The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Paul, Tim, Naomi, Mum, Tyler, Gemma, Tom, Rebecca, Megan, Ben, Tara, Greg, Tammie, Sam et. al.

First impressions, a marked improvement over the first instalment. Less exposition (and singing) and what we do get is spread pretty evenly between scenes of action on the road. The film still suffers from being an adaptation of a book that is merely a series of events. they try and flesh out characters and even add in some to force love triangles upon us. Is it bloat or a much needed reprieve from a series of escalating but largely inconsequential action sequences? I haven't decided yet but I'm leaning towards the latter for the moment. The fact remains I don't know how these characters and their relationships will be paid off yet so this could be integral groundwork to something amazing or all just filler. We'll find out next year.

Once the party gets to their destination though, most of that falls away, the tension picks up and the last half of the film is just nonstop. For the lovers of action, there are some pretty stunning sequences. And finally seeing Smaug in all his glory was definitely worth the wait for me. I don't remember any of those big set pieces from the original story but they were darn cinematic. Benedict Cumberdragon is scary and awesome.

They flesh out the barrel sequence a whole lot and some of it is glorious. And is it just me or did they sneak in some 3d gopro-esque footage into their red photography?

I also really loved those spiders, especially because they had a device which let us understand their dialogue which just made the whole sequence hilarious for me. This film wins the award for most orc decapitations. They get away with some pretty violent stuff in this one. The Necromancer makes a very trippy appearance. That was a pretty flashy battle. It's interesting to see where Gandalf goes off to and I suppose it's something to cut away to but the extended sequences in Smaug in Erebor are so great I just want to stay with them. Couldn't really care less about Legolas in Laketown.

Thorin still has the most interesting character here. We get to see a little prologue with him (and a Peter Jackson cameo reprise from Fellowship) that emphasises his daddy issues. And he begins showing some signs of the same madness towards the end.

Again, I saw this in the high frame rate 3D. I don't know if the cinema has updated their equipment, or if the greater number of CG environments make the process smoother or the camera moves were less erratic in this film or after 2 viewings of the last film I'm just getting used to it, but it really didn't jump out to me as much this time. There's still a little adjustment period at the beginning where you think they shot it on cheap video but after a while it becomes the norm. I'll still want to check this out at IMAX HFR 3D but my local cinema looked much less stroby this time. And the 3D is just amazing when selling the sense of scale of Erebor and our characters proximity to Smaug. Seeing an angry dragon that size moving towards you in 3D space is kind of terrifying.

Also slimy bureaucrat Steven Fry is great.

So, still just a series of events with some filler but the events were FAR more fin this time. And it's all just so pretty I don't really care. I like spending time in Middle Earth.