The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) - Movie Review

One year after its first instalment, Peter Jackson brings us the second part of his The Hobbit trilogy, entitled The Desolation of Smaug. This is the film everyone wanted to see. Who cares about Gollum when you have Smaug the dragon – the most impressive dragon anyone could tackle on the big screen.

Whilst this film deviates from the book in many ways, it adds a fresh perspective and a bit more detail to the journey of Bilbo, Gandalf and the Dwarves, and fills in as to why Gandalf is absent for large amounts of the original book, as well as including old favourites such as Legolas.

The story begins where the last film left off, with Bilbo, Gandalf and Dwarves being hunted down by Azog and the Orcs (absent in the novel) as they get closer to the Lonely Mountain. However, it becomes clear that a great evil known as the Necromancer is rising to power (which is essentially bringing Sauron back from the dead to lead into The Lord of the Rings trilogy). Along the way they encounter Beyorn, the elves of Mirkwood and they journey through Lake Town.

The added elements to the film allows for characters to be split up and interact with other characters, which benefits the huge list of characters in this one film alone.

An interesting element is the inclusion of Tauriel, played by Evangeline Lilly, as she is not in any of Tolkien’s works and is a creation of Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. This makes the cast seem a little more diverse, as the book posses no main female characters whatsoever, and it’s great to see another strong female character that isn’t there for screaming at Orcs and dragons and goblins, although the inclusion of Legolas as well seems to be only there as fan-bait. However, the inclusion of both elves allows for some spectacularly choreographed action sequences, adding to the many others in this film. From the barrel sequence to Legolas and Tauriel fighting the spiders of Mirkwood, it’s all inspiring stuff.

Easily the biggest attraction for this film is Smaug the Dragon, played by big-name Benedict Cumberbatch, although any Sherlock in-jokes with Martin Freeman are absent. Smaug is the biggest and best Dragon to come onto the big or small screen ever. The Hungarian Horntail from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire might as well sit in a corner and cry at Benedict Cumberbatch in Dragon form (and Necromancer form as well). His voice is barely recogniseable as Smaug, which modulation effects added to it, although it is still impressive. These scenes are the highlight of both Hobbit films, as Bilbo Baggins tries to escape the huge beast and reclaim the Arkenstone in a sea of gold, silver and bronze. Martin Freeman looks truly terrified of the creature, which manages to get audiences to empathise with a chap with a curly wig and feet extensions. Cumberbatch is the voice you will remember from this.

The whole cast is great overall, but some highlights include Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel, Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman, Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins and a credits has to be given to Stephen Fry, who essentially plays a nastier, Middle-Earth version of Melchett from Blackadder as the Master of Lake-Town.

Everything impresses with this movie, and seeing it is IMAX is a real treat for the eyes with amazing 3D effects and spectacular Visual FX. The sound design can also be truly appreciated through IMAX, especially the scenes is Erebor with Smaug.

It’s clear that The Desolation of Smaug is a highlight from this year, going up against the likes of Gravity, and however you do watch it, its best that you watch it in the best quality you can.

If the exciting cliff-hanger ending isn’t enough to sell the tickets for the next film, than I don’t know what is. 10/10