Clicky

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG – The Review – We Are Movie Geeks

General News

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG – The Review

By  | 

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

Can it really be a decade? Starting in 2001 a new tradition began during the year-end holiday hustle and bustle. Fantasy film fans took a break from the shopping and wrapping to head to the multiplex and escape the malls by taking a journey to Middle Earth. For that and the next two Decembers Peter Jackson presented his bright gifts to movie lovers in his adaptations of JRR Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” classic literary trilogy. After a flurry of Oscar love for the final installment, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING in 2004, things we are bit quieter in New Zealand. But fans wanted more. What about the earlier book “The Hobbit”? After many years of legal wrangling (seems the rights to that work were very tangled) it was announced that Jackson, now acting as producer, would bring it to the screen with Guillermo del Toro (PAN’S LABRYNTH) directing. When del Toro stepped away from the director’s chair, Jackson decided to return to helm what would be another movie trilogy. Three films from a single book? How would he expand on this much slimmer tome? Audiences worldwide last year flocked to see the first installment THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY making it a box office smash, thanks in part to 3D and new advanced frame rate technology. And now it’s time for the second chapter. Will it live up to other movie trilogy middle flicks like SPIDER-MAN 2, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, or THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS?  At least we’ll see a whole lot more of that monstrous dragon in THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG.

Part two actually begins with a brief sequence set before most of the events in part one. We’re treated to the initial meeting of Galdalf (Ian McKellen) and the dwarf leader Thorin (Richard Armitage) in a seedy pub as they discuss the big mission. After the title we’re back in the thick of things with those two along with the band of dwarves plus the hobbit himself, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who, as usual, are being chased by a nasty gang of orcs. Luckily they’re given temporary shelter by a “shifter” after he changes from fierce bear to lonely man (he’s the last of his race). When they exit the home Gandalf splits away on a solo mission (again!) leaving Bilbo and the dwarves to continue the trip to Lonely Mountain, the dwarf homeland taken over by the title beastie. En route while going through a dense forest they are attacked by giant, ravenous spiders. Not even the magic invisibility ring that he got from Gollum in the last film, can aid Bilbo. Luckily several elves lead by the fierce warriors Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) come to their rescue. But all’s not well as the travelers are taken prisoner by order of the elf king Thrandruil (Lee Pace). But soon Bilbo and his crew are delivered to Laketown , hidden in a barge owned by Bard (Luke Evans). Since they’re wanted by the city’s oppressive Master (Stephen Fry), Bard hides them in the home he shares with his three children. But thanks to another orc attack (thwarted by the elves), the crew continues their trek, hoping they can evade the towering dragon guarding the dwarf treasures.

Freeman does not give us the timid, flustered Bilbo from the first chapter. The events of the last entry have toughened him up considerably. There’s not as much hesitation in jumping into the fray to rescue his pals. Some of this may stem from his secret acquisition. “The Precious” is slowly getting into his head, even causing him to decieve the great Gandalf. McKellan is superb as always even when having to emote underneath all the hair and the big pointy hat. And he’s pretty good with the sword besides the spellcasting (that staff is really useful). Armitage brings a greater sense of tragedy as the future dwarf king uncertain of his real destiny. Happily we’re reunited with Bloom as one of Middle Earth’s greatest fighters, be it blade or bow (Katniss and Hawkeye have nothing on him). Despite his pointed ears and flowing blonde locks, Legolas is one of the screen’s greatest action heroes. This time out, he’s ably aided by the lovely Ms. Lilly, who’s as quick with her wits as she is with her weapons. Lilly displays all the grit, and occasional warmth, she showed in her years as Kate on TV’s “Lost”. Evans is compelling as the haunted boatman, while Fry is sinister and wickedly funny as the devious Master. They aren’t given a lot of screen time, so hopefully these characters will be fleshed out a bit more in the next installment.

Jackson has concocted a faster paced follow-up to last year’s hit. This may be since all the introductory scenes were covered very throughly in that flick. It had seemed that first third was bogged down with the dwarves endlessly singing and cavorting while trashing Bilbo’s pad. Not so this time, as we’re plopped right in the middle of the action. And the action scenes are where the film soars, especially with the addition of the elves. Jackson truly excels at mounting exhilarating sequences of split-second derring do, particularly when the dwarves have to evade the orcs while stuck in wooden barrels careening through the rapids. As if the water chase weren’t enough, Legolas and company arrive to face off against the baddies. And the Orcs are really bad (think of the most violent biker gang in the worst mood ever). A different kind of highlight is the attack of the giant spiders. Sure, we’ve seen big bugs in movies, but these guys are vicious, fast-moving, and really, really scary (parents of wee ones be warned!) They are truly the stuff of nightmares. And finally there’s Smaug, one of the screen’s great monsters. He seems to just go on and on with a body like an anaconda merged with a freight train. After miles of coiling scales we finally see that sneering head spewing threats courtesy of actor Benedict Cumberbatch. Unfortunately he seems to spend most of his screen time slithering towards Bilbo while snapping concrete columns. Hopefully we’ll get a wee bit more of him in the next one. Perhaps they’ll pack in more action while trimming many of the conversation scenes that slow down this film. A debate between Thorin and the Elf king seems to drone away as do many of the Laketown scenes. Also the hint of one of the oddest love triangles ever (elf-dwarf-elf) feels like extra baggage. But the New Zealand scenery is gorgeous along with the opulent sets and costumes accented by Howard Shore’s lush score just as we’ve come to expect from this film franchise. There’s a few nice uses of 3D (big, big bees), but I’m sure the film’s just as engaging without the goggles (and extra charge). Fantasy fans will rejoice with this new excursion and newbies should be engaged with the action. Sure it ends on a cliffhanger, but film fans will enjoy getting there. The “unexpected journey” turns into quite a thrill ride. Now where’s that  wayward wizard gone?

4 Out of 5

hobbit_smaug_2

Jim Batts was a contestant on the movie edition of TV's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" in 2009 and has been a member of the St. Louis Film Critics organization since 2013.