The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth continues with part two of his three-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Young Bilbo (Martin Freeman), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), legendary warrior Thorin Oakensheild (Richard Armitage) and a posse of 13 dwarves journey to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug.
Having passed the Lonely Mountain and the goblin tunnels, the cavalcade must now traverse spider-infested forests, the lands of the unforgiving Elves and a poverty-stricken lakeside town on the verge of political collapse. But in the very mountain kingdom the dwarves are trying to reclaim, Bilbo’s greatest challenge lies dormant: the almighty dragon Smaug.
- Director:
- Peter Jackson ('Lord of the Rings' trilogy, 'King Kong', 'Heavenly Creatures', 'Braindead')
- Writer:
- Fran WalshPhilippa BoyensGuillermo del ToroPeter Jackson
- Cast:
- Martin FreemanIan McKellenAndy SerkisCate BlanchettChristopher LeeElijah WoodRichard ArmitageOrlando BloomHugo WeavingGraham McTavish
Reviews & comments
Variety
pressThis robust, action-packed adventure benefits from a headier sense of forward momentum and a steady stream of 3D-enhanced thrills.
Total Film
pressDespite suffering from middle-act wobbles... nevertheless delivers rousing action, incredible visuals and one stupendous dragon.
Time Out
pressExhaustion has set in by the time Bilbo and his friends encounter Smaug... so it's a good thing that that's when Jackson goes full bore with the adrenalizing, digitally augmented braggadocio.
The Guardian
pressThe Desolation of Smaug is a cheerfully entertaining and exhilarating adventure tale, a supercharged Saturday morning picture: it's mysterious and strange and yet Jackson also effortlessly conjures up that genial quality that distinguishes The Hobbit from the more solemn Rings stories.
The Dissolve
pressUnnecessarily sprawling... It’s hard to fight the feeling that The Hobbit simply isn’t an epic story, and the efforts to expand it into one leave it feeling like an anvil crammed into a sock.
Hollywood Reporter
pressAfter exhibiting an almost craven fidelity to his source material the first time out, Jackson gets the drama in gear here from the outset with a sense of storytelling that possesses palpable energy and purpose.
Empire Magazine
pressMiddle-earth's got its mojo back. A huge improvement on the previous installment, this takes our adventurers into uncharted territory and delivers spectacle by the ton.
Peter Jackson is back on form with this one with superb action sequences (the barrel chase down the river...WOW!) and with a lot more heart than the first.
Same old, same old a lot of darkness with no relation to anything important on the planet and even the special effects limp miles behind of something like Avatar. Cutting an hour out of it would have helped a little.
Actually my interest in the LOTR greatly diminished after the initial trilogy and I was not gripped by the same excitement and interest that I was with the first of the LOTR films. I was surprised then when I saw the latest monolithic offering from Mr Jacksons stable that it was actually quite a good film. The 161 min runtime initially put me off a little...
Good film, didn't seem a long film watching it. Well done, apart from some of the SFX poorly done. Apart from that, looking forward to the next one.
F**K YES! The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is just what this franchise needed. A major improvement over An Unexpected Journey, which I originally gave a five star review. The light, family-friendly tone is now gone. This installment is darker, intense and more action-packed. Martin Freeman crushes it as Bilbo Baggins, who we see his obsession with the...
Peter Jackson is the master of the camera.Every camera angle and film shot is thought through to perfection.The camera will sometimes hide behind a rock or tree while the viewer will try to see around the corner.Impressive stuff.The scenes and set pieces are far bigger than the story. It will take you on a realistic journey through forests,rivers and...
Saw this at Readings wishing the whole time I was at the Embassy in 3D!! Still great in 2d but made for 3D HFR!!!
About 90 minutes in, I just wanted the film to end. Sure, lots happened in the film, and the set pieces were well put together, but they just continued to drag on and on and on. I'd probably add at least another star if the pacing was tighter.
You don't even realize over two hours has gone by. It's action-packed, brilliant scenes, flawless CGI, and much character development. Martin Freeman was no doubt phenomenal as Bilbo in this film; he was endearing and hilarious. Fantastic work from WETA in creating a perfect Smaug. Great film; definitely looking forward to the next one!
Variety
pressThis robust, action-packed adventure benefits from a headier sense of forward momentum and a steady stream of 3D-enhanced thrills.
Total Film
pressDespite suffering from middle-act wobbles... nevertheless delivers rousing action, incredible visuals and one stupendous dragon.
Time Out
pressExhaustion has set in by the time Bilbo and his friends encounter Smaug... so it's a good thing that that's when Jackson goes full bore with the adrenalizing, digitally augmented braggadocio.
The Guardian
pressThe Desolation of Smaug is a cheerfully entertaining and exhilarating adventure tale, a supercharged Saturday morning picture: it's mysterious and strange and yet Jackson also effortlessly conjures up that genial quality that distinguishes The Hobbit from the more solemn Rings stories.
The Dissolve
pressUnnecessarily sprawling... It’s hard to fight the feeling that The Hobbit simply isn’t an epic story, and the efforts to expand it into one leave it feeling like an anvil crammed into a sock.
Hollywood Reporter
pressAfter exhibiting an almost craven fidelity to his source material the first time out, Jackson gets the drama in gear here from the outset with a sense of storytelling that possesses palpable energy and purpose.
Empire Magazine
pressMiddle-earth's got its mojo back. A huge improvement on the previous installment, this takes our adventurers into uncharted territory and delivers spectacle by the ton.
Peter Jackson is back on form with this one with superb action sequences (the barrel chase down the river...WOW!) and with a lot more heart than the first.
Same old, same old a lot of darkness with no relation to anything important on the planet and even the special effects limp miles behind of something like Avatar. Cutting an hour out of it would have helped a little.
Actually my interest in the LOTR greatly diminished after the initial trilogy and I was not gripped by the same excitement and interest that I was with the first of the LOTR films. I was surprised then when I saw the latest monolithic offering from Mr Jacksons stable that it was actually quite a good film. The 161 min runtime initially put me off a...
Good film, didn't seem a long film watching it. Well done, apart from some of the SFX poorly done. Apart from that, looking forward to the next one.
F**K YES! The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is just what this franchise needed. A major improvement over An Unexpected Journey, which I originally gave a five star review. The light, family-friendly tone is now gone. This installment is darker, intense and more action-packed. Martin Freeman crushes it as Bilbo Baggins, who we see his obsession with the...
Peter Jackson is the master of the camera.Every camera angle and film shot is thought through to perfection.The camera will sometimes hide behind a rock or tree while the viewer will try to see around the corner.Impressive stuff.The scenes and set pieces are far bigger than the story. It will take you on a realistic journey through forests,rivers and...
Saw this at Readings wishing the whole time I was at the Embassy in 3D!! Still great in 2d but made for 3D HFR!!!
About 90 minutes in, I just wanted the film to end. Sure, lots happened in the film, and the set pieces were well put together, but they just continued to drag on and on and on. I'd probably add at least another star if the pacing was tighter.
You don't even realize over two hours has gone by. It's action-packed, brilliant scenes, flawless CGI, and much character development. Martin Freeman was no doubt phenomenal as Bilbo in this film; he was endearing and hilarious. Fantastic work from WETA in creating a perfect Smaug. Great film; definitely looking forward to the next one!
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