A rollicking ride through the cinematic universe so greatly devised.

Rating: 9/10 (17 December 2013)

Much like the second installment of the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy 'The Two Towers' , 'The Desolation of Smaug' is quite easily the hardest segment of this colossal fantasy epic to bring forward to the big screen - advancing upon the first film whilst setting up the final chapter. Luckily Peter Jackson knows his vision of middle earth- the realm in which this film takes place - to such a degree that the production of this follow on prequel never does anything less than progress the already impressive first movie whilst wetting the appetite most definitely for 'There and Back Again' - the finale of this filmy journey. Larger, bolder and yet still easily seen as a Middle Earth movie, 'The Desolation of Smaug' does a hell of a lot right, thus cementing itself as one of the grandest sequels to hit cinema screens. Through a rollicking beginning, progressive middle and exciting finale this middle piece easily transports its audience to the centre of the action, therefore making the film feel engrossing throughout and fast paced. Peter Jackson, and his team, have done wonders with the source material - stretching the small classic novel over three movies without making the plot feel prolonged unnecessarily, by incorporating added depth found in the authors other notes.
Following on from the first film, 'The Desolation of Smaug' once again follows the exploits of Bilbo Baggins, and his company of thirteen dwarfs. With the characters having already been established within the filmy universe, the second installment can not only progress via adding depth and tension to the storyline. This means that overall the film brings across a more mature feeling, and thus a heightened engrossment. However, to achieve this the film has to also progress the subject off its plot. With more characters, more action and more set ups, 'The Desolation of Smaug' does enlarge the already big first film in practically every way. This does bring the content of the film to another level of excitement when compared to the first - however some aspects of the storyline does seem to feel rushed still. Characters that appear prominent within the source material are not given enough screen time, with the focus more directed at the climatic showdown with the trilogies chief villains - of which there is two. This means that for all its grandeur, 'The Desolation of Smaug' will not convert Tolkien fanatics into liking the cinematic experience if the previous films were not to their idealistic depictions of the source material.
To conclude, 'The Hobbit : The Desolation of Smaug' is another triumphant return to a filmy universe in which such acclaim has already been placed, and through this resurgence, interest has bloomed. Peter Jackson once again showcases the fact that come Middle Earth based film productions, he has no equal. A perfect companion to the other already released films, the second part of the second trilogy is a sheer masterclass in what a fantasy epic can become. Once again the film rests on the shoulders of its lead actors, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and Ian McKellen and once again they succeed in doing the film justice. Much like Serkis in the previous film, Cumberbatch is a scene stealer that is completely villainous within his roles. Balancing the two villains whilst making each seem different, he once again showcases the immense talent that he holds. A key factor to a key cinematic brilliance, 'The Hobbit : The Desolation of Smaug' is a fast paced, epically interesting film that will leave you breathless. A
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