Orcs and Hobbits and Dwarves......Oh My!!!!
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| "I must get back to the island." |
The Desolation of Smaug opens this week with some of the biggest and fantastically rendered action sequences of 2013. Unlike the last film in this epic series, audiences are thrown right in to the action with an almost non-stop three hour jaunt through the multiple landscapes of Middle Earth. This is exactly how a classic story should be brought to the screen with class and dedication to characters we've all grown to know and love.
The movie is leaps and bounds better than An Unexpected Journey as Jackson once again finds his directorial footing with a movie nearly as good as Return of the King..... minus the thirteen endings. Where The first Hobbit movie was mostly exposition and character development, The Desolation of Smaug is unrelenting in its use of non-stop sword and archery play while still sticking to the grandiose story at hand.
As Hobbit fans go, I'm pretty passive. I'm not a rabid fan boy of this series by any means. But I've definitely watched and enjoyed each franchise entry several times by myself and with my kids. Out of the five movies released so far, this could easily rank up there in the top two or three. Everything about the movie is simply better than the last. The story is tighter, the CGI looks better, and the action is much more fluid.
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| "Is it hot in here?" |
But the best parts of The Desolation of Smaug are the perfectly paced comedic elements, the return of Orlando Bloom as Legolas, series newcomer Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel and the long awaited appearance of the dastardly dragon, Smaug. He's a legendary villain that has been brought to the screen in perfect detail with a skillfully animated representation and voice over work befitting the classic monster he is.
If you're looking for a fun cinematic adventure to experience with your kids this Christmas blockbuster season, The Desolation of Smaug must be on the top of your list, especially if you're a die hard fan of these movies. Every second of the film is an absolute thrill ride that will have you anxiously awaiting the third and final installment of The Hobbit trilogy.
- Review by Chris George