BWW Reviews: THE WOBBIT Parodies Tolkien's Classic with Irreverent, Vigorous Humor

Nearly a decade after Peter Jackson's THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy became a critical and commercial success, moviegoers are preparing for the second installment of The Hobbit, the shorter, quainter prequel that has been stretched to match the epic proportions of LOTR... and make Hollywood a ton of money.

If you have been even semi-awake for part of the last decade, you know the basic premises of both stories. In THE HOBBIT, Gandalf shows up at Bilbo Baggins's hobbit hole with a bunch of dwarves set on retrieving their treasure from a dragon. While on this adventure, Bilbo's friendships with Gandalf and the dwarves are forged, and his discovery of the One Ring sets the rest of the series into motion.

Whether you are a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's series or not, this resurging cultural domination of all things Middle Earth might feel, to use Harvard Lampoon's words, "there are bored again." Although I loudly broadcasted my love for the first films, I'm finding it difficult to muster the same enthusiasm ten years later about a movie that seems more interested in making something as akin to the first trilogy as possible than offering a fresh, more mature perspective like its source material does. It's time for something so culturally pervasive, so self-indulgent, to be taken down a notch or two on the ladder of glory, and that's where parody comes in.

Like all good parodies, THE WOBBIT is intended for people who have already read the Tolkien classic and have a working knowledge of the fantasy genre. But there is also plenty of other cultural material ripe for Lampoon's energetic and sharp satire. The Harvard Lampoon knows its audience well. Since most of the fandom community interacts online, there are plenty of references to internet memes, social media platforms like Tumblr and Instagram, not-so-subtle hits at other fandom communities like Harry Potter, and many other contemporary pop culture topics. Lampoon's quick-witted, frenzied humor ensures a laugh on every page and lots of refreshing spins on the beloved original. Much of the writing feels clunky and labored, which can be quite jarring at times. Parodies are not written with the intention of providing fluid stories or descriptions. There's about as much exposition, cohesion, and awkward transitions as a sketch comedy routine. I found that my reading was most enjoyable when I saw the book as a series of sketches rather than a unified book. Tolkien fans will definitely delight in the lively humor that bursts through the pages of THE WOBBIT.

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