The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) Directed by Peter Jackson. Starring: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage. IMDB says: “The dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.”
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug picks up directly where An Unexpected Journey left off. We find Bilbo, Gandolf, and the Dwarves heading toward the Dwarves’ kingdom in the Lonely Mountain. Besides picking up in the middle, the film follows a similar layout where the group of journeyers move through different ominous paths and towns. You are introduced to more of the world and the characters and also get to see more of Bilbo and The Ring in action.
This film tells the middle part of a trilogy, so the film itself doesn’t necessarily have a beginning and an end. In fact, the story leaves off in a cliffhanger. This does not prevent the movie from feeling like an complete experience, however. It is still an enjoyable watch and offers plenty in terms of story and character development, as well as introducing a few more characters that appeared in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
In The Desolation of Smaug, we finally get to meet the dragon himself. The effects on Smaug look great. Benedict Cumberbatch not only supplied the voice of Smaug, but also did motion capture for the creature. Both of his contributions were fantastic. The voice and actions match up perfectly, allowing the dragon to appear very lifelike and detailed. The introduction of Smaug on the screen was impressive.
I had just as much fun watching this film as I did watching An Unexpected Journey. And after watching the sequel, I am now more excited for There And Back Again. The movie still feels fresh even after one and two-thirds trilogies. After this many grand films, Peter Jackson is still able to keep me enthralled in the adventure of these beloved books.
