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For some, 2012's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was a tough sell. Even though this reviewer loved it, some folks did not care for its prolonged runtime or lighter disposition, as they had hoped for something more in the vein of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, it did have a few flaws, most of which are thankfully corrected for 2013's The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. This is a marvellous action-adventure epic, a crowd-pleasing continuation of Jackson's second Middle-earth trilogy that's smoother than its forerunner. It might still be bloated, and the jury is still out on whether or not The Hobbit needed to be a trilogy, but The Desolation of Smaug is a satisfying sit nevertheless.
The Desolation of Smaug picks up right where its predecessor ended, finding hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), dwarf Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), and the Company of Dwarves on their way to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim the city of Erebor from vicious dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch). Battling orcs and giant spiders, the group also encounter a congregation of lukewarm Wood Elves, with warriors Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) reluctant to trust the dwarves. In their time of need, the heroes are also assisted by Laketown boatman Bard (Luke Evans) as they push ahead to the Lonely Mountain. The success of their quest ultimately depends on Bilbo, though, who's given the intimidating task of sneaking into Smaug's lair to steal the precious Arkenstone.
If there's anything about The Desolation of Smaug that doesn't entirely work, it's the love triangle between Legolas, Tauriel and dwarf Kili (Aiden Turner), which was reportedly added at the behest of the studio once the decision was made to split The Hobbit into three parts. It's not a deal-breaker, but it fails to justify its existence in the grand scheme of things, stifling the pace in an already fairly lengthy adventure. However, thankfully, the rest of the narrative does not seem as extraneous, with character development and side plots that feel essential, making for a cohesive story and developing narrative threads that will no doubt pay off in the third instalment. Most significantly, the film allows Gandalf to further explore the murmurs that Sauron is returning. In the book, Tolkien sent Gandalf out of the picture to do undisclosed wizard stuff whenever he wanted the dwarves to encounter a dangerous situation that would be much less intense with Gandalf to help, hence him exploring the origins of Sauron's re-emergence makes sense and ties into the Lord of the Rings movies without feeling forced.
The Desolation of Smaug is a darker movie than its bright, colourful predecessor, with Jackson and co. achieving a grimmer aesthetic more in line with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The light-hearted tone of An Unexpected Journey is gone, and there are no songs, not to mention the amusing dwarf antics are dialled down as the story shifts into weightier territory. The Desolation of Smaug is peppered with set-pieces, moving from location to location to take advantage of the many sights of Middle-earth. Suffice it to say, production values continue to impress, with gorgeous technical specs across the board which are somewhat improved since the last outing. (Although there are a few low quality Go-Pro shots during a river scene, which stick out like a sore thumb and take you out of the movie.) It's unclear whether the digital effects have improved a hundredfold or Jackson used make-up this time, but the orcs look better here, and the battle sequences in general carry a more grounded disposition compared to the over-the-top opulence of the first flick. One of the standout set-pieces is the much-publicised barrel-riding sequence; it's fantastic, with a perfect sense of fluidity and exhilaration.
Without a doubt, though, Jackson saves the best for last - the climactic showdown with Smaug is something else entirely. Similar to the spellbinding game of riddles with Gollum in An Unexpected Journey, Bilbo's encounter with the fearsome dragon is the best scene of this new trilogy so far. Smaug is a terrifying creation, superbly-designed and executed with miraculous CGI. Voiced and performed by Cumberbatch, his dialogue is colourful and witty, and he owns the screen for every frame in which he appears. It's enthralling to watch his back-and-forth with Bilbo, and the action-heavy conclusion wows with its splendid visual intricacy and wonderful sense of tension. Indeed, after sufficient build-up in which Jackson establishes what's at stake and lets us get to know the ensemble of characters, the climax is a true showstopper.
As with its immediate predecessor, The Desolation of Smaug is presented in 3-D at 48 frames per second. Like An Unexpected Journey, the 3-D is nice but inessential, and the high frame rate presentation is more of a curiosity than a requirement. The smoothest way to view the movie is in 2-D and regular old 24 frames per second, especially since The Lord of the Rings did perfectly fine without the extra gimmicks.
Although this trilogy is called The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins becomes more of a supporting player for the proceedings here, allowing Thorin to do most of the dramatic heavy lifting. Nevertheless, Freeman's performance as Bilbo remains hugely endearing, and you feel his fear and apprehension when he encounters Smaug. Cumberbatch and Freeman also co-star together on the TV series Sherlock, thus it's a unique novelty to see the actors bantering in this context. The Desolation of Smaug brings back a familiar face as well, with Orlando Bloom returning as the arrow-zipping Legolas. The character was not in the book, but his presence feels organic to this adaptation of the story, amplifying the sense of continuity between the trilogies. Meanwhile, Evangeline Lilly is a solid newcomer to the cast, and her character of Tauriel - who is a completely original creation - is a nice inclusion. Other newcomers include Luke Evans and Stephen Fry, while the returning actors make a positive impression, too. Indeed, Richard Armitage remains a passionate Thorin, and the irreplaceable McKellen is a wonderfully warm Gandalf.
Admittedly, by the end of The Desolation of Smaug, not a great deal of narrative material has been covered, but Middle-earth is such a rich backdrop for an action-adventure, and Jackson colours in the broad strokes with lively set-pieces and some welcome character moments (the film opens with an interesting flashback, and at various points we get the sense that the One Ring is beginning to take its toll on Bilbo). For a flick running almost three hours, it really hauls ass, and the pace rarely slows down, not to mention the showdown with Smaug is one of the best things you will see all year. The Desolation of Smaug is primo entertainment, and it concludes with a breathtaking cliffhanger for the next chapter.
8.9/10
