The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

9

98ocarinaFeb 8, 2014

An improvement from last time, this is a Middle Earth movie no fan should skip! Better story, action and a crazy cliffhanger. The addition of the new characters that were not in the book is also a welcome addition.

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9

Rob7309Mar 7, 2014

Simply put, I loved this movie. I was surprised to hear the number of people say they were disappointed in the first movie, but I think those that were will not be will this installment. Although Jackson takes some creative liberties, ISimply put, I loved this movie. I was surprised to hear the number of people say they were disappointed in the first movie, but I think those that were will not be will this installment. Although Jackson takes some creative liberties, I believe they were for making a better movie than just straight up adapting the book.… Expand

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9

Jbles303Dec 25, 2013

Peter Jackson has done it yet again. If you find yourself uninterested by the movie experience Mr. Jackson continues to create for his viewers, ignore all of that and at least see Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug for the visual effects. YouPeter Jackson has done it yet again. If you find yourself uninterested by the movie experience Mr. Jackson continues to create for his viewers, ignore all of that and at least see Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug for the visual effects. You will not be disappointed.… Expand

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10

morty20Dec 23, 2013

I watched the first movie. it was great. I watched desolation of smaug. IT WAS AWESOME! i love the movie. I love everything about it. Go out and watch this movie. it's worth it. I'm fire... i'm death! -smaug

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7

bm2759Jan 15, 2014

The Desolation of Smaug is a little less boring than the previous instalment, but it’s really no better in terms of craft and narrative. There is one inspired action sequence in which the dwarves and Bilbo escape from the elves in barrels.The Desolation of Smaug is a little less boring than the previous instalment, but it’s really no better in terms of craft and narrative. There is one inspired action sequence in which the dwarves and Bilbo escape from the elves in barrels. This sequence recalls Jackson’s King Kong set pieces where he just builds ideas on top of ideas into an extended adventure. And that’s it. Then it’s all back to normal.

Whilst the Lord of the Rings were Oscar-winning technical marvels, the biggest issue I have with this and Journey is that the story is so mundane that we’re left looking for a visual “wow” factor, and it’s not there. The barrel sequence was so clever, I didn’t care how the effects looked. The generic archery and dragon hunting wasn’t creatively captivating, and it certainly wasn’t visually so.

Overall it's entertaining and it's quite obvious the source material is so short that the crew had no choice but to embellish on the story. And add plenty of visual effects as filler to prolong this story across three films.

If you seek an absolutely 100% accurate book to film translation you will be unhappy. But if you want to be entertained and can overlook this you'll have a nice time.… Expand

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6

spollardFeb 25, 2014

It was an improvement from the previous installment but continues to lack memorable characters due to a shortfall in character development creating no emotional attachment to any of the dwarfs travelling with Bilbo Baggins. However, theIt was an improvement from the previous installment but continues to lack memorable characters due to a shortfall in character development creating no emotional attachment to any of the dwarfs travelling with Bilbo Baggins. However, the visuals are amazing it is much more action packed compared to the first one giving it a final score of 64.6 out of 100.… Expand

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9

Movie1997Dec 25, 2013

I remember reviewing "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" back in March of this review. It was my very first review on this website. After watching this sequel I got to say, WOW! "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" is surprisingly betterI remember reviewing "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" back in March of this review. It was my very first review on this website. After watching this sequel I got to say, WOW! "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" is surprisingly better than the first in most ways, even though I loved the first one, the story, the pacing, the action is all just jumped up a notch. It's filled with great performances, especially Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug! What a great year for that guy! Overall, "The Desolation of Smaug" is a much more action-packed well told better paced middle earth story. The only flaw I had was a little bit of inconsistency! That's it! Other than that, it's one heck of a ride and I can't wait for "The Hobbit: There and Back Again!" I give this epic an A!… Expand

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9

jimnybillybobFeb 5, 2014

Felt like I had to add a review firstly because this is a very good film and also to counter the childish fools who gave this film a below 7, honestly people should grow up and enjoy the film for what it is and yes of course it's not as goodFelt like I had to add a review firstly because this is a very good film and also to counter the childish fools who gave this film a below 7, honestly people should grow up and enjoy the film for what it is and yes of course it's not as good as lotr but it still a very good watch, enjoy… Expand

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7

benishereDec 13, 2013

Well, first of it's awesome to be back to Middle Earth as an hard core fan since like half my life. However some parts can be seem as a little too long.

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8

silver497Dec 23, 2013

I've heard a lot of people complaining that this movie sucks because it's not faithful to the novel. This doesn't bother me since film is a completely different artistic medium, and some things will be lost or added. That being said, I reallyI've heard a lot of people complaining that this movie sucks because it's not faithful to the novel. This doesn't bother me since film is a completely different artistic medium, and some things will be lost or added. That being said, I really liked this movie, and thought this was a huge improvement over the first. One of the most impressive things about the movie was they added Legolas and a new Elven character, and it didn't feel shoehorned or forced, it actually made sense. A problem I had with the first film in this trilogy was that the pacing was uneven and all over the place. This one, however, the pacing is consistent for the most part(except for the lake village). While many of the dwarf characters in the first one felt underdeveloped and were more like throwaways than actual characters, many of the dwarves get to shine in this. Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug is sensational. And it looks like Bilbo is beginning to reach his full potential. In conclusion, 2/3s in, I don't think The Hobbit trilogy will ever reach the heights of the masterful Lord of the Rings, I can still enjoy the ride, especially The Desolation of Smaug. 8/10… Expand

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8

PStakhivDec 18, 2013

Outstanding acting mixed with high quality CGI makes it's action scenes to become new benchmark! The movie isn't perfect, but still Second installment of Hobbit series is the best action movie if 2013, period.

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7

genericusenameJan 12, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Minor spoilers. It's a solid movie but is also the weakest of Jackson's Tolkien adaptations. There were some very good scenes, such as the escape scene and the Beorn sequence. However, there were some very weak scenes involving Tauriel. The character just didn't work. I've been fine with most of Jackson's deviations in the other movies. However, the addition of Tauriel and the big changes in Smaug's scenes bothered me quite a bit. I still found the movie to be enjoyable, but it's far from Jackson's best work.… Expand

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7

Prodigy2013Jan 1, 2014

It feels like just yesterday I was mulling at my disappointment with ‘An Unexpected Journey’ and its fall from the graces of ‘The Lord of the Rings Trilogy’; however has Peter Jackson got back his mojo? Probably not; but I must say this wasIt feels like just yesterday I was mulling at my disappointment with ‘An Unexpected Journey’ and its fall from the graces of ‘The Lord of the Rings Trilogy’; however has Peter Jackson got back his mojo? Probably not; but I must say this was quite improvement and it seems as if he’s striving to return to the glory of the first trilogy. ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ was an exciting "little" epic and it feels much more purposeful than the first film. The story continues with the band of dwarves on their journey to reclaim the Misty Mountain, which was overrun by the vain and cruel Dragon named, Smaug (perfectly voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch). Of course, along the way, they encounter a great deal of danger which... of course, was engineered to the finest degree. The action sequences did run for too long in many instances, but they were creatively staged; and Jackson and his legions visual effects specialists continue their win streak in this department. One aspect that falls utterly short was the length and enormity of the film; which doesn't match the scope of the relatively small story. A sentiment I also expressed with the first installment, though to a lesser degree, here. This time around the film was filled with too many neat gimmicks (take Legolas’ inclusion as an example) and uninspired subplots, such as the Elven-Dwarf love triangle. Thankfully these stumbles did not do much damage to the main story line, which is setting up dominoes for an epic conclusion, but they do highlight flaws in the screenwriting department. These things aside, ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ was an entertaining, visually appetizing film; that should please fans of the original trilogy and newer followers, if even solely for its pure level of charm.… Expand

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9

kykinsonDec 23, 2013

The movie is just amazing! it has the mix of action,adventure and fun! It makes me wanna watch the Lord of the Rings again! Really amazing everyone should see this!

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8

WorstReviewsJan 18, 2014

Maybe Peter Jacksons money, and quest for the oversized adventure has got to his head. Nonetheless, I loved this film. It's such a major improvement over An Unexpected Journey, I don't even want to talk about that peice of crap. I feel moreMaybe Peter Jacksons money, and quest for the oversized adventure has got to his head. Nonetheless, I loved this film. It's such a major improvement over An Unexpected Journey, I don't even want to talk about that peice of crap. I feel more like this should be similar to that of the trilogy and thats what makes it amazing. If Peter would've done this with An Unexpected Journey they would've made alot more money on this film. overall major improvement, 8/10 Great.… Expand

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6

dtlDec 21, 2013

Far better than its predecessor in almost every way, DoS is still not a great movie, but it is a great spectacle. I thought the CGI and 3D effect were very well done here, and the few times I particularly noticed the work they did on theFar better than its predecessor in almost every way, DoS is still not a great movie, but it is a great spectacle. I thought the CGI and 3D effect were very well done here, and the few times I particularly noticed the work they did on the sound, it was impressive. Smaug was definitely a highlight for the movie being impressively rendered and voiced in a manner that made him seem very powerful.

Neither the story nor the characters were a strong point for the movie, but both were executed better than before, and the movie didn't need those aspects to shine for it to be worth watching. If you are interested, watch it. If you aren't interested, you aren't missing much.… Expand

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5

Dimitris01Jan 3, 2014

The various scenery, 3d effects and direction of action scenes are great but the story is an inconsistent mixture of action, drama and comedy which lasts too long. Also, the characters keep making illogical decisions, there is no sense ofThe various scenery, 3d effects and direction of action scenes are great but the story is an inconsistent mixture of action, drama and comedy which lasts too long. Also, the characters keep making illogical decisions, there is no sense of danger for anyone of them and Smaug behaves like an idiot.
argonautis.eu… Expand

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10

eli9494Dec 20, 2013

This movie was the best yet out of all the tolkien based movies jackson has done! A very long movie like all of them have been, but never felt like it. Constantly something happening, multiple story lines, and when they finally meet Smaug,This movie was the best yet out of all the tolkien based movies jackson has done! A very long movie like all of them have been, but never felt like it. Constantly something happening, multiple story lines, and when they finally meet Smaug, all I have to say is wow. I thought it was one of the best movies i've ever seen, and I can't wait for the third and final hobbit movie. I am curious how the film will be, as basically the sequels are not sequels they are merely breaks cause an audience wouldn't sit through a 9 hour movie (hell I would if it was this lol) anyway go see it. some people are saying it doesn't follow the book, I have never read the book, but regardless great movie whether it followed the book or not.… Expand

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4

zwedizhfizhDec 28, 2013

Book inconsistencies alone would have rendered this film a 7, for me it is the low quality CGI in the final fight scenes between Smaug and the Dwarves/Bilbo (maybe the 3D makes it less noticeable? I saw the film in classic 2D, as most viewersBook inconsistencies alone would have rendered this film a 7, for me it is the low quality CGI in the final fight scenes between Smaug and the Dwarves/Bilbo (maybe the 3D makes it less noticeable? I saw the film in classic 2D, as most viewers would at home), the inconsistencies with on-screen action (apparently, the average movie goer can't count barrels correctly), and the consistent mispronunciation of Smaug. It's quite obviously "smog", I don't see why it couldn't be like that in the film. This is similar to the mispronunciation of Aang as "ong" in the Avatar movie, it's wildly noticeable and degrades the experience. Overall, this has to be the weakest film in the series, designed only to make money on sub-par writing and inane extension of the middle bits. I left this film feeling only dread for the fate of the series, though I did find some enjoyment in the added story bits. This and my love of the original films are the only things holding this film from a lower score in my own personal view.… Expand

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9

MattyJMApr 13, 2014

WOW!
Just as good as the first one, maybe even surpasses it by the plain fact of there being a dragon in it! I recommend this movie to ANYONE and EVERYONE! If your the kind of moviegoer that enjoys action, fantasy, battles and things beingWOW!
Just as good as the first one, maybe even surpasses it by the plain fact of there being a dragon in it! I recommend this movie to ANYONE and EVERYONE! If your the kind of moviegoer that enjoys action, fantasy, battles and things being killed then this is the movie for you!… Expand

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5

cidgrad01Dec 30, 2013

At the end of the first movie, Peter Jackson had me believing he could successfully stretch this story into a trilogy. After watching this one, I can say he has failed. He should have made this film an hour shorter and ended it in the sameAt the end of the first movie, Peter Jackson had me believing he could successfully stretch this story into a trilogy. After watching this one, I can say he has failed. He should have made this film an hour shorter and ended it in the same place or kept the same length and wrapped up the series in two movies. As it stands, the Desolation of Smaug feels like butter scraped over too much bread.

This one is long, boring and inserts many pointless scenes not found in the novel. I thought just about everything Jackson inserted into the LotR movies was brilliant and appropriate for a film adaptation. Not so, here. There are a lot of strange decisions.

First of all, the journey through Mirkwood, one of the most memorable parts of the novel is breezed through in about ten minutes with much of its story cut out or altered. And in a departure from Jackson’s other Tolkien movies, how he depicts Mirkwood does not at all match how I had envisioned it.

Then there is too much time spent attempting to develop a romance between Kili the dwarf & the invented female elf character so Bilbo’s rescue of the dwarves feels rushed. We get to the barrel scene, which is fun but goes on too long (like the movie itself). I got quite tired of the orc pack continually hunting the group, especially all the way to Lake Town. They introduced the Pale Orc to give some backstory to this guy who is hunting Thorin, they have this pack of orcs continually chasing the dwarves & Bilbo, but now they are being led by…another pale orc? It was an interesting plot device in the first film but in the second I think the focus needs to firmly shift to the dwarves & Smaug.

To that end, there is far too much discussion of Sauron going on. Little references such as the first film had are fine but so many people talk about Sauron so often in this one that it loses its grip on what the main story is. A dark power is rising somewhere to the East, you say? Uh, yeah. I know. I already watched three very long films all about that very subject. And how is this going to end where all of these people know Sauron is “preparing for war” but 60 years later (in Fellowship) Gandalf is leisurely attending Bilbo’s birthday party and is caught off guard by his return?

I had hoped Jackson would develop the character of the Necromancer more since he is only vaguely referenced in the novel. I won’t spoil the details of how this plays out, but let’s just say it was unsatisfying and further muddies the waters of what the main story is.

A few more disappointments: the decision to have several dwarves left in Lake town is quite odd. An excuse to show yet more elf stuff with Legolas and whats-her-name, I suppose, but I had my fill of that during the barrel chase scene (not to mention the first three LotR movies). Bilbo all but completely disappears for the very long middle part of the film, too. You almost forget about him entirely until the party reaches the door on the mountain. And the whole chase through Erebor was a silly waste of time that, once again, did not happen in the novel. I half expected to hear the Benny Hill theme music start playing.

There are some things the film does right, most notably the scene of Bilbo entering Erabor alone and climbing on the massive piles of treasure and his initial confrontation with Smaug. Like the other high points of the film, though, it takes a sour turn before long. You’ll quickly grow tired of the environment between Bilbo’s extended “I can almost reach the Arkenstone…aw, I missed it again!” sequence and the mindless chase through the halls after that.

Which brings me to the terrible, atrocious ending. Again, I won’t spoil anything other than to say it’s the most shameless hook for a sequel setup since the Matrix Reloaded.

Overall the Desolation of Smaug is a film with an incredibly short attention span that seems intent on reminding you about Jackson’s LotR movies instead of standing on its own. If characters aren’t breathlessly whispering about Sauron and dropping leaden references to a coming war, Legolas is flitting about like he did in the other trilogy. We even had to revisit the town of Bree and the Prancing Pony in this film, for goodness sake. So my initial instinct was correct: there is simply not enough in the story of the Hobbit to warrant three movies. Hopefully the third will be much better and henceforth I’ll just skip the second if I ever rewatch the series. I cannot imagine willingly watching the Desolation of Smaug again and become somewhat queasy at the thought of a special, extended version of it.… Expand

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8

Jack_SunshineDec 24, 2013

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There was a time, during the early years of the twenty first century, when each December would herald a new Lord of the Rings (alongside a new Harry Potter film and maybe a Star Wars, if we were lucky). The height of this lasted only as long as the three years over which Peter Jackson’s original trilogy were released, but was already becoming something of a tradition.

With ITV serialising Harry Potter over the Christmas period, and a brand new epic trilogy in the Hunger Games series coinciding with the release of The Hobbit, it really does feel like it did all those years ago. Certainly, Peter Jackson wants to do it all over again, and why not? It’s a treat to indulge in almost three hours of fantasy on the big screen, and there can be no denying that The Hobbit is indulgent.

Much has been made of the seemingly unnecessary decision to stretch a meagre prequel out to the length of the epic three-book Lord of the Rings trilogy. Strictly speaking, this series rounds out Peter Jackson’s version of Middle Earth as both an adaptation of The Hobbit and the numerous appendices and preambles that were cut from The Lord of the Rings.

It’s been a long time since I read The Hobbit so long, in fact, that it may have been read to me by my parents. I can’t quite remember what‘s original, and what’s just filler, but these films are ticking all the boxes for me. Last year had the encounter with trolls and Bilbo’s riddles with Gollum, and this time around we visit the foreboding gloom of Mirkwood, the distant settlement of Laketown (where Stephen Fry appears as the greedy master) and the lair of the dragon Smaug.

The star of these films as always been the visual effects and epic scope, and this instalment is no exception. CGI spectacle integrates seamlessly into the breathtaking New Zealand landscape. While largely flawless, some of the green screen shots are regrettably obvious, and the final sequence, involving much molten gold, is decidedly lacklustre.

Martin Freeman shines as the unassuming Bilbo Baggins, who has much greater confidence, a result of both his experiences in the first film and the slow but steady corruption of the ring. Similarly, the deposed king Thorin (Richard Armitage) appears to come under the influence of his lost wealth as the party nears the ocean of gold below the mountain.

New material includes the presence of Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Jackson’s original character Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly, providing the film’s only female lead) who flesh out the scenes in the Elven kingdom and provide some intrigue into the relationships between Elves and Dwarves. They also help drive the film’s most high paced action sequence, the famous barrel escape.

With a hindsight that Tolkien himself was not afforded, the film is tied neatly to Lord of the Rings continuity by Legolas, along with references to his future companion Gimli and the Eye of Sauron. The latter is the focus of an expanded sequence with Gandalf (Ian McKellen, delivering a typically winning performance) in the spooky ruins of the fortress which casts a pall over the surrounding region. The final sequence, a battle with Smaug through ruins of mighty Dwarven industry, provides another thrill ride, and prevents the film from ending with an otherwise unsatisfying cliff hanger.

Inevitably, with thirteen dwarves and one hobbit in the main party (and countless other wizards, elves and humans filling up the story) the cast is too large, and many of the characters slip into the background. Thankfully, Bilbo receives a lengthy scene one-on-one with the film’s most stunning special effect, the dragon Smaug, voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. The performance drips with ham and cheese and the beast occupies every inch of the cinema screen.

So while this film strays occasionally into overblown fantasy dialogue, and it can be a challenge to keep up with all the characters and everything that’s going on, this is an enjoyable, if lengthy movie, at least the equal of its predecessor.… Expand

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9

pescetarianDec 29, 2013

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The first encounter of Master Bilbo and Smaug was suspenseful... no sooner had Smaug cornered the ever elusive hobbit, even while sporting his precious ring which these days the so-called burglar has grown quite accustomed to wearing, the dragon got respect... not just the bling bling.

Smaug wasn't another stereotypical Hollywood lizard with wings (sorry Sean Connery)... it spoke with eloquence, with a hint of aristocratic English accent... like an intelligent psychopathic killer that craves death without a hint of remorse... ancient evil certainly lurks in the darker world of Tolkien.

The dwarf/dragon hide n' seek in the cave quickly became redundant after knowing Bard awaits at the nearby lake town with his family heirloom, the black arrow... Peter Jackson and his editors should have left that tidbit out until after Smaug stretched out its wings in the twilight to unleash its conscious act of "fire" and "death" upon the lakers.

Aside from this rant... overall, this film is deserving of a spot at the top, near the very first LOTR film... critics' reviews are harsh... those who enjoy epic journeys that capture the imagination would thoroughly enjoy this adventure and will anticipate the sixth and final installment.… Expand

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10

FedelcaJan 9, 2014

El primero en la fila para ver Desolation of Smaug: simplemente impresionante y mejor que la primera entrega. Peter Jackson dirige con éxito este maravilloso spin-off de "El Señor de los Anillos" y le hace un gran honor a los libros deEl primero en la fila para ver Desolation of Smaug: simplemente impresionante y mejor que la primera entrega. Peter Jackson dirige con éxito este maravilloso spin-off de "El Señor de los Anillos" y le hace un gran honor a los libros de Tolkien. Esta película impacta intelectualmente como visualmente, y, para hacer más honores, las escenas épicas de aventuras son impresionantes y divertidas.
La saga de The Hobbit es la mejor aventura épica desde que empezó la década y no me arrepiento en decir que si esta película no es de tu agrado; a mí ni me hables, porque obviamente habitas en un mundo al que yo no estoy interesado. Gran película y merece un 10.… Expand

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9

muntingprinsipeDec 21, 2013

This is way, way better than the first installment. People should really stop comparing it to LOTR because there is nothing we can do to the story of THE HOBBIT. LOTR will always be better in every aspect. I have very high respects for PeterThis is way, way better than the first installment. People should really stop comparing it to LOTR because there is nothing we can do to the story of THE HOBBIT. LOTR will always be better in every aspect. I have very high respects for Peter Jackson and I can really say that without him, all these Middle Earth movies will never ever be the same.… Expand

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7

HayzeDec 22, 2013

Although this movie diverges from the book, Peter Jackson does a great job incorporating a good story that was never introduced by Tolkien. The tie in with Gandalf and "The Necromancer", Bard's background story, and the visually incredibleAlthough this movie diverges from the book, Peter Jackson does a great job incorporating a good story that was never introduced by Tolkien. The tie in with Gandalf and "The Necromancer", Bard's background story, and the visually incredible scene with Smaug and Erebor really shows how well they did with the extra story that was unwritten by Tolkien. Hobbit readers may think it isn't fantastic because it greatly changes from the book, but they did a great job switching the story up and making these other elements work. I even was disappointed with some of the changes, but I took into consideration the viewers that haven't read the book. For them, I believe it is excellent. And finally, was the barrel scene not the coolest display of action that you've seen in awhile? Hands down, one of the most spectacular scenes I have ever witnessed in terms of action.… Expand

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8

HeartanalogDec 25, 2013

Awesome! Not the travel channel version, like the first Hobbit where it could have been just Golum, instead we got hours of sweeping vistas. I got to admit the 3D was very clean, and it payed off when you finally see Smaug! Go see it! Fun forAwesome! Not the travel channel version, like the first Hobbit where it could have been just Golum, instead we got hours of sweeping vistas. I got to admit the 3D was very clean, and it payed off when you finally see Smaug! Go see it! Fun for the whole family!… Expand

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10

aleksasstaJan 9, 2014

I always loved Lord of the rings. This is similar, but has better animations. This second part is much better then the first one because it has a lot more action. I loved th dragon, they made him look and sound awesome.

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8

epocDec 24, 2013

I love the Hobbit, it is my favourite book ever! So I have to say I was a little exasperated at some of the additions to the story that weren't in the book. For example Legolas! WTF? Another one the Kili and elf love scene! WTF? HoweverI love the Hobbit, it is my favourite book ever! So I have to say I was a little exasperated at some of the additions to the story that weren't in the book. For example Legolas! WTF? Another one the Kili and elf love scene! WTF? However that's not to say I hate this movie. In fact I love this movie! All of its elements are strong, with so much attention to detail. The set pieces are marvellous, making me want to live in Middle Earth and roam freely. In all aspects it is an improvement over the last film, which struggled to find its feet. But here it gets straight on course, and the atmosphere is always exciting. Also the film is very well acted, but star of the show is Smaug. Credit to Benidict Cumberbatch, he's dark and installs fear into audiences. The CGI is also fantastic, leading to some amazing visual spectical. The action is great, but takes a different tone to LOTR. Instead of giant battles, the action here involves clever tricks and wit. If these changes weren't here I could of gave this a 10, but I can't.… Expand

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8

FordPrefectDec 17, 2013

Just saw this movie last night and I was blown away! Jackson again keeps the tone lighter than Lord of The Rings and although it makes this a more fun filled adventure it can at times seem out of place. Overall however, this movie is aJust saw this movie last night and I was blown away! Jackson again keeps the tone lighter than Lord of The Rings and although it makes this a more fun filled adventure it can at times seem out of place. Overall however, this movie is a fantastic adventure.… Expand

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10

SythusHDJan 23, 2014

Well i saw the first movie and it was pretty good, not great but i still liked it, when i went to watch the Desolation of Smaug, i loved it and its probably my favorite Middle-Earth based movie, go watch this movie it will blow your mind,Well i saw the first movie and it was pretty good, not great but i still liked it, when i went to watch the Desolation of Smaug, i loved it and its probably my favorite Middle-Earth based movie, go watch this movie it will blow your mind, Smaug is the most real CGI character ever to appear on the big screen.… Expand

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7

ThatReviewGuyDec 15, 2013

You know what? Why the hell not. It's a good movie. It's true to Tolkien's masterpiece in almost every aspect, giving that action spin to keep the 'Murican fashion. The cliffhanger and the Elven-Dwarf romance, though.... God, I almost puked.You know what? Why the hell not. It's a good movie. It's true to Tolkien's masterpiece in almost every aspect, giving that action spin to keep the 'Murican fashion. The cliffhanger and the Elven-Dwarf romance, though.... God, I almost puked. They just put those silly elements in for NO APPARENT REASON. Anyways, it's ok. Give it a spin … Expand

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8

PHJDec 16, 2013

I don't know what to say, this movie is great obviously, by the way there is some problems witch make it worst than the 1fst one, Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug continue and follow correctly the history, and starts badly.

When the movieI don't know what to say, this movie is great obviously, by the way there is some problems witch make it worst than the 1fst one, Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug continue and follow correctly the history, and starts badly.

When the movie self develops it starts to be great, the scene of the river (witch is in the trailer, no spoiler) it's just perfect, the background music, the animation, the especial effects and the theme is great, and you will have more great scenes like this as the movie continues, so about sound track, especial effects, actuation, voiceover, background and history, the movie is great.

I think the point witch everyvbody hates in this movie is the final, but think if you was the director of Hobbit, you have a great triology to make movies, what you can do to obligate the people to continue watching the triology? No finals, you watch a 2:30 hours movie and don't see any final, it's a bad point? Is, but it's good for create an expective for the next Hobbit.

The scenes with Smaug is a little bit confusig, obviouly Bilbo will not kill the dragon alone, so the dwarfs came to help him, and they start to make a trap for Smaug, the movie shows that, but you will know that they are making the trap just when Samug is trapped, so it's confusing.

The strong points of the movie is the beatiful soundtrack and the sounds by it self, the especial effects, the background (witch is in New Zeland, and it's impressive), the great history and how the movie shows the changes of Bilbo, this is nice and a strong point of the movie. Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug is a worthy 8 8.5 movie, I recomend!… Expand

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10

XCactusHDDec 20, 2013

This is the best film i ever seen :D
It has a lot of interesting moments and otheer great stuff,
I do not know why people rate it 62 o.o i had read the book and it was AWESOME. But the film, is something like, god came to the earth andThis is the best film i ever seen :D
It has a lot of interesting moments and otheer great stuff,
I do not know why people rate it 62 o.o
i had read the book and it was AWESOME.
But the film, is something like, god came to the earth and made the hobbit.… Expand

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5

RunicDragonsJan 20, 2014

The Hobbit may be lighter and sillier than The Lord of the Rings, but that's how it's supposed to be. J.R.R Tolkien wrote The Hobbit as a children's book. So it's not quite comparable to The Lord of the Rings.

It's supposed to entertainThe Hobbit may be lighter and sillier than The Lord of the Rings, but that's how it's supposed to be. J.R.R Tolkien wrote The Hobbit as a children's book. So it's not quite comparable to The Lord of the Rings.

It's supposed to entertain rather than to tell a deep story, and that's exactly what Peter Jackson is doing. Now, I do understand why some people might be disappointed by this movie, and to be fair, a part of me kept expecting something as magnificent as LOTR. Sadly, it hasn't reached that point. At least not yet. Who knows, maybe the third installment will blow us all away.… Expand

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7

dougie812Dec 20, 2013

The ending of this movie is cruel. I will leave it at that. This MOVIE is a great adaptation from the BOOK. This installment is not a recreation of the book and they do a great job taking the audience to the Lonely Mountain. To me, theyThe ending of this movie is cruel. I will leave it at that. This MOVIE is a great adaptation from the BOOK. This installment is not a recreation of the book and they do a great job taking the audience to the Lonely Mountain. To me, they carved a great impression of Smaug as something that's wise and unpredictable. The movie has the great cinematic and musical feel that all the other movies share.… Expand

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10

theolambrouDec 21, 2013

great movie, in particular there were scenes that were really chilling; the necromancer vs gandalf scene awesome effects, and of course the dragon scenes

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10

JadProductionsDec 21, 2013

This movie was such a big improvement from the relatively weak not bad) first installment. Every aspect from the action to the dialog has been improved much. Cant wait to see if the last movie will develop as much as this one did from theThis movie was such a big improvement from the relatively weak not bad) first installment. Every aspect from the action to the dialog has been improved much. Cant wait to see if the last movie will develop as much as this one did from the first. And Smaug, oh yeah, even though he didn´t show up until the last third of the movie he still owned it. Probably one of the greatest villain of all time. Just perfect into every last detail. From the voice to the design and the way he acted.… Expand

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4

american_hustleDec 23, 2013

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. An Unexpected Journey was pretty good for this most part, but Desolation of Smaug is very disappointing. I didn't want to see heads behind cut off every 6 seconds, nor Stephen Fry (wtf?), nor that stupid cringeworthy romance. Who's idea was it to film action sequences by throwing a handheld camera about? Who the hell is this bard bloke? Why did they feel the need to put in a token?

Jackson has lost his way in capturing the essence of the hobbit, slathered on a thick helping of cheese and colour saturation, and bloated it beyond proportion with stuff that you dont care about. So much poor dialogue and acting, and the main attraction? Smaug was ok but not that great he talked waaaay too much by the end he just seemed silly, and ffs benedict cucumberpatch?! why did they need an a-lister to voice the dragon?… Expand

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9

CageFreeGDec 23, 2013

Much has been made by professional and amateur critics alike regarding all the scenes and dialogue in the movie that didn't exist in the book. Jackson has, in fact, invented a great deal on the fly, and not all of it to the betterment of theMuch has been made by professional and amateur critics alike regarding all the scenes and dialogue in the movie that didn't exist in the book. Jackson has, in fact, invented a great deal on the fly, and not all of it to the betterment of the story. But if purists are concerned about these additions and revisions it must then be asked if having dogs and goats serving dinner to the Dwarves in Beorn's house would have met with their approval. Though this is exactly what happened in the book, I think this would have resulted with an even greater amount of eye-rolling, if not more, than has been expressed in any number of reviews.

In addition, a great many critics know nothing about the story and are disadvantaged by their ignorance. Lou Lumenick of he New York Post writes, "...character of Legolas has been interpolated into this story, which also manufactures a wan romantic triangle that pits him against hunky fellow elf Killi (Aidan Turner) for the hand of a Katniss-ish warrior named Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly)."

I agree completely with the addition of Evangeline Lilly's character Tauriel as being a WTH moment. I don't understand Jackson's compunction to create her (other than giving the orcs someone to chase all the way to Laketown). But I have two thoughts on the remainder of this controversy; 1) Legolas is actually the son of King Thranduil (see the appendices of LoTR), and since we are in Thranduil's domain, though Legolas is not so much as mentioned in The Hobbit, it's not coloring entirely outside the lines that we might encounter him here, and 2) Since "Kili" (one "l", not two...) is a dwarf, and not an elf, one must not only wonder at Lou's ability to critically follow a simple plot line, one must also wonder at what Jackson and company might have been thinking here. It's beyond me to sus this out...

Another oft cited critical failing of the movie(s) is that a trilogy seems to have been manufactured out a rather short story. This critique for me is less understandable than a great many others. The brevity in which Tolkien tells his story should in no way reflect how that story gets told in a cinematic form. Tolkien's economy of words belies a rather grand and epic story which, contrary to the assumptions of many, does not end with the defeat of Smaug; The Battle of the Five Armies being a huge set piece that occurs after the Dwarve's mission has all but been accomplished. In my opinion, three films is about right to cover all the fertile ground that Tolkien so lovingly plowed and seeded for us in this book.

Having said all that... there are certainly problems that a fan of the book must contend with. For me, the specifics of the plot line Lou Lumenick references is an issue. The insinuation of even the possibility of a romantic plot line between a dwarf and an elf makes me shake my head; but the dialogue reference to what "may or may not be hidden in Kili's pants" (as he asks why he wasn't searched) for me was a bridge too far. I was equally non-plussed by Bofur's confusing "crochet" for "croquet" in An Unexpected Journey, and saying, "It's a great game... if you have the balls for it." This kind of quasi-sexual innuendo I find to be completely out of place in these films. Not that I'm a prude... I'm not. It just seems to set the bar lower than it need be. The "Azog" plot line I also find problematic... given that Azog is, according to Tolkien, dead at the time the Dwarves attempt to retake Erebor. Another weakness in the film for me was the Beorn story line... to me this section is the perfect justification for excluding Tom Bombadi and Goldberry in the first LoTR film. Some characters, though beloved by the fans, just don't translate well to film. Was this just a bad translation or is there something inherent to the character that defies translation... you be the judge.

Overall I rather enjoyed the film. The barrel escape from the Wood Elves was a barrel of fun and the spiders of Mirkwood cast a completely compelling web. I especially like how Jackson included the fact that Bilbo could understand the spider's speach when he was wearing the One Ring. The visualization of Gandalf and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur was, for me, an added pleasure. I don't believe there is any fan of The Hobbit or the LoTR that hasn't wished in our heart of hearts that Tolkien had given us more of this story, or wanted to see that confrontation played out on film. I, for one, am hoping that Jackson will dazzle us with Sauron's eviction from Dol Guldur by the White Council in the third installment. But the pièce de résistance has to be Bilbo's verbal thrust and parry with Smaug. The anticipation built in An Unexpected Journey is paid off in spades in Desolation. Benedict Cumberbatch plays a spellbinding and villainous Smaug. I hung on every word, and when it was over felt an almost physical pain of withdrawal.

Is it a perfect film? Hardly... but it certainly satisfies this life-long Tolkien fan… Expand

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5

HazzypurpllDec 23, 2013

Hollywood ruined this movie. its far too long, why a reasonably short book had been turned into three marathon movies i do not know. The film seems as though it was written lazily, leading to numerous plot holes. it also skims over materialHollywood ruined this movie. its far too long, why a reasonably short book had been turned into three marathon movies i do not know. The film seems as though it was written lazily, leading to numerous plot holes. it also skims over material from the book and instead chooses to add 30 minute action sequences which don't make sense (what was the point of all that gold?) Its poorly paced with predicable action sequences to keep the audience from falling asleep due to all the filler. It is by no means a terrible film, and if you liked LOTR its worth watching, but if you are a genuine fan of Tolkien and his books you will be disappointed.… Expand

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8

Garbouw_DearkDec 26, 2013

So, I never read the book, and I never saw the first movie. Still, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, while a bit rushed at times (despite the length of the movie) was still enjoyable to watch.

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9

SeniorMintsDec 27, 2013

I loved the movie. The only negative thing I can say is I didn't like where Jackson ended the second movie. I'm a fan of the book, and I realize that Jackson is going to have to add some stuff that wasn't in the book, but this doesn't takeI loved the movie. The only negative thing I can say is I didn't like where Jackson ended the second movie. I'm a fan of the book, and I realize that Jackson is going to have to add some stuff that wasn't in the book, but this doesn't take anything away from the story.… Expand

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7

bennya98Dec 28, 2013

I mostly enjoyed the Hobbit and especially the action scenes but I felt it was unnecessarily long and could have been 30 minutes shorter. The main story felt bogged down with side-plots (the Bard and the Elves) and not enough attention wasI mostly enjoyed the Hobbit and especially the action scenes but I felt it was unnecessarily long and could have been 30 minutes shorter. The main story felt bogged down with side-plots (the Bard and the Elves) and not enough attention was paid to the title character. Overall, it was an enjoyable film with impressive CGI effects but should have focused on the most important plot line.… Expand

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7

saintivanJan 26, 2014

I seem to be in the minority, but I preferred the first Hobbit movie to this installment. Outside of Smaug and the barrel chase scene, nothing of significance remains, and the rest of the movie has almost been purged from my memory though II seem to be in the minority, but I preferred the first Hobbit movie to this installment. Outside of Smaug and the barrel chase scene, nothing of significance remains, and the rest of the movie has almost been purged from my memory though I just saw it. The greatest failure of this movie is its unconvincing nature. Even Legolas gives a weak performance. Mostly it didn't feel like Tolkien at all, the magic and wonder of the Lord of the Rings movie....and briefly throughout the first Hobbit...is nearly entirely missing. It is not a bad movie, just a very average one.… Expand

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9

extremeswagdudeDec 28, 2013

I went into DOS expecting to see more plot and establishing characters and story lines, much like the first one. I was okay with that. And I was surprised on how well done this was. It has those aspects of the first film. But there was muchI went into DOS expecting to see more plot and establishing characters and story lines, much like the first one. I was okay with that. And I was surprised on how well done this was. It has those aspects of the first film. But there was much more. It establishes a love story, that is similar to a forbidden love, and adventure. This adventure takes you to places of Middle Earth you have never seen before. This has much more action, and adventure. It is amazing in 3D/… Expand

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8

NedensoruyorsunDec 28, 2013

Sağlam görsel efektler kullanılmış bence, Yönetmen Peter Jackson yine bütün yeteneklerini bu filmde göstermiş. Özellikle kullanılan Efektler çok iyi kurgulanmış...

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7

macagascarDec 29, 2013

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Desolation of Smaug picks up where its slow predecessor left off right after Bilbo discovers the Ring, and right before Thorin and company reach Erebor, the land of their forefathers.The Desolation of Smaug has been long anticipated by many this year and, in many regards, it did not disappoint fans worldwide. Yet, despite its domination in the box office, thrilling premise and great reviews, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug brought to light several aspects of The Hobbit franchise that remain lacking and rather disappointing for die-hard Lord of the Rings fans, such as myself.

As the story picks up, it grows steadily darker much like The Lord of the Rings franchise (from The Fellowship of the Ring all the way to Return of the King) and this is carefully and perfectly approached by Jackson, so that we're not completely overwhelmed by it, but can appreciate its implementation in the grander scheme of things. Overall, it was a fantastic and incredibly entertaining film.

As for acting... these actors are perfect matches for the roles that they take on. Namely, however, Martin Freeman's performance as the clueless and yet surprisingly courageous Bilbo Baggins is, once again, absolutely astounding he practically carried the film in this regard. If one hadn't seen him in any of his previous work ranging from the UK's The Office to BBC's smash hit, Sherlock they would assume that he was born for this role. No one else would have been able to play the surprisingly layered Bilbo with such sincerity. He was not only hilarious (he somehow made the scene with Smaug as laughable as it was terrifying), but captivating every time he was on the screen, I simply could not tear my eyes away from him! And his moments with the Ring sent uncomfortable shivers up my spine ("MINE").

The film's crowning glory, however, was undoubtedly the scene all Lord of the Rings fans have been waiting for the unveiling of Smaug the Terrible, self proclaimed "King Under the Mountain." Whoever designed, animated and rendered Smaug should be given a cookie every day for existing, and I'd like to thank Peter and company for keeping the design a secret before the premiere seeing Smaug for the first time was simply breathtaking. That, combined with the sultry and devilishly articulate voice of one Benedict Cumberbatch, created an adversary that was as "cool" as it was simply terrifying. The chilling game of words played between Smaug and Bilbo had me on the edge of my seat for the entire ride.

The problem with The Hobbit franchise, therefore, isn't the story or the filmmaking or the acting; it's the way that the story is being approached. Lord of the Rings fans will recall the incredible, epic sagas that each of the original three films would bring near four hours of nonstop excitement, twists and character development, all leading up to the pivotal scene at Mordor. Yet, The Hobbit isn't an epic saga, nor should it be approached as one it's the story of one unassuming hobbit who joins a company of dwarfs to reclaim their homeland and slay a dragon. A to B; point blank and simple no ring to destroy and Middle Earth to save. Somehow, Peter Jackson tried to take on the entire alphabet, while moseying past more than a few key letters and relying more on action and CGI (where did the REAL men dressed up like the baddies go?) than the base story.

Most upsetting was how the characters were approached. The characters are what's key to the plot of The Hobbit or any Tolkien work, for that matter and they're crucial to the telling of any half-decent story. However, while I could name off any Lord of the Rings character and give you my opinion on them, I hardly know any of the dwarfs by name, and I never really get to see anyone's personal journey as the story progresses in any detail, anyway. Bilbo and the dwarfs are sometimes passed up in favor of thrilling (and completely unrealistic) action sequences though, while exciting, really didn't do anything for me at the end of the day.

I stand by my opinion that three films is far too much movie to be had for Bilbo and his dwarfish companions. One long, four-hour film (or maybe two films, as was the original plan) would have been perfectly suited to tackle this story in a proper way.

That being said, creative differences with Jackson and his team didn't stop me from seeing The Hobbit twice in a weekend, and do not take away from the film being one of the best adventures of the year. The Hobbit: the Desolation of Smaug definitely trumped its predecessor. The pace picked up, Bilbo finally got his moment to shine as "burglar," and the scene with Smaug was near flawless. It's a "must see" for any movie lover, and especially any fan of Middle Earth!… Expand

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9

leterlastDec 30, 2013

full of fighting scene and good story indeed.The story,the backgrounds,the scenes,the pictures are all almost perfect.Pull us into the soul of the film and bring us deeply to feel every moments in it.Every second drives usd to morefull of fighting scene and good story indeed.The story,the backgrounds,the scenes,the pictures are all almost perfect.Pull us into the soul of the film and bring us deeply to feel every moments in it.Every second drives usd to more excitement.Unexpected that will be as good as it.Simply,the exposition in this film is perfect.The desolator of other films in 2013!… Expand

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5

merrilymccarthyDec 31, 2013

Ho Hum...beautiful scenery. Love the looks of the film. The River scene was visual fun...but became a long ride of the same water and barrels and ugly dudes...and whimsical dwarves. Love looking at Orlando Bloom....and the gold Smaug isHo Hum...beautiful scenery. Love the looks of the film. The River scene was visual fun...but became a long ride of the same water and barrels and ugly dudes...and whimsical dwarves. Love looking at Orlando Bloom....and the gold Smaug is the ultimate collectors item...but the end came as a shock. The cave of treasure has been revisited way too many times in movies...overall the movie was well filmed and colored and extremely scenic...but Ho Hum...I am off to see the wizard...!… Expand

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10

lisadel24Jan 3, 2014

Enjoyed the first film, loved the second & looking forward to the third despite it being another 12 months away! A fun, action packed film for all the family.

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10

natasha88Jan 2, 2014

I loved this movie and can't wait for it to come out on disc as well as the next one in the series! Great job. I hope it is better than the next one is even better. Please don't let us down. Make it the best.

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10

VinwondersJan 2, 2014

Fantastical to say the least! Thoroughly enjoyed this epic story come to life. In fact, never wanted it to end as it was a tour de force of story, sound and imagery. One for the cinema and will lose its luster at home.

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9

TurbodowgJan 11, 2014

I've read a few negative reviews of The Hobbit TDOS and can’t see why so many Tolkien fans dislike it? I have read the book and I feel although the film has some changes, it is still a brilliant adaptation. Peter Jackson is still the rightI've read a few negative reviews of The Hobbit TDOS and can’t see why so many Tolkien fans dislike it? I have read the book and I feel although the film has some changes, it is still a brilliant adaptation. Peter Jackson is still the right man for the job, and he has yet again made Middle Earth look fantastic. The film flows well and there are some great action sequences such as the escape from the Elves and the fight with Smaug and the Spiders in Mirkwood.

The Sets look authentic and magical. The score is enchanting and the acting is all spot on. Some CGI is a bit ropey and I'm not a great fan of Orlando Bloom leaping around grinding like he's on a skateboard, but that doesn’t spoil the whole film.

The scenes with Smaug are particularly exciting and work very well. They are intense and Smaug really is terrifying I found the film to be better paced than the first movie and I enjoyed TDOS more. The ending has a real cliffhanger that has made me really excited for the next film. So Ignore the haters and Tolkien geeks who think the books were written just for them. And go see this movie, blockbuster movie making at it's finest and a cracking fantasy adventure movie.… Expand

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7

OMGtoastyJan 3, 2014

Because I enjoyed the LotR trilogy so much its hard for me not to compare this move to it. that being said I have a few issues with this movie

My first problem is one I have with many other movies that are being made. The over use of CGI.Because I enjoyed the LotR trilogy so much its hard for me not to compare this move to it. that being said I have a few issues with this movie

My first problem is one I have with many other movies that are being made. The over use of CGI. The lord of the rings spent the extra money to get people dressed as orcs in big battle scenes. the CGI was done very well and It all felt somewhat real. That is quite the opposite for the hobbit. For example, there is a scene where the dwarves are in barrels going down a river trying to escape from orcs while Legolas is massacring the orcs. The CGI is so heave that there is no realism. Legolas' character looks terrible imo. The scene was intertaining, but no where near as good at what I saw in LotR.

My other problem is the final scene. It went from intense action to....nothing. It felt like the scene was cut in half and left us with a giant cliff hanger. The second half of the scene will be the start of the next movie, which sucks.

I can't say I didn't enjoy this movie. The fights were decent, despite the CGI madness. The acting was amazing. My favorite dialogue was with Smaug. Overall I would recommend this movie to everyone, as long as they don't mind CGI.… Expand

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3

victoratorJan 22, 2014

Amazing 48FPS technology. Great visuals. The rest is very poorly executed and the plot could be summarized in one sentence: they are travelling to get to the dragon whom they eventually meet and then the movie ends.

3/10 (max what I canAmazing 48FPS technology. Great visuals. The rest is very poorly executed and the plot could be summarized in one sentence: they are travelling to get to the dragon whom they eventually meet and then the movie ends.

3/10 (max what I can give) for 48fps 3d that doesn't hurt your eyes.… Expand

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7

BrinncdeewhyJan 7, 2014

this a very indulgent, expressive, and well choreographed piece of work. The chemistry between the actors is more than acceptable Even with the dragon who was a fantastic treat. I'd say for the second installment to the hobbit series, its athis a very indulgent, expressive, and well choreographed piece of work. The chemistry between the actors is more than acceptable Even with the dragon who was a fantastic treat. I'd say for the second installment to the hobbit series, its a more then watchable delight.… Expand

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8

Leo9127Jan 16, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Holy Sh*t was this movie awesome, I mean Smaug was so cool, and it was less boring than the first, and It leaves wanting for more thanks to the Cliffhanger ending, but it does have it's flaws, like straying too far from the book, the pacing it's still a little off, but ironically, I actually enjoyed the part I thought I would hate, the character of Tauriel, who was actually Bad ass, but her romance with one of the dwarfs still felt forced, and awkward, but overall though this movie was great, but not as good as The Lord of the Rings, but still pretty good on it's on right.… Expand

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8

DanielGrozaJan 16, 2014

A really enjoyable movie that has it all: action, adventure, humor,drama and even a small romance. The fact that Peter Jackson did not stay completely true to Tolkien's book, is a very brave and admirable thing. Obviously, it's worse than TheA really enjoyable movie that has it all: action, adventure, humor,drama and even a small romance. The fact that Peter Jackson did not stay completely true to Tolkien's book, is a very brave and admirable thing. Obviously, it's worse than The Lord of the Rings, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad. The visual effects are top notch, especially the dragon Smaug which was incredibly detailed.

Although the movie takes us to many new and beautiful designed locations, you really cannot feel like you really care about them. The hobbit 'gang' are thrown from one place to another, each with one different character to another, and only when they get to the mountain you feel excited.

Still, 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' is a very good movie. Sure it's not better that 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy, but that doesn't mean it's bad.… Expand

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7

jackophantJan 25, 2014

Not a bad movie, not a great one. Desolation of Smaug is in between which is exactly what's wrong with it. This is a sequel, it has no real beginning nor end. It just kind of starts, runs for a few of hours and then fades to black. ThoseNot a bad movie, not a great one. Desolation of Smaug is in between which is exactly what's wrong with it. This is a sequel, it has no real beginning nor end. It just kind of starts, runs for a few of hours and then fades to black. Those few hours are enjoyable, even if they are plagued by some of Jackson's eccentricities, mainly the extremely long and over stylized fight sequences. The dwarves are back and as goofily likeable as ever. Bilbo Baggins is... somewhere. For a movie called "The Hobbit" the only hobbit in the film has very little to say or do until the end where we finally get to meet the dragon we've heard so much about. And Smaug does not disappoint. These Tolkien films have a great way of making cgi characters stand out and Smaug is no different. Voiced by the excellent Benedict Cumberbatch, Smaug is by far the best and most memorable part of the movie. Smaug is terrifyingly captivating, more grandeur than I had ever imagined from the books. Just as we meet him and the movie starts to get good, it ends. I see myself liking this movie much more after the third one come's out but as of now, it just left me unfulfilled.… Expand

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7

BomarJrJan 20, 2014

The best Tolkien "Fan-fiction" to ever hit the big screen. Unlike most critics, I ADORED the first Hobbit film, because it captured the playfulness, and awe of the original work beautifully. This second film downplays all the tones and it'sThe best Tolkien "Fan-fiction" to ever hit the big screen. Unlike most critics, I ADORED the first Hobbit film, because it captured the playfulness, and awe of the original work beautifully. This second film downplays all the tones and it's main characters for the sake of adding completely non-canon content that was in the story like Azog the Goblin and Legolas. The saving grace for me was the fact that it brought more action, and Smaug. Bennedict Cumberbatch as Smaug was brilliant, and terrifying.… Expand

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7

komarhomesterFeb 8, 2014

The second part of one The Hobbit book.
As a amateur of J.R.R. Tolkien I have read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Ring little bit more than once. That mean, that I little bit know what had happened in real book.
Trilogy of The Lord of the RingThe second part of one The Hobbit book.
As a amateur of J.R.R. Tolkien I have read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Ring little bit more than once. That mean, that I little bit know what had happened in real book.
Trilogy of The Lord of the Ring I understand, that is logical, but 3 parts of The Hobbit is abundant, yep crisis in Hollywood is and anyone can understand that, but that is so vulgar try to make money from nothing.
I'm okay when movie and book have differences and in movie add some new aspects, that is normal that is understandable till new things are logical.
Movie is incised and include a lot of sharp jumps to the new sciences.
I really enjoyed the first part of The Hobbit
The second one, I would not recommend to my friend to see. Nothing interesting.
ordinary Score...… Expand

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10

MarmaladeOvenJan 23, 2014

Nothing was overly dramatized, the scenery was amazing, and the music was beautiful. Great acting, epic fight scenes, and they've added new depths to the characters.

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8

Laekerson95Jan 23, 2014

Just imagine, one whole 3-hour Hobbit movie with the trolls, Rivendel, Gollum, the Spiders, the Woodland Elves, the Barrels, Laketown, Smaug, and the final battle. Could you imagine. JAckson has it. He captures Middle Earth and the belovedJust imagine, one whole 3-hour Hobbit movie with the trolls, Rivendel, Gollum, the Spiders, the Woodland Elves, the Barrels, Laketown, Smaug, and the final battle. Could you imagine. JAckson has it. He captures Middle Earth and the beloved tale of THe Hobbit as I pictured it to be 8 years ago. But sequences are time-dragged where they don't need to be. Constant reminders of character backgrounds is unnecessary. Where's Bilbo's backstory 'cause I could do a 15-page paper on Thorin. Remember all the backstory they gave LEgolas and Aragorn and Gimli in The Lord of the RIngs? Of course not, 'cause there didn't need to be. The mystery is the page-turner for viewers. Nevertheless, in this the pace crescendos, a wondrous love story draws in better character and a tearing score, and the intensity spine-tingles of SMAUG!! Holy mother of Middle Earth. Reminded me of the identical-looking horror dragon of my childhood dreams. There's annoyed-yawn moments, but it's a park blast worth another go and a perfect Christmas blockbuster to sit back and drink steamed milk to with the snow lightly covering the land. Now we gotta wait a whole year for part III after it's Breaking Bad-like finish.… Expand

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7

LordOfTheFilmsJan 25, 2014

This movie shows an incredible description of Tolkien`s fantasy universe, and once again we get thrown into Middle - Earth to experience great character developments and action sequences. The second chapter of a trilogy is often the mostThis movie shows an incredible description of Tolkien`s fantasy universe, and once again we get thrown into Middle - Earth to experience great character developments and action sequences. The second chapter of a trilogy is often the most difficult to make, but Peter Jackson and his crew have taken the right decisions all the way and in my opinion The desolation of Smaug leaves the impression of being better than the first chapter of the trilogy, as the story takes a darker turn. Smaug himself enters the story as one of the most remarkable movie villains of all time, he`s a perfect example of evil and its greediness, in great contrast with little Bilbo who tries his best to survive through dark environments.… Expand

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10

DocsisFeb 1, 2014

A must see! I think ALL of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit movies are incredible! I can't wait for the final Hobbit next Christmas.. but then I will be sad that they are over,

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6

g-whizFeb 6, 2014

I honestly don't know why we need 3 movies per book.

The Hobbit (book) is a great story and doesn't need to be messed with.

That said, this was a pretty good movie in spite of that.

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9

GustavoKFeb 11, 2014

Hobbit 2 is about a mission where dwarves want to take the mountain and the gold back, because in the past the dragon took it from them.

The battles are very cool and there is lots of action in te entire movie.

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6

kaizidokillerFeb 24, 2014

It's no LOTR but this is certainly much better than the first movie. The high frame rate doesn't annoy me as much, probably because I'm use to it now but I wasn't back then when the first movie came out in theatres. Back then it looked moreIt's no LOTR but this is certainly much better than the first movie. The high frame rate doesn't annoy me as much, probably because I'm use to it now but I wasn't back then when the first movie came out in theatres. Back then it looked more like a video game and there was really no value to it. Sadly, some of the problems from the first movie are still present in this movie. It's like 3 hours long (which would be okay if it wasn't boring half the time) and it's overstuffed with underdeveloped characters. The fact that this movie uses footnotes from many of Tolkien's other novels means that it's not truly faithful to the original source material, too often it diverts away from the main story. Only the devoted Tolkien fans (not me) would get the most out of it but for the uninitiated (me), it just feels like a lot of subplots. There's really no need to extend a short children's book into a trilogy. The only reason for that is to make even more money (obviously 3 is more than 1). The Hobbit trilogy is just Peter Jackson's way of reliving his golden era when the LOTR trilogy was critically and commercially successful, with the last movie winning Best Picture award. This movie would be better off as one movie, or maybe even a two-parter because at least then it would be more faithful to the book. But of course, all the good points in the last movie are present in this movie as well such as the film's visual style, score, special effects and the wonderful performances from the cast. This movie is more action packed than the last one which makes it more enjoyable and stand out as an exciting fantasy adventure in it's own right. I do hate that it's a bit of a disappointment when you compare it to LOTR therefore, I won't be expecting the last movie to meet the same standard (but I do hope it's good). I do understand that the books are very different from each other but Peter Jackson's direction makes the two franchises very similar to each other. He does almost everything he did back when he was directing LOTR so don't b***h about how it's unfair to compare The Hobbit to LOTR. If you're already a fan of the first movie, no doubt you'll enjoy this one.… Expand

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6

FilmVirtueFeb 14, 2014

Desolation of Smaug, unlike the first feature contains more interesting scenes and dialogue that make the film somewhat better than the first film in the Hobbit series.

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9

DrewtheDude85Mar 29, 2014

I did actually like the first Hobbit movie, despite what some may say, but Desolation of Smaug was amazing! The first few minutes were a little bit bland, but it picked up really fast. The action in this film was really good; it would getI did actually like the first Hobbit movie, despite what some may say, but Desolation of Smaug was amazing! The first few minutes were a little bit bland, but it picked up really fast. The action in this film was really good; it would get very fast paced and epic and it was just a lot of fun, I especially love the barrel scene. The scenes with Smaug were also great however I did kind-of got my groove threw off at the ending due to it having a huge cliffhanger, but overall this was a very good film and I look forward to There and Back Again when that comes out later this year.… Expand

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9

Viper8787Apr 18, 2014

A really good action movie. I thought this one was way better than the first one. Smaug was casted and played awesomely. It did have a really long run time but I don't fell that any of the scenes were un needed. Great job with this movie.

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8

robertoiglesiasMay 21, 2020

I think it's a big improvement over The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, or as I like to call An Unexpected Filler. This film is a little overlong, but I still enjoyed it. 7.5/10

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9

merijnjFeb 21, 2018

(87/100)
Stunning CGI and very exciting action sequences. Thrilling end too.

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0

ThunderMonkeyJun 16, 2022

I can only think of one expression for this, cheap.
You can tell that the film was produced quickly and did not cost much money.
No comparison, not even close to Lord of the Rings.

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6

DarthPreampJun 23, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Fairly awful treatment of Tolkien's work. Why did Jackson add so many stupid things? I mean, a love affair between a dwarf and an elf? C"MON!!! If he'd done it in a way that was mature it still would have been barely acceptable, but the mediocre and degradingly juvenile way in which he did it here was really in low taste. Then there is the giant dwarf statue made of molten gold? Huh? No really, simply awful. I really liked the first movie, this one was really bad.… Expand

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8

TokyochuchuJul 13, 2014

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a really awesome LotR movie. It feels significantly fresher than 'An Unexpected Journey' but also retains that films delightful fairy-tale edge. And Smaug himself was a fantastic creation. More please!

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5

TyranianApr 11, 2019

The second Hobbit film has an awesome dragon but is otherwise worse than first film. Very disappointing.

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7

dharmaMay 30, 2014

Still a cash grab in my opinion, but a well made one. Of course, the dragon delivers with great effects and all, but the pacing is off and it moves too slow, until the next exciting set pieces that is.

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7

beingryanjudeSep 3, 2014

I'll admit being one of the first to criticize stretching The Hobbit into thirds. That would mean this middle chapter was complete rubbish. The Desolation of Smaug is both an achievement on its own as well as a bridge into the final installment.

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7

potatoes351Nov 22, 2015

Peter Jackson's 2nd part in his trilogy of films based around The Hobbit and extended Lord of the Rings fiction is considered by many to be the highlight of the prequel trilogy, whilst this rings true for some sequences of Desolation ofPeter Jackson's 2nd part in his trilogy of films based around The Hobbit and extended Lord of the Rings fiction is considered by many to be the highlight of the prequel trilogy, whilst this rings true for some sequences of Desolation of Smaug, the product as a whole is on par with An Unexpected Journey in many respects.
Continuing the story of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he, Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) and a band of dwarves travel across Middle Earth to reach the Lonely Mountain, a former dwarven city that 60 years previous had been claimed by a dragon called Smaug. Now with the mountain in sight, the journey begins it's final stages as the group of travellers travel through enchanted forests, elf & human settlements and ultimately come face to face with Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) himself.
The Desolation of Smaug is easy to summarise in one sentence; great opening, solid ending, wobbly middle. DoS opens with an action scene closely followed by a tense and mind bending scene set in an enchanted forest, however upon arriving at the elven settlement the film takes a nose dive into boredom for over an hour until we eventually reach the Lonely Mountain. Even then, the scenes with Bilbo & Smaug are far greater than the scenes that cut away to show what the rest of the group in either the human settlement or outside the mountain are doing.
Much like An Unexpected Journey, DoS is filmed in 3D and at 48FPS and personally the film uses them to much greater strengths than AUJ ever did. However the problem with crappy CGI is still present in DoS as it was in AUJ. Smaug is the exception to this statement however, being one of the most fearsome and highly detailed creatures in the entire Peter Jackson Middle Earth saga.
Desolation of Smaug is a solidly entertaining fantasy action film, though it again fails to meet the expectations set by the Lord of the Rings trilogy and barely surpasses the previous film in terms of quality. Plus was there any point of Legolas in this movie other than to provide pointless fan service and a below average sub-plot with little depth or meaning to the overall story? No...I din't think so.… Expand

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1

TheSquirrelJun 27, 2014

I try not to rate anything too low, because thing has to be something that you point to and say, "This was good, right?"
Wrong, because The Desolation of Smaug was horrible start to finish. Where The Hobbit was a slap in the face toI try not to rate anything too low, because thing has to be something that you point to and say, "This was good, right?"
Wrong, because The Desolation of Smaug was horrible start to finish. Where The Hobbit was a slap in the face to Tolkien, TDoS was a burning bag of crap left at his doorstep. I went into this movie with low expectations and only 15 minutes in realized that even so I had expected too much.

First, why it's not a good movie:
They do a very poor job of portraying the time frame of this movie and by you end you think to yourself, "Oh, they were only three days from the mountain including jail time, I wonder why they make this out to be such an undertaking?" because in the book they took Months!
The Characters are impossible to relate to as each one has not had a proper time frame to develop, so you end up with a cast of 15 or so completely forgettable characters.
This movie is essentially four staged areas with nothing in between and ends up feeling like a cobbled together selection of short stories that don't connect properly.
Wacky Willys Barrel ride down the river scene is one of the worst displays of directing excess I have seen since Micheal Bays Transformer movies.
The script is poor/rushed with no memorable conversations or lines in two and half hours of run time.

Second, why it's a horrible adaptation:
Significant, memorable scenes from the book (the introduction of the dwarves to Beorn, the pursuit of the Elven feasts in the forest, the true ending to Bilbo's conversation with Smaug) have been replaced with horrible scens that aren't in the book (Filli chatting up Elven lady in Dungeon, Orcs attacking Laketown, Dwarves battling Smaug).
The ring, which was asleep in the book and had no effect on characters apart from turning Bilbo invisible, is now awake and wrecking Bilbo. Add to that every evil character in the movie basically proclaiming the coming of Sauron even though it's supposed to be a secret. Anyone with even a cursory knowledge of the Tolkien universe would know that this is completely incorrect and creates continuity issues. Why does Sauron not sense the ring is in the forest right beside him? Why does his eye not appear when Bilbo puts on the ring? Why do elves and men not react appropriately knowing that Sauron is back but not at full strength?
Upon close examination, not a single scene or event has been left unaltered from the book which means that this movie is not an adaptation, but rather some loose tribute using similar characters and settings but retaining nothing of the original.

I give the one for the excellent casting of Cumberbatch as Smaug as well as the CG on the dragon. (The rest of the scene is complete garbage as the idea of the Dragon sensing the ring and Bilbo removing it is a complete deviation.)

Save yourself from this and just rent the Trilogy again.… Expand

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5

SpangleApr 20, 2016

Overstuffed and packed to the brim with logic holes, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug spends too much time trying to add onto its already bloated storyline with side plots and side journeys in an attempt to extend one book into threeOverstuffed and packed to the brim with logic holes, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug spends too much time trying to add onto its already bloated storyline with side plots and side journeys in an attempt to extend one book into three movies. From what I understand, Legolas was not in the book and this is made abundantly clear here when all of his scenes literally add nothing to the movie and the adventures of the dwarves or Gandalf. Heck, even Gandalf's side journey (which is in the book) adds nothing here to this story. It just serves as distraction from what the movie is allegedly building up to, only to then cut off and not do anything until the third movie. Film is not television. Cliff hangers should not be allowed like this. In film, it makes the product feel entirely unfinished and prevents the film from being able to standalone from the rest of the franchise. Instead, The Desolation of Smaug willingly plays in the problems faced by many middle entry stories in that it is neither the beginning or the end. Even worse, the film repeatedly does shoutouts to Lord of the Rings. Again, I know it is a prequel, but I also know that every little shoutout it does is not in the book. More than anything, these moments feel as though they are simply trying to garner goodwill based on the success of the Lord of the Rings films. Unfortunately for Desolation of Smaug, this does not work and the end product is simply a thoroughly average film that may entertain at times, but has serious pacing issues and drags from beginning to end.… Expand

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9

Jack97Dec 16, 2016

Desolation of Smaug improves on An Unexpected Journey's shortcomings. The pacing is much better thus the film never drags, the CGI is mostly excellent but especially Smaug the dragon which is one of the greatest motion-capture/CGI creationsDesolation of Smaug improves on An Unexpected Journey's shortcomings. The pacing is much better thus the film never drags, the CGI is mostly excellent but especially Smaug the dragon which is one of the greatest motion-capture/CGI creations to grace the big screen. On top of all of that the film is very exciting which always helps. Easily the best of The Hobbit trilogy.… Expand

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8

BshopAug 16, 2014

Better than the first one by a long shot. I enjoyed every scene, except the ones with the Bard (who seems mild-mannered and not too leader-esque) and the barrel-river scene (which also was a bit long and somewhat ridiculous), but I digress.Better than the first one by a long shot. I enjoyed every scene, except the ones with the Bard (who seems mild-mannered and not too leader-esque) and the barrel-river scene (which also was a bit long and somewhat ridiculous), but I digress.
From Lonely Mountain on it was a great show indeed. Can't wait for the Battle of Five Armies.
In summary, rent if you can. Buy if you like the LOTR and Peter Jackson/Tolkien series thus far. 3D not really worth the price honestly.… Expand

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7

Iky009Jun 3, 2015

On the first beat a little, but the many fault corrected Serém, plus the second chapter of The Hobbit is fun ... . .

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8

TrilobiteGJul 20, 2015

Ah yes, the best movie out of the Hobbit Trilogy. What an adventure! From start to finish it was just action, action and more incredible action. This movie is better than it's previous because the dialogue (although some of it unnecessary) isAh yes, the best movie out of the Hobbit Trilogy. What an adventure! From start to finish it was just action, action and more incredible action. This movie is better than it's previous because the dialogue (although some of it unnecessary) is cut down magnitudes less than the predecessor. And of course Smaug, what a villain, actually intriguing dialogue with a sinister presence whilst watching it, props to Cumber batch because that was amazing. Best one!… Expand

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9

bradtheman123Jun 12, 2014

I don't understand how this got a bad metascore. I think this was better than the first because it was full of so much action and suspense. Not only was it almost just like the book but it actually portrayed it. The best part was by far whenI don't understand how this got a bad metascore. I think this was better than the first because it was full of so much action and suspense. Not only was it almost just like the book but it actually portrayed it. The best part was by far when he was in the palace with all the gold and treasure trying to find the special crystal. Then when the dragon woke up and it was learking around looking for him, it was talking to him saying things like, "I can smell you", and "Come out come out wherever you are." And at that point it just had so much suspense and actually wowed me.… Expand

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8

vlahoponMay 16, 2014

Good movie but still far away from LOTR . Benedict Cumberbatch is amazing as Smaug's voice . The only problem with this movie is the elf-dwarf love story

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4

Tessara_VejganAug 4, 2014

And I thought the first one was boring, well, this sequel is worse. There is almost nothing going on for the most of the movie. The effects are great, beautiful environments and all that but it doesn't matter since the story is booooooring.

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8

callumjsouthDec 13, 2014

An Unexpected Journey eased us into the story of Bilbo Baggins which did have merits. The Desolation of Smaug takes a different path and throws us in amongst it all, which makes it a more significant and more entertaining chapter. The questAn Unexpected Journey eased us into the story of Bilbo Baggins which did have merits. The Desolation of Smaug takes a different path and throws us in amongst it all, which makes it a more significant and more entertaining chapter. The quest to the Lonely Mountain continues and concludes in epic fashion. The story is breathlessly told just as any great fantasy story should be. The lack of quantitative source material begins to become a positive in the second instalment, as the film feels well paced and appropriately long. The pacing of the film allows it to flow well which enhances the story's presentation. As a result, the plot never feels stop-go or overly congested like the LOTR trilogy did. Nor does it feel too bare like An Unexpected Journey. The Desolation of Smaug is home to well paced plot development, many strong characters and ever present danger which is complimented by some very convincing antagonists. All of which allow for a thoroughly entertaining and impressively compelling film.… Expand

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5

psyberdelicMay 7, 2014

A whole lot of extra and, IMHO, unnecessary stuff to get three films out of one short book... However, worth $1.26 at Redbox but somewhat irritating if you loved the book... Too much like Lord of the Rings in tone and substance...

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8

TheApplegnomeDec 9, 2014

This second installment of The Hobbit is greater in almost every aspect. Unfortunately that does not include CGI.

This is the second installment of the new trilogy in our beloved Middle-earth. It quite spectacular when you see the extendedThis second installment of The Hobbit is greater in almost every aspect. Unfortunately that does not include CGI.

This is the second installment of the new trilogy in our beloved Middle-earth. It quite spectacular when you see the extended version, and you realize how big the franchise really is. It got so much extra material and things that really connect all the Middle-earth films together. The biggest thing with this movie is that it got much more action than in An Unexpected Journey, especially when it comes to Smaug and “The Necromancer”. Some of the action sequences though, are boring. There’s just nothing unique with them. But there are much more unique and epic scenes, that I can tell you! Therefor it feels much more like Lord of the Rings. The plot is very entertaining and last act of the film is superb. You really want to see the continuation. The characters in The Desolation of Smaug are very good, and combined with an awesome cast like in An unexpected Journey: do I really have high expectations of The Battle of The five Armies. But the thing with this trilogy is that the CGI is very odd. In this film are the CGI very good when it comes to Orcs and Smaug. But at the same time is there much terrible and awful CGI when it comes to natural objects. It didn’t feel real at all. There’s also a big mix of CGI and real recorded scenes. They aren’t working well together. There are much dark scenes; witch didn't work well while using 3D-glasses. The computer-generated light that’s included in some parts in the movie is also terrible.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is much better than the previous film in this new trilogy. The action is greater, better music and a lot more LotR-feeling. But the movie is a bit slow at some places, and the CGI are just terrible sometimes.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug gets an 8/10.… Expand

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5

joao1198pedroNov 27, 2014

People say this movie is much better than the first one, i badly disagree with that, because this movie is the most useless in the franchise so i hope they fix the next one with most useful stuffs.

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7

MortimerJan 25, 2014

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug sequel The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Peter Jackson took great as always, a beautiful fantasy. The film proved to be a more sombre colors. We were shown the dark side of the heroes. Smaug turnedThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug sequel The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Peter Jackson took great as always, a beautiful fantasy. The film proved to be a more sombre colors. We were shown the dark side of the heroes. Smaug turned simultaneously scary and sweet. In The Desolation Smaug was more action adventure.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug great Fantasy with soundtrack good and beautiful special effects.… Expand

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8

oDjentoJan 3, 2015

I'll just do a short review for this. Definitely the best out of the 3, with the best pacing, and more characters getting to do things for themselves and not just being there (like dwarves just standing doing nothing in other films). FramingI'll just do a short review for this. Definitely the best out of the 3, with the best pacing, and more characters getting to do things for themselves and not just being there (like dwarves just standing doing nothing in other films). Framing is a bit off as well (dragon stutters in one shot). The film was great as it had 3 main focus points in the film to distinguish itself nicely: 1st half make the dwarfs the main focus, making a bit more character development, the 2nd half being focused on bilbo and the excellent encounter he has with smaug (favourite scene easily!). Then the sub plot is gandalf going to find out what is happening at Don Guldor. This one was as close as it came to the LOTR trilogy, but still just missed it's quality. A slightly darker tone than the previous film and just overall made far better. In retrospect, they could've done this trilogy in two films to miss out all the bull **** they have!… Expand

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9

MagicManRAWJun 30, 2014

I don't know if I am just getting used to the storyline of Middle Earth, because this one seemed a bit tired with that been there done that theme. I take away one point. Largely a very entertaining film and large quality. Love all the newI don't know if I am just getting used to the storyline of Middle Earth, because this one seemed a bit tired with that been there done that theme. I take away one point. Largely a very entertaining film and large quality. Love all the new elements not in the book. I cant wait for the third one.… Expand

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4

RamonGuerreroMay 1, 2014

This movies tries to deliver us an interesting plot, but turns out to be tedious and slow, with action sequences that fail in entertaining us, or being visually outstanding, and tries to keep us up to the third part by bringing us aThis movies tries to deliver us an interesting plot, but turns out to be tedious and slow, with action sequences that fail in entertaining us, or being visually outstanding, and tries to keep us up to the third part by bringing us a cliffhanger ending.… Expand

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2

Rawr_CriticsaurMay 17, 2014

God the movie was so damn bad.Having read the book i can tell you first hand that the director and the writers did not even read the book.Half the sruff did not happen.Legolas?Not there.Gandalf side story?Not there.Kili romance withGod the movie was so damn bad.Having read the book i can tell you first hand that the director and the writers did not even read the book.Half the sruff did not happen.Legolas?Not there.Gandalf side story?Not there.Kili romance with tauriel?No no no no.The dwarves trying to kill smaug the way drogo killed viserys?COME ON THE PEOPLE ARENT EVEN TRYING

And let's skip how they ruined the mirkwood scene...… Expand

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9

JekSpaceyMay 3, 2014

This second chapter devoted to the adventures of Bilbo is clearly our most upbeat and dynamic than the first, which was preparing , instead , only to usher in a land of fairy-tale and a half more joyous than we had seen in "The Lord of theThis second chapter devoted to the adventures of Bilbo is clearly our most upbeat and dynamic than the first, which was preparing , instead , only to usher in a land of fairy-tale and a half more joyous than we had seen in "The Lord of the Rings ."
In "The Desolation of Smaug ," the fairy-tale atmosphere of the first was slowly dissolved, As the figure of the magician is to emerge in the future Sauron , the symbol of pure evil .
Despite having a script slightly weaker than the first episode , which was almost poetic , is much more convincing in terms of narrative and this time the scenes and additional characters are not at all out of place.
Doubled the action scenes , the fights ( some a little ' forced I admit) , but above all the characters, the story has not in fact a single thread as in the first chapter , but it follows the fortunes of different groups of characters .
Although this film has taken a little 'space Bilbo , who was the protagonist in the first , this new feature has helped make " The Desolation of Smaug " more like the old timeless Jackson trilogy , which also had a multitude of characters and situations.
A praise is due to the realization of Smaug do it , which is really something fantastic, impressive , magnificent, superior.
In my opinion this movie had all the papers in order to reach the level of the first three masterpieces by Jackson, but unfortunately was hit from the soundtrack (which despite being epic is not remotely comparable to the work done by the old trilogy ) , and the script, which convinces , but not jaw-dropping .
I want to clarify that I have not read the book , so I can not comment on the film at 360 degrees, but the emotions that made me feel while watching were really intense , and at times I felt like I really go back to the first trilogy.… Expand

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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

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