Peter Jackson’s expansion of his mega-profitable behemoth
of a franchise has gone from being a labor of love and an astounding cinematic
adaptation of a beloved trilogy of books to a cynically calculated cash grab. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is
just the first in a three part film adaptation of Tolkien’s single book prequel
to The Lord of the Rings. Clocking in
at just under three hours, it is already nearly twice the length of the 1977
animated version that was already a decent adaptation.
