The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
review by
ANIZ FILMVALA
*****
In the city of Bree, a flashback reveals Gandalf the Grey persuading Thorin Oakenshield obtain the Arkenstone so that the latter can become king. Gandalf mentions that a stealthy burgler - Bilbo Baggins - needs to be recruited to steal the item from the dragon-guarded mountain. Twelve months later, fast forwarding to the present, Bilbo along with Gandalf, Thorin and the Dwarven company leave the Carrock after the events of the previous film. Chased by the Orcs, they encounter the bear form of a charging skin-changer, Beorn. Gandalf urges the company to seek refuge in a nearby house which happens to be the abode of the calm human-form of Beorn. After expressing his hatred of Orcs over that of Dwarves, Beorn loans his horses to the company so that they can outrun the pursuing Orcs.
Gandalf departs before the others enter Mirkwood, urging Bilbo and the dwarves to follow the forest path and to wait for him before entering the mountain. After losing their way in the forest, the dwarves are captured by giant spiders. Bilbo, with the help of his invisibility ring, manage to free them from the cocoons of the spiders. However, while fending themselves from the attacking spiders, the dwarves are captured by the Wood-elves.
Tauriel, a female elf, becomes enamoured with Kili, one of the imprisoned dwarves. As a result, feelings of jealousy are evoked within Legolas, the son of Elf King, when he discovers it.
Under the cloak of his ring, Bilbo steals the keys and helps the dwarves to escape from the Elf Kingdom using empty wine barrels that were floated down the river. Along the way, they are attacked by the Orcs who had been lying in wait. While trying to open the river gate, Kili is injured by a poisoned orc arrow. Subsequently, Bilbo and gang meets Bard, a bowman and descendant of the orginal Lord of Dale, who was waiting to collect the empty barrels in his river barge. Pooling their coins to bribe Bard to smuggle them inside Lake-town, the gang are eventually captured by the Master of the Town when they try to steal battle-worthy weaponry. After Thorin convinces the townfolk and Master that they will share the riches of the recaptured mountain, the adventurers receives a grand send-off.
Meanwhile, the Elf King learnt from a captured orc that a fearful adversary will be unleashed upon the realms and decides to seal off the Elf Kingdom to protect it from any impending damage. However, Tauriel leaves to help the injured Kili and a concerned Legolas gives chase.
At the mountain, Bilbo deciphers the Last Light of Durin's Day clue and uses the moonlight to locate the hidden keyhole that opens secret door to the mountain. After entering, Bilbo attempts to steal the Arkenstone by himself but is hindered by the awakened dragon, Smaug. At the same time, Gandalf knowingly steps into the orc-ambushed Dol Guldur and engages the Necromancer in a fierce battle.
The elf pair arrives in the nick of time to fight off the attacking orcs in Lake-town before splitting up. Tauriel attends to the wounded Kili using her healing magic while Legolas chases after the retreating orcs. Sensing that something foreboding would happen, Bard, tries to affix a Black Arrow to the town's launcher so that it can pierce the weakened spot of the dragon that was spotted by Bilbo earlier. However, he is captured by the Master's men before he can do so.
Eventually, the dwarves enter the mountain to rescue Bilbo. Tricking the fire-breathing Smaug to rekindle the forge using his fiery flames, they attempt to kill the dragon by drowning him in molten gold. However, Smaug stumbles out of the mountain and takes to air, shaking off the gold-coating and heads toward Lake-Town to wreck havoc and to seek revenge.
CRITIC VIEW.
Flawless, engaging and mighty spectacular Director Peter Jackson has shown his master skills of making fantasy adventure movies more fun and real like.
The second in a trilogy of the series is a adaptation of The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug continues the adventure and thrills with endless events and arena as the journey towards mountain to get Arkenstone .
This second installment of the movie
is more focused and much more exhilarating than the last one. It’s been made
more meticulously and has very little space to draw your attention away from
the visuals. Action progression is more comprehensive, as there are this
incredibly shots Ariel view shots, and the CGI effects, as always, are outstanding.
While the journey begins there are some breathtaking events
in their way as the dwarves are captured by giant spiders, also their escape
from the Elf Kingdom using empty wine barrels as they get floated down the
river is shot with brilliant visual which will keep you on the edge of the seat.
Also the casting and characterization of every actor bring much
liveliness and intensity to their roles as they were in the first one. To give away
credit to just one or two actor would not justify the effort of the rest.
The Hobbit films are
normally too long, at 180 and 151 minutes, the first two chapter of
Jackson's Hobbit trilogy length, but the fact
is J.R.R. Tolkien's the Lord of the Rings
is written in more than 1,210 pages, The Hobbit is more
or less 295 pages stretched.
Almost three hours in the theater, and coming out with a curtailed
narrative you will get a pinch of being betrayed. Wait for the last one.
Directed by
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Peter
Jackson
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Produced by
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|
Screenplay by
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Based on
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The
Hobbit
by J. R. R. Tolkien |
Starring
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Music by
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Howard
Shore
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Cinematography
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Andrew
Lesnie
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Editing by
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Jabez Olssen
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Studio
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Distributed by
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Warner
Bros. Pictures
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