The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans
Director: Peter Jackson
Rating: 5/5
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is one of the most anticipated films of the year, as Peter Jackson returns to the director’s chair and takes up back to Middle Earth.
It has been a twelve-month wait for the release of An Unexpected Journey, but Jackson has made it well worth it, as he really does not disappoint.
Much like The Fellowship of the Ring, An Unexpected Journey was the film that really introduced us to all the characters and saw them set out on a quest; The Desolation of Smaug is where the action and the danger really start to kick in.
From the word go the film takes a much darker turn as there is an unknown threat that hangs over the whole film like an unsettling cloud - of course, if you are familiar with The Lord of the Rings then you know where the story is leading and what that threat is, but that doesn’t stop if from being terribly effective.
The threats are more real and come thick and fast with giant spiders, battling elves, orcs on the hunt for blood. There is less humour and banter between the dwarves this time around, as the road become more and more dangerous and the stakes become higher. All this is builds up to the inevitable confrontation with Smaug.
We only got glimpses of Smaug in the first film, but now we see this character in all of his glory, and he really is a fearsome thing to behold.
Jackson at the team at Weta have worked their magic once again to create another unforgettable film character; I cannot stress enough how wonderful this character looks.
Visually, The Desolation of Smaug is a step up from the first film, and that is largely thanks to the creation of Smaug. Benedict Cumberbatch’s unmistakable voice really does give a real weight to everything that this character says; this voice casting really is spot on.
There are fine performances throughout; we see a more courageous Bilbo, Thorin who is driven by the desire to succeed, as well as a more hands on action side to Gandalf; but it really is Smaug who steals the show.
We do see a very different side to Bilbo this time around, as he has fund his courage as well as his place amongst the dwarves; he really is one of the company in this latest instalment. Thorin will have one of the most interesting journeys as he is still driven and haunted by the past and his duty. The third and final instalment is really where will see this character come into his own - and I cannot wait to see it.
The elves are also a fantastic addition to the film as Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) make a fantastic fighting duo. The pair of them have great action set piece after great action set piece; and while neither feature in the book, you never feel that their presence in the film is forced into the story in any way.
There has always been some debate about whether or not The Hobbit should be made into three movies and if the lengthy run time of the first two instalments is a little bit overboard. I however, happen to like Jackson’s slow pacing as it has really given time for the audience to get to know these characters and feel like you are on a journey with them.
Squeezed into two movies we would have seen key moments cut down and that would have been a major shame. The scene where Bilbo comes face to face with Smaug for the first time is truly a wonderful moment as they try to outwit one another. To have seen that scene cut down or rushed because of time constraints would have been a major shame.
Just with Lord of the Rings, Jackson has given this story room to breath, and in doing so has made the story and the character fuller and richer; we are now truly invested in Bilbo, Thorin and co, and that can be nothing but a good thing.
As Jackson gets closer to the end of this new film the pace quickens and quickens as he builds up to what is set to be an epic climax in There And Back Again; the Battle of Five Armies promises to be one of the biggest movie moments of 2014.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug really is a more exciting and action packed movie that sees everything from the story, visuals, action, tension, atmosphere and characters taken up a notch. It is one of the best blockbusters that I have seen this year and it has well and truly lived up to my expectations.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is out now.
Tagged in The Hobbit