The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

[MacGuffin]

Release date: December 13, 2013

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Elijah Wood

Directed by: Peter Jackson

Premise: The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug.

[Kal]

If the first movie is any indication, the trailer is probably 1000 times more exciting and fast paced than the movie.

[MacGuffin]

[Just Withnail]

"You'll needit" - now that's a line reading.

[Alexandro]

Obviously the aim was to make this a much more action oriented and fast paced film than the first Hobbit. The contrast is remarkable. This makes it more fun, and in a sense it's as if this is the Temple of Doom of the trilogy. But if that's the idea, it goes on for too long.

There are three fantastic, long and elaborate action sequences (among who knows how many) and a particularly great scene near the end between Bilbo and Smaug. However, aiming for Temple of Doom's silly pleasures is depressing when you think back on the ambition that the first trilogy had. And the film never decides to be that either. There's the absurd presence of Legolas looking way too old, and a very boring and improbable love triangle between him, a (lonely) female character and a dwarf (again, some of this dwarves don't look like dwarves at all). Of the action sequences I mentioned, the first two (one with giant spiders and another one down a river with every major character floating in barrels) are inspired and worth the trip alone. The last one is spectacular but it's silly when you think two minutes about it, and most of the plot doesn't make too much sense or is not something you care about.

So, it's fun and has redeeming qualities, but goes on for too long and in the end, just reaffirms everyone's beliefs that three films dedicated to this single book was just unreasonable. Great cliffhanger at the end, though.