The journey continues.

Rating: 7/10 (16 December 2013)

The Hobbit trilogy was never meant to substitute the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. It is more of a nostalgic journey to the Middle Earth meant to relive again with newer and older characters. And I, being a huge fan of Middle Earth, never had any qualms about Peter Jackson making three long movies out of a single book that does not run beyond mere four hundred pages. As long as Peter Jackson does what he does best, nobody in the right mind can deny the privilege of going on another journey. The first Hobbit had issues. Mostly because it was preceded by the stupendous Lord Of The Rings trilogy and slightly because it had its issues! Anyway, cheers for the fans because Desolation of Smaug is definitely an improvement over the first. The movie really feels like an adventure, unlike the first one. From what I have read that Peter Jackson had taken liberties and added new story elements that were not in the book, I would say that he did all right. Peter Jackson once again pulls of a beautiful Middle Earth that is as breathtakingly colorful and lively as it is dark and dangerous. And in this world, he orchestrates some of the biggest set pieces adventure that is filled with wit, humor, resourcefulness and courage. There is so much to learn for Michael Bay from Peter Jackson's Middle Earth movies. The set pieces are not just meant to crumble and explode, but they are meant to serve a purpose as a prop to accentuate the action. Something that Peter Jackson does so deftly. And add to that, Peter Jackson's elegant dance in the chaos, you get some breathtaking and totally enjoyable moments in the movie. There is some sort of cartoonish feel to these action sequences, but they in no way undermine the adventure that The Hobbit: Desolation Of Smaug is. This time the story is better, though it is still paper thin. And there are newer characters. Legolas is there. Sauron too makes an entry. And then there is Tauriel. *sigh* Is there anything more sexy and more beautiful than a lady kicking a**es? No, my dear friend, there isn't. Then there is that 'gregarious' ostentatious evil dragon, Smaug. The character developments are restricted to fewer characters, notably Thorin. The rest of the characters seem to be walking the tight rope of wooden characterizations. Bilbo is brave and stuff, but the character development is too linear. But, all in all, the story is much better, swiftly paced with fewer patches of stagnancy. The Hobbit: Desolation Of Smaug is definitely an improvement over its predecessor as the word adventure find its literal meaning into the story. Go, soak yourselves in the adventure 'barrel style, because it is worth it.