Well, as far as oddball-yet-passionate traditions go, this is a pretty good one. A couple of years back, Peter Jackson popped into a "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"-themed safety video for Air New Zealand. And now with "The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies" marking the (hopefully) final Middle Earth adventure that has made New Zealand a major tourist attraction, the airline has launched another epic safety video.
In fact, it’s called "The Most Epic Safety Video Ever Made." With appearances by Jackson and Elijah Wood, and with Taika Waititi ("Eagle vs. Shark," "What We Do In The Shadows") directing, this is probably the only airline video you’ll want to watch. It’s going to be the only one with a guy on a horse showing you how to put on a seatbelt, or an orc displaying the proper use of an oxygen mask while someone blows a horn beside him. Basically, watch this and those extra fees they tack onto your airline tickets will feel painful. Check it out below. [THR]
What about people who just want to go to appreciate the culture of ecology of New Zealand without being reminded of Peter Jackson\’s downward spiral as a filmmaker? He\’s bringing in too much bank, I guess.