The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 6/10
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage
Plot: The quest to reach theLonely Mountain
2012’s An Unexpected Journey was a satisfying, exciting and incredibly promising first instalment in the newly established trilogy. It introduced all the characters – old and new - and set up the story for future films perfectly. However, The Desolation of Smaug, the second in the trilogy, ultimately fails to live up to expectations; with poor special effects, numerous pointless back stories and an unsatisfying ending.
The ultimate criticism I have with the film is its special effects. Peter Jackson relies entirely on computer-generated sceneries during most of the film, which becomes painfully distracting and out-of-place when we cut away to a real and genuine environment. Numerous wide shots of the group on their journey rely on stiff and flimsy computer-game-like images, which immediately pull you out of this world. The difference between the genuine,New Zealand
Following the first film, I’ve argued that a trilogy could be done well; however after this second instalment, I seem to feel differently. The title of the film – The Hobbit – seems to have been misplaced. There are far too many stories involving the Elves which assist very little in the quest to reach The Lonely Mountain. In addition to this Gandalf also goes on trips to bizarre locations which are completely pointless and painfully slow. It just feels as if this film goes nowhere; yes, the group travel further, but the ultimate goal is left incomplete.
Though the special effects are fatally flawed and the story filled out too much, the characters are still captivating to watch. Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins is chirpy, quirky and refreshing. Whenever he shares the screen with Ian McKellen, you feel that the film improves staggeringly, yet such scenes are rare this time around. Ian McKellen, as noted, is once again top-notch and fantastic as Gandalf the Grey. There are also performances from Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lily, Stephen Fry and Luke Evans, who all add a little more spice to the story, yet their importance is questioned.
In Conclusion: The Desolation of Smaug has too many pointless characters and storylines (most notably being the tedious Elf/Dwarf love triangle). This instalment proves that quality has been sacrificed for quantity, which raises the question as to whether this was a truly creative decision. Where it does shine though is still in its characters. We get to see each of them – including all the Dwarves – receive their moment to shine, and the barrel sequence is a lot of fun. Ultimately though, the final scene may well leave you sighing.
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage
Plot: The quest to reach the
2012’s An Unexpected Journey was a satisfying, exciting and incredibly promising first instalment in the newly established trilogy. It introduced all the characters – old and new - and set up the story for future films perfectly. However, The Desolation of Smaug, the second in the trilogy, ultimately fails to live up to expectations; with poor special effects, numerous pointless back stories and an unsatisfying ending.
The ultimate criticism I have with the film is its special effects. Peter Jackson relies entirely on computer-generated sceneries during most of the film, which becomes painfully distracting and out-of-place when we cut away to a real and genuine environment. Numerous wide shots of the group on their journey rely on stiff and flimsy computer-game-like images, which immediately pull you out of this world. The difference between the genuine,
Following the first film, I’ve argued that a trilogy could be done well; however after this second instalment, I seem to feel differently. The title of the film – The Hobbit – seems to have been misplaced. There are far too many stories involving the Elves which assist very little in the quest to reach The Lonely Mountain. In addition to this Gandalf also goes on trips to bizarre locations which are completely pointless and painfully slow. It just feels as if this film goes nowhere; yes, the group travel further, but the ultimate goal is left incomplete.
Though the special effects are fatally flawed and the story filled out too much, the characters are still captivating to watch. Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins is chirpy, quirky and refreshing. Whenever he shares the screen with Ian McKellen, you feel that the film improves staggeringly, yet such scenes are rare this time around. Ian McKellen, as noted, is once again top-notch and fantastic as Gandalf the Grey. There are also performances from Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lily, Stephen Fry and Luke Evans, who all add a little more spice to the story, yet their importance is questioned.
In Conclusion: The Desolation of Smaug has too many pointless characters and storylines (most notably being the tedious Elf/Dwarf love triangle). This instalment proves that quality has been sacrificed for quantity, which raises the question as to whether this was a truly creative decision. Where it does shine though is still in its characters. We get to see each of them – including all the Dwarves – receive their moment to shine, and the barrel sequence is a lot of fun. Ultimately though, the final scene may well leave you sighing.
