Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.5

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

An "unexpected" extended edition. Now on 4K.

The start of the adventure, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a magnificent trip back to middle earth. Returning to the helm is director Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy). A spectacle filled with fantastic CGI and breathtaking imagery, the first film in the Hobbit trilogy dramatically unfolds from the get-go as a group of dwarves gather at the home of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) before setting out on a new quest: to reclaim their land. Gandalf (Ian McKellen) enlists Bilbo as the “thief” of the party (a much needed role to recover lost treasure). What dangers await Bilbo Baggins as he treks forth outside of his quaint home in The Shire?

The extended edition adds 13 minutes of additional footage to the original theatrical release. In my own estimation, the extended footage makes the experience even more rewarding. Though this stands as the shortest extended cut in the Middle Earth saga, the additional comedic moments alone are worthwhile.

The sword shines brighter in HDR.

For more information on the extended edition, please refer to the original review by Blu-ray.com writer Kenneth Brown. Please Note: the star-rating on this edition reflects my own opinion of the feature-film.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on 4K UHD Blu-ray from Warner Bros., The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is presented in a 2160p HEVC / H.265 encode in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1 widescreen. Fans of the franchise are going to be enormously pleased with the results of the 4K presentation. Supervised by director Peter Jackson, the new 4K encoding is a sight-to-behold. The reference-quality presentation is jaw-dropping. It is a immaculate presentation that showcases the film with the best picture-quality to date – even better than at the cinema.

As The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey unfolded, there were many sequences which highlighted the manner in which the 4K photography made a major difference to the presentation. From the opening scenes at The Shire, the beautiful landscapes are razor-sharp, the green outdoors radiant with terrific color reproduction that is dramatically enhanced by the HDR. This isn't a small upgrade at all: every scene looks significantly better with the resolution boost and because of the HDR grading.

As the film progresses, I was continually swept away by the visuals. During an epic sequence with Gandalf the Gray, I could see sweat bubbles in his beard that I never noticed before on previous releases. Every pore and crevice of the actors seemed visible in stunning resolution. It was truly marvelous.

Another element of the presentation which impressed me was the manner in which the special effects were handled. I had lower expectations for the special-effects, expecting these visuals to appear as merely adequate resolution up-ticks. The opposite is true: the CGI has never looked as crisp and dynamic as it does here. Whether it be the orcs or the goblins, the CGI is vivid, detailed, and immersive. Stunning.

Not only does the resolution increase impress, the HDR grading is astonishing at every turn. Bright outdoor scenes display more vivid and detailed colors than ever before while dark scenes are similarly more enthralling to see. Small details in the grading make all the difference: Bilbo's sword turns blue as orcs appear with a more organic (yet vivid) appearance, the pattering rain during the attack of the giant rock monsters looks even more realistic, and the Riddles in the Dark sequence with Gollum showcases dramatic increases in detail in the background.

Another matter worth discussing is the frame-rate. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is presented in traditional 24 fps and does not utilize a high-frame-rate (as was seen in select screenings during the original theatrical release). I doubt most fans will find fault with this matter: there is no soap opera effect as a result. The movement of the cinematography looks outstanding.

Note: The screenshots in the review are from the 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded Blu-ray edition of the feature-film.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As if the video-presentation wasn't enough of a reason to upgrade, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey features a top-notch Dolby Atmos presentation. The audio design is similar to previous releases of the film but features some breathtaking expansiveness that is the direct result of the extra Atmos height channels. The presence of the entire audio presentation is even more enveloping and rewarding as dramatic fight sequences are given even more ferocity. Even dramatic scenes seem to benefit from Dolby Atmos as the original score by Howard Shore sounds all the more powerful and commanding. Dialogue is never overshadowed by the sound effects, either. Every element of the sonic landscape comes through with remarkable clarity and depth.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Warner Bros has opted to not include any of the supplemental features found on the previous home-media release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Buyers should be aware that they are only getting the new 4K UHD discs (and a digital-code).

Part of the reason for this decision seems to be the expectation that most fans purchasing the 4K discs will already own previous releases. Another factor to consider: Warner Bros has announced a mega Middle Earth collection will be released in the summer of 2021 (which will include brand new supplemental features). These new extras were not prepared in time for the standalone 4K set.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a thrilling start to Peter Jackson's three-film prequel saga to The Lord of the Rings. The new 4K presentation is one of the best reference-quality discs I have ever seen. Even those viewers who didn't enjoy in the adventure theatrically should consider re-visiting the film with the 4K resolution boost. It was like seeing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey for the first time again. A magical experience. A must-own 4K UHD.