Credible Credits
Year: 2013
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Orlando Bloom, and more dwarves than anyone can keep track of
Tagline: N/A
Synopsis: Bilbo, Thorin, and the rest of the dwarves continue their quest to reclaim Erebor whilst Gandalf sets off on a journey of his own.
Synopsis: Bilbo, Thorin, and the rest of the dwarves continue their quest to reclaim Erebor whilst Gandalf sets off on a journey of his own.
Review
Yes, I have actually read The Hobbit. It has been a number of years, though, so I don't remember all the details. My main recollection is that the dwarves got captured a lot and Bilbo/Gandalf rescued them a lot. The films have certainly been true to that aspect of the story.
I'll admit, I was a bit surprised when it was announced that The Hobbit was going to be split into not two but three movies. And they are not short movies either. But, for the most part, The Desolation of Smaug doesn't feel too long. I love Jackson's interpretation of Tolkien's world and enjoy the time I get to spend there. The scenery is astounding -- both the real places and the ornate sets. Both Thranduil's elven kingdom and the dwarf kingdom Erebor have an epic grandeur to them that is unique to the culture and temperaments of their occupants. Every place characters visit feels different, which just makes this world feel that much more real.
I think Desolation of Smaug is an improvement upon the first film. It keeps the pace going nicely and has some terrific action sequences (like the river chase). There were a few minutes when it felt like it started to lag. But not many.
While the film is mostly true to the book, Peter Jackson has certainly taken some liberties: some to round out the story more and others to tie it in more to Lord of the Rings. Most of the subplots with Gandalf, Radagast, and the Necromancer are additions. And I think they work. In the book, the Necromancer is only mentioned briefly and we are told little if anything about what Gandalf was up to when he left the dwarves. In the book it felt a little bit like a plot device to make things more difficult for the dwarves. But Jackson has used it to greater effect.
I was a little nervous when I first learned that Legolas would be in the film, since he is not in the book whatsoever. But then I learned he is the son of Thranduil, king of the woodland elves that the dwarves have a run in with. That seemed like decent justification. And Legolas is indeed put to good use. Tauriel, who is completely made up for the films, is another interesting character. She's a fun addition who manages to bring some much needed heart and conscience to the woodland elves. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about her subplot though. I guess we'll see how it plays out in the third film.
The very best part of the film is Smaug. As dragons go, he is stupendous (to borrow Bilbo's description). Benedict Cumberbatch is utterly brilliant as the voice: equal parts intelligent and menacing. He also did motion capture to make Smaug's facial movements and expressions more realistic. I love the way his chest and throat begin to glow before he breathes fire. The whole scene in the treasure room with Smaug and Bilbo is terrific. Speaking of Bilbo, Martin Freeman continues to do an excellent job as the titular hobbit. He is clever, witty, and optimistic. But it is also interesting to watch as the One Ring does begin to affect him.
As the middle part of a trilogy, Desolation of Smaug does a pretty good job. It isn't nearly as strong as, say, The Two Towers (which is the film that turned me into a Lord of the Rings fan). But it carries the story along and builds things up for the finale. Sadly, we have another 11 months to wait before the Battle of Five Armies.
I'll admit, I was a bit surprised when it was announced that The Hobbit was going to be split into not two but three movies. And they are not short movies either. But, for the most part, The Desolation of Smaug doesn't feel too long. I love Jackson's interpretation of Tolkien's world and enjoy the time I get to spend there. The scenery is astounding -- both the real places and the ornate sets. Both Thranduil's elven kingdom and the dwarf kingdom Erebor have an epic grandeur to them that is unique to the culture and temperaments of their occupants. Every place characters visit feels different, which just makes this world feel that much more real.
I think Desolation of Smaug is an improvement upon the first film. It keeps the pace going nicely and has some terrific action sequences (like the river chase). There were a few minutes when it felt like it started to lag. But not many.
While the film is mostly true to the book, Peter Jackson has certainly taken some liberties: some to round out the story more and others to tie it in more to Lord of the Rings. Most of the subplots with Gandalf, Radagast, and the Necromancer are additions. And I think they work. In the book, the Necromancer is only mentioned briefly and we are told little if anything about what Gandalf was up to when he left the dwarves. In the book it felt a little bit like a plot device to make things more difficult for the dwarves. But Jackson has used it to greater effect.
I was a little nervous when I first learned that Legolas would be in the film, since he is not in the book whatsoever. But then I learned he is the son of Thranduil, king of the woodland elves that the dwarves have a run in with. That seemed like decent justification. And Legolas is indeed put to good use. Tauriel, who is completely made up for the films, is another interesting character. She's a fun addition who manages to bring some much needed heart and conscience to the woodland elves. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about her subplot though. I guess we'll see how it plays out in the third film.
The very best part of the film is Smaug. As dragons go, he is stupendous (to borrow Bilbo's description). Benedict Cumberbatch is utterly brilliant as the voice: equal parts intelligent and menacing. He also did motion capture to make Smaug's facial movements and expressions more realistic. I love the way his chest and throat begin to glow before he breathes fire. The whole scene in the treasure room with Smaug and Bilbo is terrific. Speaking of Bilbo, Martin Freeman continues to do an excellent job as the titular hobbit. He is clever, witty, and optimistic. But it is also interesting to watch as the One Ring does begin to affect him.
As the middle part of a trilogy, Desolation of Smaug does a pretty good job. It isn't nearly as strong as, say, The Two Towers (which is the film that turned me into a Lord of the Rings fan). But it carries the story along and builds things up for the finale. Sadly, we have another 11 months to wait before the Battle of Five Armies.
Quotable Quotes
- "I am fire ... I am death." -- Smaug
- "I ... found something in the goblin tunnels." "What did you find?" "My courage." "Good. You'll need it." -- Bilbo and Gandalf
- "When did we allow evil to become stronger than us?" -- Tauriel
- "What have we done?" -- Bilbo
ISFS
"What have we done?" - fulfilled a prophecy. Beautifully written Jennifer!
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