Fantastic!!!

Rating: 10/10 (13 December 2013)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was fantastic. There are no real endings to the movie, but the movie is still fantastic. It moves at a faster pace than its predecessor. It veers off from the book in more places than one. It is over the top at some points. But. It is fantastic. That being said, I must say the script is well written. Tauriel, who I expected much less of, is surprisingly well developed. Evangeline Lilly has done an excellent job. She is an obvious love interest, but she is much more than another Evening Star. Arwen's strength is of a different nature – Tauriel is more elemental. The digression from the book is not a necessity but I am happy to allow this bit of cinematic license only because it is done so well and it doesn't mess with anything cannon. Forgiven. Gandalf is as usual beyond par. The character and Sir Ian McKellen have nothing but praise to accept. We see a glimpse of the power that the wizard sustains in a duel of strength he has to contend with, and though there are evident imitations of the challenge with the Balrog in the Fellowship, this one sustains its energy and interest. I love the additions despite my penchant for being a pedant. The High Fells of Rhudaur and the subsequent journey, the move into Dol Guldur, which ascertains Sauron's identity, is very well managed. None of which we see in the book but which feature as the Appendices in the Lord of the Rings. Well-written. Thranduil, a Silvan elf from the First Age, is wonderfully played by Lee Pace. We see little of him in the first part, but in this one he holds the character with assurance. I am very glad to see that with him Peter Jackson gets the aspect of the size ratios right. He belittles even Legolas, and that's lovely to see. I expect Galadriel to have the same height. Thorin Oakenshield shows his descent into greed well. As does Martin Freeman with Bilbo's dark attachment to the One. Martin is indubitably the star of the movie, easily holding his own against a stalwart like McKellen and, who cannot mention, Smaug the Magnificent. The dragon is the pièce de résistance. The worm you have waited so long to see. The graphics are mind-blowingly good. The live motion capture from the very villainous Benedict Cumberbatch is astounding. Of course, we deviate again from the book when the dwarfs play hide and seek with Smaug the Golden in the halls of Erebor, but that is just to show how lovely the dragon looks on screen. Forgiven. The story moves fast and the movie gets over too soon. Nothing really ends up happening as such, all the story lines have no endings because naturally we have another part to go through. But I am sure that we shall be seeing the return of the White Council members, Galadriel, Elrond, Radagast, (don't know if they will be showing Gil-Galad or Glorfindel) to fight at Dol Guldur and the Battle of the Five Armies will culminate the movie surely. My favourite scenes? Bilbo climbing through the canopy of trees in Mirkwood and scaring off blue butterflies. Gandalf's duel with Sauron. Thranduil speaking with Thorin. The escape in the barrels to the River Running. Smaug, Smaug, Smaug. I for one thoroughly enjoyed this fare. Shall be seeing it several times more, I am sure, because, have I mentioned this? It is fantastic.