The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
(B+ or 3/4 stars)
Last year gave us 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey', Peter Jackson's 1st of 3 epic adventures concerning Bilbo Baggins. I enjoyed it a lot; mostly because I could re-visit Middle Earth again after a 9 year absence. There were some pacing issues & it didn't offer the gravitas that I got with Jackson's 3 Lord of the Rings masterpieces. It also had that 48 FPS dilemma, which gave grief to many a film critic & audience member who chose to watch it as such. But I still consider it to be a very good blockbuster spectacle. THIS year, we have 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug'. Again, it's not the masterpiece I wanted it to be. I have a new set of issues with this one. But the filmmakers fixed the pacing issues. It moves like gangbusters. And I think it's perfectly wonderful entertainment.
Picking up where The Hobbit 1 ended, Bilbo (Martin Freeman) & the wizard Gandalf the Grey (wonderful Ian McKellen) are still accompanying 13 crusty dwarves as they travel to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their lost kingdom of Erebor from the slumbering, treasure-hoarding, fire-breathing dragon, Smaug. With orc Azog hot on their trail, this ragtag group ventures into the ancient, tangled Mirkwood forest, where they encounter giant spiders & isolationist wood elves. This allows Peter Jackson to bring LOTR character Legolas (Orlando Bloom) into this Hobbit tale, while also introducing his androgynous, enigmatic father, Elf King Thranduil (dagger-eyed Lee Pace). We also meet Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly), a beautiful warrior elf who likes Legolas, yet seems to be falling in love with dwarf, Kili (Aidan Turner). Negotiations btwn. head dwarf Thorin (Richard Armitage) & King Thranduil prove ineffective, so Bilbo must help the dwarves escape their elven captivity.
After a rollicking barrel chase/escape from orcs down white water rapids, our fellowship meets Bard (Luke Evans), a ferryman who sails them to his home in water-bound Laketown - a battered, fog-shrouded burg community that floats in icy waters at the foot of the Lonely Mountain. Is Bard a stepping stone to the fellowship reaching their destination or ... can he be trusted? Everything culminates with a confrontation in the gilded lair of the gargantuan Smaug (voiced with thunderous arrogance, wit & rage by Benedict Cumberbatch); followed by a cliffhanger ending. All the while, Gandalf, having parted from our protagonists earlier in the proceedings, has ventured to Dol Guldur, the decrepit castle of the feared Necromancer, & learns that Sauron has returned to Middle Earth & is preparing for war.
First & foremost, I really, really enjoyed 'The Desolation of Smaug'. I'm about to nitpick it to death. But know that I love Peter Jackson's filmmaking prowess & will cut this film a lot of slack by also highlighting all the magnificent aspects of it. You know, the 1st film tried to introduce/develop characters, yet suffered a bit with pacing. THIS film fixed the pacing issues by keeping the action fast & furious; yet, since this saga lacks the aforementioned gravitas of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, and because character development is spotty, the movie still mildly disappoints. Another issue I had is that: while the climactic bombast btwn. Bilbo, the dwarves, & Smaug is AMAZING, I have to say, a lot of the CGI action sequences that precede the climax look too much like a video game.
But I don't want to get too negative, here. I loved so much. Mirkwood, Laketown, & the Lonely Mountain have their own sense of place in Middle Earth. They are triumphs of detailed production design (I wish I could hang out in Laketown right now). Jackson's camera soars, dips, & flows around wonderfully. The costumes & make-up are superb. And Smaug is one terrifying, incredible digital creation. Character-wise, Bilbo is starting to develop nicely as our burglar-hero. Thorin is starting to show baser motives (a la Boromir in Fellowship of the Ring). Even though she is 'created' for this film, Tauriel brings a necessary component that was missing in 'The Hobbit 1' ... a strong female. Sure we had Cate Blanchett last time, but she was a minor factor in the story. Here, Tauriel has some complexity, & offers the chance for romance (I miss Arwen & Eowyn from the LOTR). I also like that several dwarves, like Balin, come into sharper focus (though, there's still a handful that I don't know or care about). And Luke Evans is grimly charismatic as Bard; one of the few intriguing, conflicted characters in this series.
Though I really love many aspects of this movie, these Hobbit films are not 'blowing me away' like the Lord of the Rings did. Those films did a remarkable job establishing fantastical environments, creating character investment, building the narrative, & delivering heart-wrenching emotional hooks. Those films offered iconic scenes & memorable music. And as each one ended, there was a sense of both closure & anticipation for what would occur next. I feel that way with this movie, too. But for all the rousing action & scintillating visuals, I didn't quite get the same emotional or narrative pay-off for the next installment. I'm already anticipating a less-than exceptional experience. BUT ... I'll still be in the movie theater with bells on. And I do think this is a grand achievement as a standalone motion picture.
Picking up where The Hobbit 1 ended, Bilbo (Martin Freeman) & the wizard Gandalf the Grey (wonderful Ian McKellen) are still accompanying 13 crusty dwarves as they travel to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their lost kingdom of Erebor from the slumbering, treasure-hoarding, fire-breathing dragon, Smaug. With orc Azog hot on their trail, this ragtag group ventures into the ancient, tangled Mirkwood forest, where they encounter giant spiders & isolationist wood elves. This allows Peter Jackson to bring LOTR character Legolas (Orlando Bloom) into this Hobbit tale, while also introducing his androgynous, enigmatic father, Elf King Thranduil (dagger-eyed Lee Pace). We also meet Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly), a beautiful warrior elf who likes Legolas, yet seems to be falling in love with dwarf, Kili (Aidan Turner). Negotiations btwn. head dwarf Thorin (Richard Armitage) & King Thranduil prove ineffective, so Bilbo must help the dwarves escape their elven captivity.
After a rollicking barrel chase/escape from orcs down white water rapids, our fellowship meets Bard (Luke Evans), a ferryman who sails them to his home in water-bound Laketown - a battered, fog-shrouded burg community that floats in icy waters at the foot of the Lonely Mountain. Is Bard a stepping stone to the fellowship reaching their destination or ... can he be trusted? Everything culminates with a confrontation in the gilded lair of the gargantuan Smaug (voiced with thunderous arrogance, wit & rage by Benedict Cumberbatch); followed by a cliffhanger ending. All the while, Gandalf, having parted from our protagonists earlier in the proceedings, has ventured to Dol Guldur, the decrepit castle of the feared Necromancer, & learns that Sauron has returned to Middle Earth & is preparing for war.
First & foremost, I really, really enjoyed 'The Desolation of Smaug'. I'm about to nitpick it to death. But know that I love Peter Jackson's filmmaking prowess & will cut this film a lot of slack by also highlighting all the magnificent aspects of it. You know, the 1st film tried to introduce/develop characters, yet suffered a bit with pacing. THIS film fixed the pacing issues by keeping the action fast & furious; yet, since this saga lacks the aforementioned gravitas of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, and because character development is spotty, the movie still mildly disappoints. Another issue I had is that: while the climactic bombast btwn. Bilbo, the dwarves, & Smaug is AMAZING, I have to say, a lot of the CGI action sequences that precede the climax look too much like a video game.
But I don't want to get too negative, here. I loved so much. Mirkwood, Laketown, & the Lonely Mountain have their own sense of place in Middle Earth. They are triumphs of detailed production design (I wish I could hang out in Laketown right now). Jackson's camera soars, dips, & flows around wonderfully. The costumes & make-up are superb. And Smaug is one terrifying, incredible digital creation. Character-wise, Bilbo is starting to develop nicely as our burglar-hero. Thorin is starting to show baser motives (a la Boromir in Fellowship of the Ring). Even though she is 'created' for this film, Tauriel brings a necessary component that was missing in 'The Hobbit 1' ... a strong female. Sure we had Cate Blanchett last time, but she was a minor factor in the story. Here, Tauriel has some complexity, & offers the chance for romance (I miss Arwen & Eowyn from the LOTR). I also like that several dwarves, like Balin, come into sharper focus (though, there's still a handful that I don't know or care about). And Luke Evans is grimly charismatic as Bard; one of the few intriguing, conflicted characters in this series.
Though I really love many aspects of this movie, these Hobbit films are not 'blowing me away' like the Lord of the Rings did. Those films did a remarkable job establishing fantastical environments, creating character investment, building the narrative, & delivering heart-wrenching emotional hooks. Those films offered iconic scenes & memorable music. And as each one ended, there was a sense of both closure & anticipation for what would occur next. I feel that way with this movie, too. But for all the rousing action & scintillating visuals, I didn't quite get the same emotional or narrative pay-off for the next installment. I'm already anticipating a less-than exceptional experience. BUT ... I'll still be in the movie theater with bells on. And I do think this is a grand achievement as a standalone motion picture.