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When Can I Watch 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' with My Kids?

By: Sean OConnell on December 13, 2012 at 2:58PM Comments (7)
Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy has zero traction with my kids. 
 
"You shall not pass!" "My precious." "I’m on your side, Mr. Frodo." Nothing. Despite the fact that Jackson’s films left an indelible stamp on pop culture, my eight year old wasn’t even born when Return of the King came out in 2003, so they’ve never slipped on the Rings and haven’t sampled any of Tolkien’s stories. 
 
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first film in the (so far) four-picture franchise that I think would actually interest them.  Sweeping fantasy adventure. Darkly imaginative worlds. Subdued physical comedy. Dedicated Rings fans might find The Hobbit too amateurish, a byproduct of Tolkien’s lighter tone. It all helps make The Hobbit a worthy introduction to this cinematic series for your children. 
 
So, let’s welcome some uninvited guests into the Shire, put the Lonely Mountain in our sights, and figure out when you can watch The Hobbit with your kids.
 
 
Green Lights: “I’m looking for someone to share in an adventure.”
 
Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but Peter Jackson really should have started this whole Tolkien endeavor with The Hobbit.
 
Now that I’ve seen the first part of this planned trilogy, this material is simpler, less complicated and far more accessible than the dense, mythology-laden Rings trilogy. There’s a reason most kids enter Tolkien’s Middle-earth through The Hobbit. The ease of the storytelling in the opening book makes it a proper introduction to the fantasy world of elves, trolls, dwarves, fairies, wizards and all sorts of fantastical creatures. 
 
And years from now, when Jackson has concluded his Hobbit trilogy, I know parents will start with these three films before introducing their kids to the entire franchise. 
 
But you can’t do that yet. You can only start with The Hobbit, and wait to transition to the Rings franchise in time. 
 
Why is it better? It’s a matter of preference, of course, but Martin Freeman’s a warmer tour guide than Elijah Wood… his neuroses stemming from his voyage from home creating a more-credible obstacle for the courageous hobbit to overcome. How often, in this column, have we discussed the important lesson of reaching down deep to find the strength and fortitude to conquer a fear? It’s a running discussion point in the When column, and Bilbo Baggins’ last-minute decision to accompany the dwarves on their mission to the Lonely Mountain is triumphant.
 
The dwarves, themselves, are a belching, bouncy crew marked by bravery and hilarity. “Quite a merry gathering,” Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellen) calls them, and the levity this gaggle brings to the adventure lightens the mood when things get too… creepy. 
 
There are large-screen thrills in The Hobbit, though they’re not quite as life-threatening as they are in the original Rings trilogy. Smaug the Terrible may cause havoc in later episodes. Here, the dwarves contend with pale-skinned orcs seeking vengeance against Thorin (Richard Armitage) and the reptilian slithering of Gollum (Andy Serkis). More on this in the Red Flags section. 
 
The framing story to Jackson’s The Hobbit also brought to mind a new Green Light. We see older Bilbo (played, once again, by Ian Holm) putting his story down on paper. There’s real value in that. Recently, our family busted out DVDs of our kids when they were babies. It wasn’t that long ago, but it was so much fun to see how they’ve grown. “Thanks for recording all of this,” my wife said, with tear drops in the corners of her eyes. If Bilbo were real, his relatives likely would be telling him the same thing.  
 
 
Red Flags: “What is a Bagginses, precious?” 
 
Tolkien’s critics will tell you that The Hobbit is an easier book to start with than Fellowship, though a few elements still will trip up younger audience members taking Tolkien for a spin. 
 
The language, for example, is a steady stream of tongue-twisting fantasy names: Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur and Oin are just a few of the dwarves marching with Bilbo to uncharted territories in Middle-earth. But Jackson doesn’t hurry through introductions, and spends a good chunk of the film’s first act at a Shire dinner party that will let your kids get comfortable in the land before the movie kicks into a higher gear. (Rings fans might find this stretch intolerable, but it works well for Rings virgins separating a dwarf from an elf – don’t ever confuse the two!)
 
Once Bilbo agrees to his Unexpected Journey, Jackson keeps the fantasy thrills brighter and more exuberant than in the Rings films. There are hints of Necromancers – or spirits of death – and giant freaking spiders who are seen in passing. And these might be threats in future chapters, but aren’t an issue here. Even when the dwarves enter the mountain pass and confront the orcs – as well as Gollum – Bilbo’s able to keep the ring-obsessed skeleton on his heels with a charming riddle contest that will have your kids laughing and guessing along.   
 
The final scene in The Hobbit promises Bilbo’s journey will grow more difficult in the upcoming chapters, and I’m sure Rings fans are patiently waiting for Jackson to step up his game. But for now, The Hobbit actually stands as a welcome chapter for fantasy-curious kids who want to know about those movies mom and dad have been raving about, but are hesitant to show.
 
 
Appropriate Age
 
The whole time I was watching The Hobbit, I was thinking that my oldest, P.J., could handle everything that we were seeing on-screen. There are scenes of epic orc battles, with villains beheaded (through bloodless chops) and heroes rescued by massive hawks before plunging to their deaths. There is peril, but little doubt that our protagonists will triumph. 
 
In fact, the main factor keeping me from rushing out to the theater with my sons in tow is the film’s length. Jackson hates editing his Middle-earth soap operas, and The Hobbit suffers from a marginally bloated, 169-minute run time (and the promise of extended editions on the horizon). My boys get antsy at the 90-minute mark of an animated movie. Can they handle nearly three hours of Hobbit fantasy? Likely not. 
 
But if your kids are ready and willing for a double dose of Tolkien, The Hobbit is geared toward kids age 10 and up. The material is softer than the Rings books, and Jackson’s movie follows suit. I can’t wait to see where the director goes next with this new trilogy. Will you be following along? 
 
If you’d like to read previous entries in the "When Can I Watch That with My Kids?" series, click right here. Some of the films covered: Star Wars, Back to the Future, The Goonies, Hugo, The Princess Bride, The Monster Squad and Elf, to name just a few.
 

Tags: The Hobbit

Categories: Fanboy Fix, Family Films

Comments (7)Leave a Comment

  • Dec 15th 2012 8:31AM

    radfrog  said...

    Tolkien meant "The Hobbit" to be a children's book. It is supposed to be lighter then LotR. It is supposed to appeal to kids. It was required reading in my 6th grade English class back in the 70's. My son read the book 2 years ago when he was 9 and LOVED IT. He has been wanting to see the movie ever since. I am taking him tonight!

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  • Dec 14th 2012 10:47AM

    autofandango  said...

    Movie was meh. Given Lord of Rings was three epic slogs, three slogging movies to match made sense. As books go, The Hobbit is exact opposite. Its tight, almost a novella. Taking something like that and turning into three slogging movies doesn't work quite so well. Especially when Jackson has to dump filler - making up filler for a movie adaptation of a book! - into the story to stretch it out. The famous line that starts the famous book: "In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit" shows up about a half-hour into this thing. Kind of sums the eroding-rock pace of this movie up. Happens to directors when they stop listening to their editors. That problem is off the charts here.

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  • Dec 13th 2012 4:06PM

    bdlordon  said...

    I think partens should see the hobbit first befor any kids see it and I think it should be 13 and over that should see it and not kids that are the age of 10 so partens heed my wards of wisedome from Ben Lordon

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  • Dec 13th 2012 3:16PM

    cu2urok  said...

    Before you see the Hobbit - you should know that 27 animals died in the making of this film, including Rainbow and two other horses, 6 goats, 6 sheep and 12 chickens. Peter Jackson and the film industry need to be held accountable. We can send that message by not seeing the Hobbit and demand changes be made to protect the animal actors before, during and after their work in film. Go to [BLOCKED WEBSITE] and sign the petition to let Peter Jackson know that you will not see the Hobbit and demand better condtions and care for the animals actors.

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  • Dec 13th 2012 3:40PM

    mattfan12059  said...

    Sorry but I'm seeing The Hobbit. Alot of animals die on movie sets all the time so its not just The Hobbit

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  • Feb 16th 2013 4:13AM

    1322058777  said...

    Really? "actors"? Just who is in a fantasy world...I don't think a chicken or even a horse can sign their SAG card, or carry a picket sign. They are not actors, they are property, ask the company that rents them to the film companies. Any injuries that happen to them during filming is dealt with by the two entities involved in the contract, and is none of your business.

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  • Dec 13th 2012 3:10PM

    mattfan12059  said...

    Can't wait to see it on Saturday!

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