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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | 2012 | PG-13 | - 1.6.2
The story of a Hobbit (Martin Freeman) convinced by a wizard (Ian McKellen) to join him on a trek to a hidden mountain in order to reclaim the home and the treasure of a kingdom of Dwarves. Also with Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Dean O'Gorman, Aidan Turner, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, Jed Brophy, Mark Hadlow and Adam Brown. Directed by Peter Jackson. [2:49]
SEX/NUDITY 1 - Dwarves joke about croquet and one makes a comment to another about, "If you've got the balls for it."
► Three Trolls are shown wearing loincloth-type bottoms that reveal their bare chests, backs and legs to the hip. A small creature wears only a loincloth covering around his waist and we see his bare chest, back, legs and abdomen.
VIOLENCE/GORE 6 - We see a battle between Orcs (brutish creatures with pointed teeth, heavy scarring and battered features) and Dwarves: an Orc attacks several Dwarves, cuts the head of the Dwarf king and holds it in the air (we see blood and tissue at the severed neck), a Dwarf fights a very big Orc using a branch to break his blows until the Dwarf cuts one of the Orc's arms off (we see blood pouring from the stump) and he is carried away by several other Dwarves; many other Orcs are struck down and we hear that there were few survivors.
► Fierce winds blow through a Dwarf kingdom and people run for cover when huge dragons swoop in and blow fire at them (we do not see the dragons but we hear their large wings beating and see the flames blow structures to pieces); two dwarves in a tower are blown up and the tower is demolished and people are shown trapped under flaming debris.
► Armed dwarves wait inside a gate as dragons pound on the door and blow fire; dragons burst through the gate, and some villagers are thrown and others are crushed under the feet of a dragon (no blood is obvious).
► A Dwarf shoots an Orc in the head with an arrow (we see a bit of blood) and several more Orcs are struck by arrows; one Dwarf pulls an arrow out of a dead Orc and we see the glistening of blood on the arrow. A Dwarf shoots an Orc and a wolf-like creature with arrows and several other Dwarves attack other Orcs with swords and heavy hammers; the Orcs chase the dwarves, who slide into a deep cave. Sunlight strikes three Trolls and they are turned to stone.
► An Orc with a trident prosthetic replacing his lower arm stabs another Orc, lifts him up and throws him into a pillar (we hear a crunch); the wounded Orc is attacked by wolf-like creatures (we hear growling and crunching as they presumably devour him but we do not see the dismemberment).
► An Orc and a Dwarf fight: the Dwarf is struck by a huge wolf-like creature's paw (we see the Dwarf with blood on his head), he is struck with a huge hammer and thrown, and he is bitten and picked up in the mouth of the wolf then thrown; the Orc tells another Orc to "Bring me his head and the Orc places a sword to the Dwarf's throat (we see blood on his face) but the Orc is tackled and stabbed in the stomach, several other Orcs and wolf-like creatures approach and they fight with other Dwarves; several Dwarves fall off a cliff and are caught by huge birds, others are snatched up off the ground and they are all flown away from the fight and to safety while other birds attack the remaining Orcs.
► An Orc attacks a Dwarf and another Orc says, "Cut off his head"; many Orcs fight with several Dwarves and we see Orcs being slashed with swords or beheaded, two Orcs are stabbed in the abdomens (no blood is shown), one Orc is beheaded and we see the head slide off the body (no blood is shown), many Orcs are thrown off a high walkway by Dwarves fighting them and many more Orcs are beheaded, a huge boulder rolls over and crushes several Orcs, and a wizard pokes a large Orc in the eye, then slashes him across the abdomen and stabs him (we see a cut open and no blood is shown) and we see him fall over motionless.
► A Dwarf hits a Troll in the leg with a sword while others attack two other Trolls stabbing one in the stomach (no blood is shown), one is struck in the eye (he yells and holds his eye) and one is struck in the crotch (he bends over yelling in pain); two of the Trolls hold a Hobbit between them and threaten to pull his arms off and a remark is made about the Trolls sitting on someone and turning him into jelly. Several Dwarves are tied together and placed over a flame to cook for Trolls to eat (they are freed before they are harmed); a Hobbit tells them to "skin them first." A Troll picks up a Dwarf and holds him over his mouth, nearly eating him.
► Huge wolf-like creatures with sharp fangs lunge toward several Dwarves and the creatures are stabbed by a Dwarf using a sword (we hear a crunch but no blood it evident). A pack of huge wolf-like creatures chases a wizard and an Orc swings a weapon at him.
► A walkway where several Dwarves and a wizard are fighting with Orcs collapses and they fall to the ground below; a large dead Orc falls on top of them and they moan but are uninjured.
► The ground breaks beneath several Dwarves and they fall through a passageway, they land on a bridge, they are surrounded by many Orcs and taken before the Orc king who calls out for the "bone breaker" and one Orc and a Hobbit fight with swords; the Orc tries to bite the Hobbit on the neck and they fall off a ledge and through a crevasse where they lie motionless.
► A small bird taps a shell against a rock wall awakening a huge dragon hidden under a large amount of gold (we see the dragon's claw uncovered and one of its huge eyes opens). Huge spiders crawl around the outside of a wizard's house (we hear them skittering) and mice inside the house run in fear.
► Several Orcs are seen riding on the backs of huge dog-like creatures with large, sharp teeth in a few scenes. One Orc is extremely large, his flesh is blue-tinged, he is heavily scarred, and he is missing part of one arm and has replaced it with a pointed trident (we see one end protruding from his flesh at the elbow).
► Several Orcs and huge wolf-like creatures chase several Dwarves, a wizard and a Hobbit; the Hobbit stabs an Orc in the head (we see the sword sticking out of the Orc as the Hobbit struggles to retrieve his sword) and others are struck in the head with a heavy hammer. Several Dwarves, a Hobbit and a wizard climb up trees to get away from many wolf-like creatures that try to climb after them and pull off branches; the trees topple into each other and the characters are thrown from one tree to another and several trees fall over a ledge before a fire is started and the wolves are scared away.
► A small being with pale skin, large eyes and pointed teeth attacks an Orc lying unconscious on the ground by beating him with a rock on the head while talking about eating him.
► Several small forest animals (rabbits, squirrels, hedgehogs) are shown dead on the ground and one is shown writhing and gasping; a wizard tries to treat it and we watch as it takes its last breath, and the wizard extracts a vapor from the dead animal and chants over it until the animal is revived. We see a Troll carrying two ponies and walking through thick woods; two Dwarves and a Hobbit follow him and find two more Trolls sitting around a fire and talking about eating the ponies.
► A Hobbit nearly falls off a sheer rock wall as he and several Dwarves walk along a narrow pass, huge boulders are slung at the group and they struggle to keep their footing, two enormous rock monsters fight throwing boulders and head butting each other and the Hobbit and Dwarves are knocked around; one rock wall collapses onto another rock wall where several of the party are clinging (we think they have been crushed, but they are OK). A ghost raises a sword above the head of a wizard and brings it down toward him; the wizard defends himself and runs away through thick woods with bats screeching after him. A Hobbit hangs over a steep ledge and is grabbed by a Dwarf who then falls over the ledge himself (he is pulled to safety). A Hobbit holds a sword to the throat of a small being and then runs away.
► Dwarves enter a dark cave littered with skeletons and we hear bugs buzzing around them; several of them remark about the stench. We see bones littering a cave where a small being is hiding. A wizard is pulled on a sled through a thick forest to a dark fortress and we see ghostly figures swooping around and a dark, heavily shadowed figure that makes deep, haunting sounds. Dwarves wander the wilderness and we hear that their home was "turned to ash."
► Several Dwarves appear anxious when they are surrounded by Elves on horseback (nothing happens). We see that two large trees have been uprooted and we hear that two ponies are missing.
► A small creature chases a Hobbit and throws a rock at him (he is not harmed). A small creature and a Hobbit play a riddle game and the prize is either for the Hobbit to be eaten by the creature or for the creature to lead the Hobbit out of the cave where he is lost; the creature becomes upset and falls over on the ground when it appears that he will lose.
► A Hobbit becomes angry with many visitors in his home; several of them throw dishes back and forth to each other (no dishes are broken and no one is injured). A Dwarf acts threateningly when an Elf says something that he doesn't understand.
► A Hobbit puts on ring on his finger and he becomes invisible to others. Several Dwarves fall into a pile on the floor of a house. Two Dwarves knock their heads together as a greeting. A Hobbit faints. A wizard who is looking in through a window startles a hobbit. Men are frightened when they hear noises in the distance.
► A Troll blows his nose and grabs what he thinks is a rag but it is a Hobbit and we see the Hobbit covered with slimy goo. A Troll sneezes into a stew pot and another Troll remarks about it adding more flavor. Dwarves react to the smell of a blue cheese. A Dwarf eats noisily and with his hands. Many Dwarves eat noisily and use their hands; and they throw their food and guzzle drinks (we see liquid pouring out the sides of their mouths). A Dwarf sleeps and snores loudly waking a Hobbit. A wizard opens his mouth and we see a stick bug on his tongue (he seems to be holding it their for safe keeping). We see an Orc unconscious and his feet are malformed and it looks like he has blood on his mouth.
► A Hobbit encounters a small being and threatens him with a sword while the small being talks about eating the Hobbit and how he would taste ("Is it soft?" "We eats it whole"). A Troll with a knife threatens a Hobbit. A Troll asks, "Can we eat him?" when a wizard appears. A small being makes a comment about "things it devours." A Troll tells another Troll to "Shut your cake hole." Two men argue. An Orc orders other Orcs to "drink their blood" and "tear them apart." A wizard describes a "dark and powerful magic, a witchcraft" that is infecting the forest and killing the animals. A wizard talks of evil and black magic. A Hobbit tells Trolls that are about to eat Dwarves that the Dwarves have "worms and parasites." A Dwarf tells a wizard that he cannot be responsible for his safety. Several Dwarves, a Hobbit and a wizard make plans to take over an area held by dragons. A voiceover talks about a dwarf king suffering from a "sickness of the mind" when he becomes entranced by gold. A Hobbit says, "Over my dead body" when referring to inviting a relative to a party. A comment is made stating "smells like trolls." A Hobbit reads a contract that makes reference to "incineration" and he becomes agitated. A reference is made to "puff, you are nothing more than a pile of ash." A dragon is described as a beast with "teeth like razors." A reference is made to someone's head having been knocked off and it "went down a hole." A reference is made to reclaiming "your wounded." A Troll talks about getting a piece of a farmer's bone stuck in his teeth. A wizard says, "The green wood is dead." A wizard talks about giant spiders and refers to a "dark power," "the shadow of an ancient horror" and something having the power to "summon the spirits of the dead." A Dwarf says, "I don't like green food" when dining with Elves. A character says, "Everyday deeds keep the darkness at bay."
► A Hobbit hides his flatware and accuses a relative of trying to steal items the last time she visited.
LANGUAGE 2 - 3 scatological terms, name-calling (odd, unsociable, beast, fools, slow and stupid, furnace with wings, old warriors, half-wits, throat cutters, Dwarf-scum, ferret, stubborn Orcs are filth, half-pint, bone breaker, nobody, the Defiler, burglar, nasty), exclamations (shut your cake hole).
SUBSTANCE USE - A remark is made about a character and that his "excessive consumption of mushrooms has addled his brain." A man drinks from a jug what could be wine or liquor and a wizard asks for red wine at a gathering. A man smokes a pipe in several scenes, several men are shown smoking pipes, a man offers a pipe to another man telling him that it will "settle his nerves" and the recipient rolls his eyes after inhaling (like he was affected by the content of the smoke), and a man's lit tobacco in a pipe is put out by rain.
DISCUSSION TOPICS - Adventures, peace, divine right to rule, plenty, greed, forgiveness, trust, courage, loyalty, grief, tact, respect, charm, honor, fate, fear.
MESSAGE - Pride can cause your downfall.
CAVEATS
Be aware that while we do our best to avoid spoilers it is impossible to disguise all details and some may reveal crucial plot elements.
We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits.
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