Few can surpass the cinematic prowess of Peter Jackson and his adaptations of the critically acclaimed Tolkien novels. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movies are cinematic masterpieces that deserve every bit of recognition and fame they get.
There are six movies in total, with a run time of nearly 20 hours. That is a lot of content to swallow but what about first-time watchers? What order should you watch the movies in? Should you watch the Hobbit or The lord of the rings first?
Should you start with the tale of Bilbo Baggins and his quest to places never before seen by a Hobbit? Or should you take on the epic tale of the Ring of Power and the chaotic wars that ensue to make sure Frodo gets to Mt. Doom safely? We’re here to tell you what the best course of action is!
Should You Watch The Hobbit Before The Lord of the Rings?
If you are a fan of the story told through all six movies, then yes, you should start with The Hobbit. However, if you don’t care for the story too much and want to watch whatever seems more appealing, you can absolutely do that, as well.
The Hobbit
Like all stories, The Hobbit starts from the beginning. The story revolves around Bilbo Baggins, a humble Hobbit from Bag End. There are some adventurous roots in Bilbo’s history, prompting Gandalf the Grey into seeking him out to be a burglar for a group of dwarves. Among these dwarves is Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain. Their quest is to take back the Lonely Mountain from Smaug, a deadly dragon.
Without revealing too much, the journey Bilbo starts on is an epic saga that will define the fate of the dwarves and their relations with other races. His journey is just the start of his other adventures he will tell his nephew to inspire him to do the same. For fans of the series, this trilogy is excellent because it packs a lot of fantasy elements and is an enjoyable viewing experience overall.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is one of the most popular movie trilogies simply because it is very difficult to find any flaws in the overall production. This movie tells the story of Frodo Baggins, another Hobbit of the Shire. Much like his uncle, he embarks on a spectacular adventure with a ring in his pocket.
This ring is the single most powerful item in Middle-earth, and his quest is to toss it into the fires of Mt. Doom. On his journey, he meets a wide array of characters and creatures, of which not all are too helpful. The cinematic quality of the battle/fight scenes is incredible, so much that people constantly reference moments from the series in idle talk. Overall, it is an excellent tale that portrays a nice sense of wonder, just like The Hobbit.
How Are The Hobbit And The Lord of the Rings Connected?
The Hobbit is set about 60 years before The Lord of the Rings and concerns itself with a completely different story than the latter. However, we do see some recurring characters from The Hobbit in The Lord of the Rings. Although they are set in the same universe, there isn’t really anything connecting the main story points in both trilogies.
Wrapping Up
That would be all that we have to say about this topic. These two trilogies are some of the best cinematic masterpieces you can watch since they pack so much wondrous content into them, a true representation of Tolkien’s vision. It would be a true shame if you didn’t dedicate at least one weekend to binge this incredible series. We sincerely hope that this has cleared up any uncertainty you might have had and that your viewing pleasure improves.
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