already shown us in the LOTR, but that's not the only thing he repeats.”
Viewer reaction
“Over a decade after a little-known director from New Zealand managed to con New Line Cinema into giving him $300 million to make a trilogy…”
More reactions (2)
Viewer reaction
“Of course off the level of its 'The Lord of the Rings' predecessors, but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected…”
Viewer reaction
“There is no doubt that Peter Jackson does a great job bring Tolkien’s fantasies to life, much better, I imagine, than anyone must have assumed…”
Selected review excerpts supplied by TMDB. Opinions belong to their original authors.
WORDS THAT STAY WITH YOU
Memorable lines
Reveal a line containing a spoiler
“I'm going on an adventure!”
A CLOSER LOOK
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CAST & CREW
The people who make it land.
CHARACTERS IN THIS MOVIE
Follow the character.
Reviewed MoviHero character guides connected to this movie.
otherThorin OakenshieldThorin Oakenshield runs from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies with Richard Armitage carrying the role across 3 films.Open character guide otherGandalf the GreyGandalf the Grey runs from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies with Ian McKellen carrying the role across 3 films.Open character guide otherBilbo BagginsBilbo Baggins runs from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies with Martin Freeman carrying the role across 3 films.Open character guide otherBalinBalin runs from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies with Ken Stott carrying the role across 3 films.Open character guide otherFiliFili runs from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies with Dean O'Gorman carrying the role across 2 films.Open character guide otherKiliKili runs from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies with Aidan Turner carrying the role across 2 films.Open character guide otherBofurBofur runs from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug with James Nesbitt carrying the role across 2 films.Open character guide otherOriOri appears in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012).Open character guide
SIMILAR GENRES & STORY THEMES
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