Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Dean O’Gorman, Aidan Turner, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, Jed Brophy, Mark Hadlow, Adam Brown, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Sylvestor McCoy, Mikael Persbrandt
Running Time: 161 minutes
Certificate: 12
Extras: New Zealand: Home of Middle Earth Part 2, Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug: Trailer 1 & Trailer 2, Live Event: In the Cutting Room, Production Video 11: Introduction to Pick-Ups Shooting, Production Video 12: Recap of Pick-Ups, Part 1, Production Video 13: Recap of Pick-Ups Part 2, Production Video 14: Music Scoring-Scoring the Desolation of Smaug in Wellington, Peter Jackson invites you to the set, Lego Hobbit Game Trailer, Kingdoms of Middle Earth Trailer, Ed Sheeran – I See Fire Music Video
Splitting The Hobbit into a series of three films always seemed like a bit of a stretch to most, and the very slow start to the last instalment THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, seemed to give some credence to that claim. THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG on the other hand, puts such accusations to rest, with an undeniably fast paced adventure that fills every minute of its lengthy running time with enjoyable action set-pieces and magical visuals.
It may lack a satisfying beginning and end, but this is a trilogy that will be best seen at once. Starting in a forest filled with illusions and spiders, the film risks feeling like the beginning of LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING, but manages to capture a different tone during the fighting. There’s a bit of comedy in the form of the spider’s speak when Bilbo has the ring on, and a rather unsettling character moment as Bilbo chops up a baby spider to keep it from his beloved new possession.
Another action sequence, that upon reflection really shouldn’t work, becomes one of the best and most exciting scenes in recent memories. The dwarves find themselves travelling down a river in barrels as a constant stream of Orcs attack, while elves Legolas (Bloom) and Tauriel (Lilly) execute their distinct fighting capabilities. It’s fast and utterly engrossing, making perfect use of latest technologies to keep the camera in motion during impossible shots.
In terms of performances, a lot of the cast have more to do, although the sheer number of dwarves still means there are a few too many to fully appreciate. Freeman shows an edge to Bilbo, while Thorin (Richard Armitage) is also given darker elements to contend with. Cumberbatch simply amazes as Smaug, with a voice of incredible power. The animation and detail on Smaug is also incredible, presenting a creation of absolute conviction and belief
Middle-Earth looks beautiful whether it’s represented by New Zealand or computer wizardry, and it really does feel like a return to the universe of THE LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy. THE HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG is a wonderful adventure on all accounts that will make for even grander viewing when the trilogy is complete.
[usr=4] THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG is released on DVD and Blu-ray on 7th April. You can purchase a copy here or try to win a copy by clicking here.
