A Different View

Rating: 8/10 (13 December 2013)

Some spoilers so please, be advised. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is Peter Jackson's continual of the adventures of Bilbo and the company. A lot of changes to the book, a lot of liberties. Overall I think it works well enough.
The main storyline resolves around the company of the dwarfs and Bilbo, as they set their sight upon the Lonely Mountain and reclaiming Erebor, now that they have come Under the Mountain of the goblins. This is portrayed very well and there is more depth to the characters. It was particularly interesting to see how Thorin is slowly beginning to change, not too much, but with a glimpse of what is to come. He makes some heavy decisions in Desolation and grows darker the more they close in on Erebor. The rest of the dwarfs get a chance to shine themselves as well and Bilbo is steadily crafting a serious reputation among them as a burglar.
I was very glad to see that the elves were shown in greater light. I have read the book a dozen times and more and the one concern I had was that the book is a classic fairy tale: the side characters are terribly underdeveloped and used as mere pawns to move the plot. This, however, ran in odds with the importance the elves hold in the story and Peter Jackson nailed the execution. My point: there are only two elves named in the book: Elrond and The Elvenking. None of the other elves are pointed out, save the guard from whom Bilbo steals the keys in the dungeon. That is why I am happy to see Legolas and Tauriel. Legolas is the son of Thranduil, a couple of thousand years old and it makes more than sense to include him in the film. Seeing him before friendship with Gimli and his dislike for dwarfs is an intriguing notion. Tauriel is a side character and therefore I don't think adding her suffers the film, on the contrary, she is a great character (and brings a female perspective otherwise nonexistent; keep in mind that Jackson also expanded Arwen greatly in Fellowship). As long as they are left as side characters and don't steal too much screen time from the company, it's acceptable.
The third part of the plot follows Gandalf and his quest to Dol Guldur. Like the elves, Gandalfs character is not treated with much care in the book: he disappears without any explanation and resurfaces in the same sudden manner. Jackson approaches it with concern, we know from the LotR books that Gandalf had a major role to play in Dol Guldur and this is shown in Desolation (and will be furthered in the next film). Mackellen acts with grace and great presence and is backed up by Radagast, who is more serious in this film.
The scenery was absolutely astounding. Thranduils halls and Erebor are done perfectly. The realm of the wood-elves is shown as their kin is described: less wise and more militiant, just compare their fortress with Elrond's Last Homely House. Thranduils halls are engraved in shadows and the elves are more aggressive. Lake-town also surprised me to great extent, it was built fascinatingly to float on the water. The fighting scenes in there were as impressive as others.
Now, there are some amazing scenes in this film, my favorite being the Barrel-ride. In the book it was quiet, the company escaped and then moved on. The stakes are much higher in the film which is not necessarily a bad thing. I won't even start with Smaug. Absolutely stupendous. Cumberbatch's voice gives shrills. Smaug is strong beyond words. The other adversary, Sauron, also portrayed by Cumberbatch, shows the strength that is to come and what we can expect from the third part. There is also humor in this film, and romance, but less and subsidiary. The world itself is wonderful and we feel like a part of it when watching the film. This is further helped by Howard Shore's amazing score.
In the end I would say that The Desolation of Smaug is a decent portrayal and improves on the first film. The changes to the book, the lot of them - everyone has their own opinions, mine is that they served the film well, the addition of Legolas and Tauriel is welcome and the increase of Bard's role as a man of Lake-town is as important. The dwarven company and Bilbo have reached the Mountain and unleashed the dragon. Next winter will conclude this epic adventure and this world and looking at how good The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is, we will be right to await it eagerly. I for one, am looking forward to watching Desolation many and more times before and after that.