A far more impressive outing

Rating: 8/10 (3 January 2014)

Having recently seen the first hobbit movie for the first time, I wasn't expecting to watch the second one until after the Oscar nominations, where I was hoping to watch it as a contender in the technical categories. By a stroke of luck, I attended a midnight showing with a few family members, and left the theater amazed by how this picture had captivated me.
Following the quest started in "An Unexpected Journey", this movie begins with an initial flashback as to how the whole plot to take back Erebor came to fruition through a meeting between Thorin and Gandalf. Having set the foundations for those that missed the first part, the story then moves us to where we left off from the previous film. From then on you will be taken on a ride full of thrills, as you witness the perils of The Company facing the constant threat of the vicious orcs. But all is not gloomy as allies will arise in the form of two rebellious elves (the return of Legolas) and the despaired lake humans, with it all leading up to the epic encounter with Smaug, the dragon everybody had nightmares about when they were kids.
As a whole production, The Desolation Of Smaug is a movie adventure of epic proportions that provides us with a variety of aspects to enjoy, from the incredible visual effects that bring Smaug to life, to the beautiful photography that takes us to Middle Earth once again and makes us glare at its beauty, all while adding a little light humor to amuse the audience. The acting is once again on par with what is required, as leading man Martin Freeman brings his witty and goofy charm to the character of Bilbo Baggins. Other standouts include Sir Ian McKellen as the wise and determined wizard Gandalf, and the voice of Smaug, done splendidly by Benedict Cumberbatch. Peter Jackson manages to make this second entry more exciting and riveting, by never directing an action packed story that never lets us breathe. One particular scene that wowed me was a chase fantastically choreographed through battles between the elves (arrows), orcs (wooden clubs) and the dwarfs in the barrels (pieces of wood and stone), that closely resembled the one in The Adventures Of Tintin (produced by Jackson)
Running nearly three hours long, Desolation Of Smaug once again stretches the story so that the one book can be accommodated to three feature films. Nonetheless it doesn't drag at a slow pace like its predecessor, and with the combined efforts of the effects and narrative, it flows perfectly towards an ending that leaves us sizzling for the final entry in the series.
Rating: 8/10