{"id":84544,"date":"2013-12-13T03:59:04","date_gmt":"2013-12-13T08:59:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/?p=84544"},"modified":"2013-12-15T16:58:12","modified_gmt":"2013-12-15T21:58:12","slug":"review-of-peter-jacksons-the-hobbit-desolation-of-smaug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/2013\/12\/13\/84544-review-of-peter-jacksons-the-hobbit-desolation-of-smaug\/","title":{"rendered":"Review of Peter Jackson\u2019s ‘The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"hobbit_the_desolation_of_smaug_ver16_xlg\"Editor Note: Our next review comes from long time collaborator and friend of TheOneRing.net, David Baxter. David has been involved in some manner with TheOneRing.net since the early 2000s, and is a staple at events in California. Being that he is 6’8″ – he makes a really impressive Gandalf too!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Let me get this out of the way, I did not go into the screening of The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug expecting to see all or even many of the events I\u2019d pictured in my head after reading JRR Tolkien\u2019s The Hobbit and seeing the Rankin & Bass animated version in 1977 (dating myself here). It was impossible after seeing Peter Jackson\u2019s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.\u00a0 Too much of that film had been devoted to setting up or showing events that were never shown in Tolkien\u2019s work and were only mentioned in the appendices of The Return of the King.<\/p>\n

I knew walking in that this was PETER JACKSON\u2019S The Hobbit and my review will be on the strengths and weaknesses of DOS as a filmed entertainment and the second in the trilogy of prequels to Jackson\u2019s Lord of the Rings films.\u00a0 In fact, this film may be quite divisive for the Tolkien purists, who, if they were hoping for a course correction from the first film towards a more faithful\/literal adaptation, will inevitably be disappointed.<\/p>\n

All this having been said, I really found myself taken on a wild ride through Jackson\u2019s version of Middle Earth and ended up enjoying myself a lot. I want to see it again\u2026very soon.\u00a0 There is so much visual detail in the film that it begs for multiple viewings and because it is not hindered by the lengthy set up of the first film or by a long recap at its introduction it sets a fast pace that quickens throughout and keeps the stakes rising as we follow not only Bilbo (Martin Freeman) but all the members of the company, Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and some new characters, most especially, the elf warrior maid Tauriel\u00a0 (Evangeline Lily) and the bowman Bard of Laketown (Luke Evans). The acting is consistently excellent throughout; especially Richard Armitage and Martin Freeman, who give subtle and moving performances as they each battle with dark forces from within.<\/p>\n

SPOILER FREE SECTION IS NOW OVER.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Rather than recap each scene of the film, I\u2019m going to touch on the places where I was especially drawn in or pulled out of the story, if you want to be surprised I would advise you see the film first (based on my general reaction to it) and then see if you agree with the points I make. I\u2019ll actually use the titles from the music soundtrack to break these points down.<\/p>\n

THE QUEST FOR EREBOR. Gandalf\u2019s meeting with Thorin at the Prancing Pony in Bree was cool.\u00a0 We quickly learn that Gandalf wants Thorin to lead the remaining Dwarven armies to remove the dragon Smaug but to do this he will need the Arkenstone to legitimize his rule and to get that from Smaug\u2019s hoard they will need\u2026 a burgler.\u00a0 I had hoped that we might get some exposition or flashback about how Gandalf encountered Thorin\u2019s father (so Gandalf could obtain the map and key to Erebor) here but it never came.<\/p>\n

THE HOUSE OF BEORN.\u00a0 The visuals for Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt) as monster-sized bear and his amazing home were great but we didn\u2019t get to spend nearly enough time with this fascinating character well played by Persbrandt. Once Beorn gives the company some ponies they are off to Mirkwood. I\u2019m betting we will get more Beorn in the extended version.<\/p>\n

MIRKWOOD. Jackson\u2019s hallucinatory oppressive forest gives you claustrophobia\u2026in a good way.\u00a0 Bilbo\u2019s tree climb above the forest canopy, breathing in the clean air along with thousands of butterflies was truly beautiful moment.<\/p>\n

FLIES AND SPIDERS. So cool that when Bilbo puts on his ring (which he doesn\u2019t seem to like to do ala Frodo) he can hear the Spiders speak.\u00a0 Super creepy. Very nice action beat where Bilbo dispatches a spider and names his sword Sting.<\/p>\n

After Bilbo rescues the dwarves from the spiders, I felt the Dwarves recovered a bit too easily and brought the fight to the spiders in a way that didn\u2019t fit with what they just went through.\u00a0 Loved the rescue and introduction of Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Tauriel.\u00a0 The action sequences in this film are through the roof.\u00a0 Jackson\u2019s camera can travel anywhere in a digital environment and it does. Kudos to Andy Serkis and his excellent second unit directing!<\/p>\n

THE WOODLAND REALM. The halls of the Elven King are beautifully realized.\u00a0 Lee Pace is perfect casting as Thranduil. Haughty and arrogant but still he offers a pretty good deal to Thorin, who seems already on the road to madness in his response.<\/p>\n

FEAST OF STARLIGHT. Kili (Aidan Turner) and Tauriel share a nice moment while he is imprisoned and it\u2019s clear that Kili is smitten with this tough elf warrior maid.\u00a0 Purists may be horrified but I get the sense that a lot of emotion will come of this relationship.\u00a0 A nice addition to the story from a filmgoer\u2019s perspective.<\/p>\n

BARRELS OUT OF BOND. Bilbo seems to figure out how to get the Dwarves out a bit too fast, I suspect there may be longer sequences in the extended addition, but it moves us quickly into a great action sequence. Freeman as Bilbo has a very funny moment here when he realizes he\u2019s got the dwarves out of the Elves stronghold but not himself.<\/p>\n

THE FOREST RIVER. By far the best action sequence in the film.\u00a0 You have elf\/orc\/dwarf action that is furious and fast but still seems more plausible than the sequence from An Unexpected Journey in Goblin Town.\u00a0 Bombur (Stephan Hunter) steals the whole scene in a sequence that had our audience of school children screaming with laughter. This is worth the price of admission.<\/p>\n

BARD, A MAN OF LAKE TOWN \u2013 Luke Evens gives a solid performance for Bard, and establishes him as the rebel of Lake Town.\u00a0 Once he sneaks the dwarves into town he seems to remember a dire prediction that feels a bit too heavy on the foreshadowing but understandable.\u00a0 Lake town looks wonderful but the sleazy Master (Stephen Fry) and his lackey (Ryan Gage) Alfrid\u2019s extreme distrust to downright hate of Bard doesn\u2019t seem adequately motivated in this cut.\u00a0 Perhaps the extended edition will soften this bump.<\/p>\n

THE HIGH FELLS.\u00a0 The Dol Guldur sequence is quite creepy and it seems like Gandalf has really bitten off more than he can chew. We really get a strong link to the overall LOTR trilogy here and establish what really at stake beyond the dwarves wanting their gold back from a dragon. This parallels the Gandalf\/Balrog confrontation from FOTR quite nicely.\u00a0 Great voice work on the Necromancer from Benedict Cumberbatch.<\/p>\n

ON THE DOORSTEP.\u00a0 Martin Freeman gets a nice moment to save the day and find the keyhole. This is one of many scenes where the events of the book are subtly changed in order to up the drama of the moment.\u00a0 I think it works wonderfully.<\/p>\n

KINGSFOIL. Back in Lake Town, Bard is being chased by the Master\u2019s men while Kili is dying, sick from a poisoned orc arrow.\u00a0 James Nesbit as Bofur gets a chance to shine here as he tracks down the Kingsfoil needed to stop the poison while at the same time an elite squad of orcs is hunting the dwarves.\u00a0 We get a spectacular close quarters action sequence with Tauriel and Legolas defending the remaining dwarves and Bard\u2019s family.\u00a0 This sequence isn\u2019t in The Hobbit book at all, but I don\u2019t care, it\u2019s really cool.\u00a0 If nothing else, I think that this film will get people to actually read the book and enjoy it on its own terms, and that\u2019s a good thing.<\/p>\n

A LIAR AND A THIEF. Here we finally get the reveal of Smaug and it doesn\u2019t disappoint, except a niggling point that Smaug doesn\u2019t have arms in the front as Tolkien has drawn him in his own illustrations.\u00a0 He\u2019s more like a huge bat with claws on his wings.\u00a0 Benedict Cumberbatch is absolutely spot on in his portrayal of the beast and his chemistry with Martin Freeman is palpable.\u00a0 This really brought the iconic scene from the book to life.<\/p>\n

The next sequence deviates a great deal from the book but is very action packed as the dragon attempts to roast Bilbo and the dwarves.\u00a0 I was only taken out of the moment when Smaug mentions Thorin by his last name Oakenshield.\u00a0 There isn\u2019t really any way that Smaug should know Thorin by that name, so it felt inconsistent. Not a huge deal but I\u2019m a stickler for correct world building.\u00a0 Also, Thorin\u2019s attempt to stop the dragon seemed a bit ill informed since fire breathing dragons would naturally seem to be rather immune to the effects of heat but trying to drown Smaug in a river of gold at least looked visually cool.<\/p>\n

I had anticipated that Smaug would survive the end of the film, so having the vile worm fly off to incinerate Lake Town seemed a good point to end things.\u00a0 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, overall, succeeds in what every good fantasy film should do, never bore the audience, keep us on the edge of our seats every so often and take us to world filled with wonder and horror! I can\u2019t wait to see it again!<\/p>\n

Faithfully yours,<\/p>\n

Treebeard (David Baxter)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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