A few weeks ago I wrote that some critics and fans had been disappointed by The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. I am more than happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed and thoroughly enjoyed Peter Jackson’s return to Middle-Earth.
I’ve heard that people were mostly disappointed in the first third of the movie. I admit that there wasn’t a lot of action, but it introduced all of the characters and set the stage for two and a half movies. I thought that Martin Freeman did a tremendous job portraying Bilbo and Thorin Oakenshield made a case to join Aragorn and Legolas as Middle-Earth’s biggest bad you-know-whats.
Here are some other thoughts I had while watching The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Bilbo and Gandalf
A reoccurring theme of this blog revolves around others believing in someone even when he or she doesn’t believe in himself or herself. This theme pops up again in An Unexpected Journey. Gandalf selects Bilbo for the Dwarves’ party because Gandalf sees something in Bilbo. Gandalf sees some spark of adventure and courage that even Biblo himself cannot see. We need people like that in our lives because it is those people who will push us beyond ourselves. It’s those people who will encourage us to be more than we think we can be. One of those people in my life is my youth pastor, Kevin. He saw something in me I didn’t see in myself. If it wasn’t for his and his wife’s encouragement I wouldn’t be where I am today. Having him at my ordination ceremony was a lot like Bilbo having Gandalf at his birthday party.
Small Things
One of my favorite scenes in the movie took place between Gandalf and Galdriel. Galdriel asks Gandalf why he had chosen Bilbo for the journey. Gandalf’s response was one of the most memorable parts of the movie.
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.
Unfortunately we have too clearly seen the evil in this world. Like everyone else, I was glued to the news on Friday watching coverage of the tragedy in Connecticut. There is nothing that I or anyone else could say to alleviate the pain and suffering of those impacted by the shooting. All we can do is trust in God’s goodness and pray that his kindness and love will shine through this dark time. We have the opportunity to reflect that same kindness and love every day. Those small, everyday deeds make a difference and God can use them to keep the darkness in our world at bay.
Temptation Rescue
SPOILER ALERT!!! If you haven’t seen An Unexpected Journey or read The Hobbit, you may just want to jump to the end.
Those giant eagles always show up at the right time. When Gandalf was trapped atop Orthanc they showed up. When Frodo and Sam were trapped on Mount Doom they showed up. When Thorin’s party was trapped in the trees they showed up. I’m never in that many dangerous situations from which I need saving. However, I wouldn’t mind having some eagles who could rescue me from temptation. Every time I’m about to lust or think mean thoughts about an old person writing a check at the grocery store, the eagles could fly in and rescue me. While the eagles might keep me from sinning, they also would be a great indicator that I was about to sin. All those old people in the grocery store would know when I was about to think mean thoughts about them. There would also be a lot of feathers.
I loved The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. I saw it in 2D but I’m already excited to see it again in HFR 3D. I’m also already looking forward to The Desolation of Smaug, which won’t release until next December. Thankfully we’ve got Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness and plenty of other nerdy movies to tide us over until then.
What did you think about The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey?
I’ve seen it in both 2D and 3D and I enjoyed both thoroughly.
I would like to read your blog, but cannot read white on black text for more than a few seconds at a time. Could you possibly provide it in an alternate format? Thanks
If you have a smartphone you can access my blog through that. The mobile version is black text on white background.