Any great journey is filled with its own trials and tribulations. Peter Jackson’s second installment of the Hobbit series is not immune to this rule.
“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” takes our hero, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), even further from his beloved Shire, and the plot, a little further from the beloved children’s book by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Picking up where “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” left off, the second installment of the series finds our band of dwarves along with the wizard, and hobbit, still being pursued by an angry band of orcs as they make their way closer to the Lonely Mountain…and the dragon and treasure that lie within.
Fans of the book will find that the story, more or less, follows the same basic plot as the book. Although, Jackson likes to throw in bits from other Tolkien works.
Gandalf’s story is greatly expanded, as we see the darkness that threatens Middle-earth in the Lord of the Rings, slowly start to gain strength. Of course, any deviance from the story is forgiven when the dwarves and Bilbo finally make it to the Lonely Mountain, and come face to face with Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch).
The stunning animation combined with the eerie, smoky voice of Benedict Cumberbatch, creates one of those moments that reminds all of us film lovers why we love the movies.
To put it even more plainly, the rest of the film could be as dull as watching paint dry, and it would still be worth seeing in theaters for the wow factor of Smaug. Warning, if you see it in 3D, you may have to fight the urge to seek shelter under your seat.
Of course, the rest of the film has its redeeming moments too.
Martin Freeman continues to prove that he was the perfect choice to play Bilbo Baggins. While others may have done a halfway decent job of bringing the character to the silver screen, he is Bilbo.
And on that note, there’s Ian McKellan as Gandalf. Well, it wouldn’t be Middle-earth without McKellan’s gray wizard.
It would be remiss of me to not mention the extraordinary dwarf ensemble. Led by Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, they may not be as elegant as elves, or as fresh faced as hobbits, but this crew of unlikely heroes has proved to be just as endearing and entertaining.
The film also sees the return of Lord of the Rings favorite, Orlando Bloom, who reprises his role as Legolas. He’s joined by series newcomer, Evangeline Lilly, who plays the elven captain of the guard, Tauriel. While she may be playing a character not created Tolkien, Lilly adds a breath of fresh air to the film, and a much-needed feminine touch in a male dominated cast.
The film stays true to its predecessors’ epic scale, and the Middle-earth that Jackson has created. While it may stray from the world created by Tolkien, you can’t help but look forward to what adventures still lie in store for our final journey to Middle-earth in “The Hobbit: There and Back Again.”
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Countdown to Christmas Day 20:
…just for fun:
