The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

hyped garbage

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

After a lot of character building and exposition, it is time to meet some of the antagonists. The orc's obsession with the dwarfs is now explained as a part of an elaborate evil plan, we finally meet the dragon, which is an intelligent and articulate being, only driven mad by pride and greed. I quite liked the dragon and I wish the character would have been explored more. However, considering this is based on a children's book, any kind of depth in the story is a bonus. We also meet the humans, not some great kingdom, but a mere fisherman's village, far removed from the glory of the original Dale, and run by a corrupt ruler. Sauron makes his appearance, battling all kinds of magic users that seem to appear and disappear from various places as the story demands. We meet the "not so good" elf lord with a grudge on the dwarfs, as well. Here things start to also go awry with the quality of the storytelling, but the special effects and the increase in tension keep the viewer entertained. It all starts to go more and more over the top, without any reason to. If you are a Tolkien purist or thrive on a believable plot with reasonable characters and events, here is where you will start to scratch your head and wonder where it all went wrong. Still good and fun, though.

Bilbo (Martin Freeman) has been traveling with a band of dwarfs, encouraged by Gandolf (Ian McKellen) to see a bit of the world. The little folks, led by Thorin (Richard Armitage), are going to a well- known mountain where a dragon sits on a huge pile of gold. This wealth was stolen, long ago, from the dwarfs. On the journey, there are many dangers. Once in Laketown, a village burned once by the dragon, they try to get advice from a wise gentleman (Luke Evans) but he doesn't want to join the party. Also protecting the group are two very skilled warrior-elves (Orlando Bloom and Evangeline Lilly). At last, the wee folks arrive at the mountain, where a secret door only shown when the last rays of sun light it up, reveals itself. Bilbo has the key. Once inside, the dragon is a formidable foe and there more dangerous incidents. So, what if they do defeat the dragon and regain their lost treasure? Will this bring peace, especially when the dwarfs have promised to share the bounty with others? Hobbitually, I don't watch fantasy films like this. But, over a holiday weekend, my relatives chose this one in my company. Surprisingly, the movie was quite entertaining and beautifully filmed. There are so many characters that it is, initially, very hard to come on board but, soon, one learns who to cheer and who to scorn. Freeman is perfect for Bilbo, portraying a quiet, peace- loving Hobbit with subtle charm. Of the others, each one has strengths but I especially loved Lilly and Evans. Also scary is the voice of the dragon, fashioned by Benedict Cumberbatch to perfection. Indeed, the dragon is a wonder to behold, being very real in its inception. The scenery from New Zealand is glorious while the costumes are fun, too. Okay, maybe you will never get "stuck" watching this with family. But, in truth, if you take a chance, you might find it has more to offer than expected.

What I liked1. The barrel roll scene2. The introduction and debates between Smaug and BilboWhat I didn't like1. Terrible climax and cliff hanger2. The female elf3. All of the scenes with the leader of the townOver all this was not a terrible movie but it was not good at all either and this is the first movie in that universe I simply just did not like that much. Wish that this film wasn't so filled with filler

Manny's Movie Musings: Part 2 of "The Hobbit" trilogy leaves part 1 in the dust with faster pacing, more interesting characters (Legolas, Galadriel, and Tauriel — played by Evangeline Lilly), more character development, better action sequences, and what we've all been waiting for…the dragon Smaug in all his evil and crazed glory. Whereas "An Unexpected Journey" was like an old man wheezing his last breaths, "The Desolation Of Smaug" felt like a youngster getting his second wind during a race. My most memorable, movie moment of "The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug" is the scene when Smaug is awakened and his gigantic, fearsome body is fully revealed. This movie suffers from the usual shenanigan found in the previous four Tolkien movie adaptations: characters who can kill dozens of enemies per battle and never seem to get harmed; they fall from great heights, get hit very hard by giant creatures, and they dust themselves off and keep fighting as if they were made of steel. Yes, these movies are fantasy, but there is a limit of how much b.s. people are willing to put up with.Mannysmemorablemoviemoments