Saturday, October 19, 2013

The Hobbit: A Movie Review

Far over the misty mountains cold,
To dungeons deep and caverns old,
We must away, ere bre'ak of day,
To find our long forgotten gold.

Image Courtesy: Google
Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is an introvert’s break through into the adventure of some extroverts. Bilbo Baggins trades the coziness and comfort of his hobbit hole for an adventure of a lifetime with the wandering wizard, Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarfs. In fact, this deal is more of trickery of Gandalf’s than a choice by Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit.

In the peaceful village of Bad End, the calm and cozy dwelling of Bilbo seems nothing short of an introvert’s haven. When Gandalf makes a sudden appearance one morning in front of Bilbo Baggins, he protests and shuns his visitor, trying to concentrate away from any form of adventure.

However, the fate of The Hobbit, the novel written by J. R. R. Tolkien, released in 1937 would have been entirely different, and for that matter that of The Lord of the Rings, had Bilbo, the introvert, did not take the chance to explore the world of terror and unrest, adventure and glory.
Image Courtesy: Google

In her phenomenal book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, Susan Cain suggests that even introverts, occasionally wish for an outgoing company. So is it with extroverts. They tend to prefer calmer situations occasionally, and enjoy and make use of their quiet friends. Suggesting the same, here is a scene from the movie, The Hobbit.    

Galadriel: “Why the Halfling?”
Gandalf: “Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay... small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? That's because I am afraid and he gives me courage.”

Introverts are especially gifted with presence of mindedness in dangerous and tumultuous situations. “We should actively seek out symbolic introvert-extrovert relationships, in which leadership and other tasks are divided according to people’s natural strengths and temperaments.” (Cain 93) And this is what Gandalf does in this scene, by relying upon Bilbo Baggins for courage.
Image Courtesy: Google

Martin Freeman performs as Bilbo Baggins, and does a great job. Ian McKellen is Gandalf, as in Lord of the Rings and is the same and more in his charms as an actor. Richard Armitage plays the role of Thorin Oakenshield, the Dwarf king.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is not just a hardcore special effect packaging. It has a spirit that comes from the book itself. Along with the great performances from the wonderful actors, The Hobbit becomes one of the classics of modern cinema. The Hobbit seems pleasanter than Lord of the Rings.

The pines were roaring on the height,
The winds were moaning in the night,
The fire was red, it flaming spread,
The trees like torches blazed with light.
(Lyrics Courtesy: J.R. R. Tolkien)

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