'Smaug' improves upon its predecessor with more action; less fluff

Rating: 8/10 (15 December 2013)

Ten years ago this week, Return of the King hit theaters and concluded Peter Jackson's epic Lord of the Rings trilogy. Fans rejoiced with the conclusion and many consider it to be one of the best film franchises of all time. After nearly a decade, Jackson took us sprawling back into the realm of Middle-Earth; ​surprising us with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Some were floored at the change of direction; splitting a three-hundred page novel into three lengthly installments. Others were joyed to spend extra time with Bilbo and the Dwarfs. But in order to explain all of his newly added story elements at a satisfying pace, Peter Jackson decided to turn the Hobbit into a nine hour, epic trilogy. An Unexpected Journey set the stage for the rest of the films, however the Desolation of Smaug certainly picks up on what the first chapter could not find; it's lack of courage.
One of the best things Jackson did with this series was intertwine classic story elements with his new material. 'Smaug' begins in the village of Bree with some back story on Thorin. Unlike the novel, Thorin is more than just a dwarf with a name; He is Thorin Oakenshield, the true king under the mountain and a character whom we can truly root for and sympathize with. Yes, the Hobbit is centered mostly on Bilbo Baggins and his adventure, but Peter brings more to the table; introducing us to new characters like the sexy She-elf Tauriel and giving a new life to Legolas by showing us his incredible archery abilities and delving into how he abandons the woodland realm. Sauron has returned and we get to find out why Gandalf abandoned the dwarfs at the forest. My favorite moments are the ones Jackson brings to life right out of the pages of the novel; Mirkwood is eerie, the spiders are haunting, and Smaug is stupendous. The barrel chase scene was particularly astonishing in Imax High Frame Rate; I recommend you see it if you can in the Imax HFR format, because it is worth every penny by the time Smaug shows up to steal the show. The moments with him and Bilbo are particularly hair-raising; His roar shakes the entire theater and Benedict Cumbermatch gives life to the sixty foot dragon in ways I couldn't even imagine.
All around I truly believe 'Smaug' out stood An Unexpected Journey in almost every category. The action sequences were far more intense and characters truly came alive on the screen this time around. While Jackson's 'Hobbit' trilogy may not stand on the same level of his precious 'Rings' films, I think we have plenty to look forward to in Jackson's next installment coming next year.