The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Genre

Adventure | Fantasy

Director

Peter Jackson

Country

USA | New Zealand

Cast

Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Stephen Fry, Orlando Bloom, Graham McTavish, Ken Stott, Aidan Turner, Dean O'Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Cate Blanchett, Mikael Persbrandt, Sylvester McCoy, Manu Bennett, Lawrence Makoare, Anthony Sher, Craig Hall, Ryan Gage, John Bell, Ben Mitchell, Robin Kerr, Dallas Barnett

Plot

After successfully crossing over the Misty Mountains, the thirteen dwarves commanded by Thorin (Richard Armitage), the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, the dwarves homeland, from the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch).

Opinion

Out there is plenty of people saying that fans of Tolkien will be disappointed with the new trilogy, and there are way too much differences between the book and the films. That's pretty much normal since Jackson made three films out of a 300 pages book.

Having said that, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a terrific middle chapter filled with tons of action, emotions and fun from the first frame to the last.

The film is exciting all the way through and more engaging than An Unexpected Journey, although I did enjoy its slow pacing.

I particularly loved the giant spiders sequence, and the way they talk to each other when Bildo puts the ring on, even though they sound like Gollum. The arachnids are visually stunning and scary. Legolas comes back and, although I'm pretty sure he wasn't in the book, he brings some fun. New creation Tauriel is enjoyable. Bilbo's encounter with Smaug is tense and brilliantly written. Gandalf's encounter with Sauron is visually stunning. Ed Sheeran's 'I See Fire' is perfect.

However, the film has a big issue: the script. They talk, talk and talk, but, at the end of the day, they don't really say much.

The acting is good. Martin Freeman keeps on doing a perfect job as Bildo Baggins. Ian McKellen is still perfect as Gandalf. Richard Armitage succeeds in showing Thorin's worse qualities. Orlando Bloom has some charm. And Ken Stott stands out among the dwarves.

Quotes

Thranduil: Such is the nature of evil. Out there in the vast ignorance of the world it festers and spreads. A shadow that grows in the dark. A sleepless malice as black as the oncoming wall of night. So it ever was. So will it always be. In time all foul things come forth.