The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
Starring: Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Aidan Turner, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lily, Luke Evans, Lee Pace. (and all the dwarves!!)
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Aidan Turner, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lily, Luke Evans, Lee Pace. (and all the dwarves!!)
Director: Peter Jackson
So I'm going to start of by saying, if you didn't like the first one because you think Peter Jackson is cashing in and don't understand how he can make three movies out of one rather short book, then stop reading right now and don't bother going to see it, because you won't enjoy it and you'll just complain even more.
Ok, so all the PJ fans still with me? Good, read on.
Ok, so movie number two in the second epic trilogy of Tolkien movies directed by Peter Jackson has been much anticipated by some of us and for me, I am happy to say I enjoyed it. I think I liked the first one better as it introduced us to a new set of characters as well as bringing back some much loved ones.
SPOILERS AHEAD
With The Desolation of Smaug comes the introduction of a few new characters, Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans), Tauriel the Mirkwood Elf (Evangeline Lily) The Mayor of Laketown (Stephen Fry) and Beorn the Skinchanger (Mikael Persbrandt).
The story continues with a flashback of Thorin entering the Prancing Pony in Bree under the watchful eye of some rather shady looking characters, watch out for a cameo in the first five minutes, where he happens upon Gandalf, who urges him to begin the quest to take back Erebor.
We then find our little company of dwarves and one hobbit one year later already on the quest, being chased by Azgog the Defiler and his pack of Orcs. They are chased into the rather gigantic residence of Beorn the Skinchanger, a large man who happens to take the shape of a bear on occasion. He agrees to help them on their way because while he dislikes dwarves, he hates orcs even more.
Their journey takes them into the sickly forest of Mirkwood, where they not only part ways with Gandalf, but where their adventures and near misses continue. That is until they are captured, and aided at the same time, by Legolas, Tauriel and a large band of bow wielding, high cheek boned, pointy eared, blue steel faced elves.
Thorin is immediately taken to Thranduill (Lee Pace), King of the elves of Mirkwood, who tries to deduce what the small company of dwarves are doing within the Elven realm. Lee Pace is brilliant as the cold and stoney faced King and those eyebrows could have spin off movies of their own!
Bilbo eventually comes up with a cunning plan (Baldrick style) and helps the dwarves escape from the clutches of the evil but ridiculously good looking elves, but not before Kili develops a friendship with Tauriel, who finds solace in the company of the tall and good looking dwarf.
A barrel ride down some gorgeous NZ river rapids, some fancy footwork from Legolas and some bumps and bruises, see the dwarves arrive in Laketown at the base of the Lonely Mountain where Smaug the Terrible still supposedly slumbers in the deep recesses of Erebor. Laketown outcast, Bard the Bowman (the rather intense looking Luke Evans), helps the dwarves get into the town and tries to help them until he finds out what they plan to do.
Meanwhile Kili is suffering from an arrow wound to the leg and is left behind with Bofur, Fili and one other dwarf while the rest continue their journey to the Lonely Mountain.
Gandalf meets with Radagast to discover the evil purpose of the Necromancer who has set up camp at Dol Goldur. He comes face to face with the Necromancer only to find an ancient evil has returned and is captured and caged, helplessly looking on as the orcs begin to amass preparing to attack, led by Azgog.
The dwarves arrive at the base of Erebor and find the secret door, where Bilbo is pushed into going down to steal the Arkenstone using his hobbity powers of stealth and invisibility. He is met by the stupendous Smaug, the giant red dragon who has slumbered beneath an enormous pile of gold and wealth for 60 years and is still not willing to part with it. After some banter between the two, he realises what Bilbo is trying to do and the Benny Hill music is queued and ready for the chase around the mountain.
Tauriel arrives in Laketown with Legolas and the orcs and helps to heal the rather sick looking Kili while Legolas kicks some orc butt and chases the leader of the orcs across the bridge away from Laketown.
Another cunning plan sees the dwarves cover Smaug in a layer of gold trying to outwit him, but all it really does is doom the residents of Laketown where the movie fades out and we have to wait another twelve months to find out what happens.
END SPOILERS
Ok, so all the PJ fans still with me? Good, read on.
Ok, so movie number two in the second epic trilogy of Tolkien movies directed by Peter Jackson has been much anticipated by some of us and for me, I am happy to say I enjoyed it. I think I liked the first one better as it introduced us to a new set of characters as well as bringing back some much loved ones.
SPOILERS AHEAD
With The Desolation of Smaug comes the introduction of a few new characters, Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans), Tauriel the Mirkwood Elf (Evangeline Lily) The Mayor of Laketown (Stephen Fry) and Beorn the Skinchanger (Mikael Persbrandt).
The story continues with a flashback of Thorin entering the Prancing Pony in Bree under the watchful eye of some rather shady looking characters, watch out for a cameo in the first five minutes, where he happens upon Gandalf, who urges him to begin the quest to take back Erebor.
We then find our little company of dwarves and one hobbit one year later already on the quest, being chased by Azgog the Defiler and his pack of Orcs. They are chased into the rather gigantic residence of Beorn the Skinchanger, a large man who happens to take the shape of a bear on occasion. He agrees to help them on their way because while he dislikes dwarves, he hates orcs even more.
Their journey takes them into the sickly forest of Mirkwood, where they not only part ways with Gandalf, but where their adventures and near misses continue. That is until they are captured, and aided at the same time, by Legolas, Tauriel and a large band of bow wielding, high cheek boned, pointy eared, blue steel faced elves.
Thorin is immediately taken to Thranduill (Lee Pace), King of the elves of Mirkwood, who tries to deduce what the small company of dwarves are doing within the Elven realm. Lee Pace is brilliant as the cold and stoney faced King and those eyebrows could have spin off movies of their own!
Bilbo eventually comes up with a cunning plan (Baldrick style) and helps the dwarves escape from the clutches of the evil but ridiculously good looking elves, but not before Kili develops a friendship with Tauriel, who finds solace in the company of the tall and good looking dwarf.
A barrel ride down some gorgeous NZ river rapids, some fancy footwork from Legolas and some bumps and bruises, see the dwarves arrive in Laketown at the base of the Lonely Mountain where Smaug the Terrible still supposedly slumbers in the deep recesses of Erebor. Laketown outcast, Bard the Bowman (the rather intense looking Luke Evans), helps the dwarves get into the town and tries to help them until he finds out what they plan to do.
Meanwhile Kili is suffering from an arrow wound to the leg and is left behind with Bofur, Fili and one other dwarf while the rest continue their journey to the Lonely Mountain.
Gandalf meets with Radagast to discover the evil purpose of the Necromancer who has set up camp at Dol Goldur. He comes face to face with the Necromancer only to find an ancient evil has returned and is captured and caged, helplessly looking on as the orcs begin to amass preparing to attack, led by Azgog.
The dwarves arrive at the base of Erebor and find the secret door, where Bilbo is pushed into going down to steal the Arkenstone using his hobbity powers of stealth and invisibility. He is met by the stupendous Smaug, the giant red dragon who has slumbered beneath an enormous pile of gold and wealth for 60 years and is still not willing to part with it. After some banter between the two, he realises what Bilbo is trying to do and the Benny Hill music is queued and ready for the chase around the mountain.
Tauriel arrives in Laketown with Legolas and the orcs and helps to heal the rather sick looking Kili while Legolas kicks some orc butt and chases the leader of the orcs across the bridge away from Laketown.
Another cunning plan sees the dwarves cover Smaug in a layer of gold trying to outwit him, but all it really does is doom the residents of Laketown where the movie fades out and we have to wait another twelve months to find out what happens.
END SPOILERS
Did I enjoy it? Yes I did, but I felt there were some things missing and some things a bit overdone. The CG used with Legolas and the arrow shooting was a little bit too much, even though some of the ways the orcs perished are pretty inventive and reminiscent of Legolas' excellent bow skills from Lord of the Rings.
I also enjoyed some of the tie ins from Lord of the Rings, although my husband hated those bits as he is very much of the opinion that he shouldn't tie the previous movies in with this one at all due to the fact that the books were written in the opposite order to the movies being made. As a fan girl, I loved it.
The closing song, "I see Fire" by Ed Sheeran is perfect and it's one of those songs that I just love listening to.
All in all, another enjoyable instalment from Peter Jackson, but it will anger a lot of people. One more to go, and while I'm looking forward to it, I'm also dreading it as I know it brings another brilliant trilogy to an end. Whatever will we see on Boxing Day 2015??
I also enjoyed some of the tie ins from Lord of the Rings, although my husband hated those bits as he is very much of the opinion that he shouldn't tie the previous movies in with this one at all due to the fact that the books were written in the opposite order to the movies being made. As a fan girl, I loved it.
The closing song, "I see Fire" by Ed Sheeran is perfect and it's one of those songs that I just love listening to.
All in all, another enjoyable instalment from Peter Jackson, but it will anger a lot of people. One more to go, and while I'm looking forward to it, I'm also dreading it as I know it brings another brilliant trilogy to an end. Whatever will we see on Boxing Day 2015??
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