Complete Fantasy Immersion

Rating: 9/10 (4 March 2017)

"The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug" is a two hour and forty minute movie. When the closing credits rolled, however, this was my first thought: "Bring on Part Three!". Once again, director Peter Jackson managed to completely immerse me in the fantasy realm of the LOTR universe.
For a basic plot summary, this movie picks up right where the first one leaves off. Fresh out of the Misty Mountains, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Dwarf Co. continue to venture forward towards the Lonely Mountain. Along the way, they encounter:
-Giant spiders in the forest -The woodland Elvish warriors led by Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly). -Escaping the Elves in the iconic "barrels" scene. -The rising of Sauron and his army of Orcs. -The Lonely Mountain itself, inside which the mighty Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) dwells.
Anyone's enjoyment of these movies comes down to how fully they are able to fully immerse themselves into the fantasy atmosphere. I am able to 100% "buy in", so I love it. I enjoy practically every aspect of the picture, from the action/adventure to the music to the "canon" material and even the dwarf bumbling humor. This is one of my favorite series of all-time, so I'm probably not being too objective here, but to me there is nothing here in this movie to shy away from.
It has been awhile since I read the "Hobbit" book, so I can't comment on how closely the movie follows the text, but from what I've heard/remember Jackson takes quite a few liberties. To be honest, though, I didn't care one iota while watching the film. I didn't feel as if any of the "new stuff" was boring or dramatically changed the main storyline. Again, of course, that could just be because I'm not intimately acquainted with the novel as I once was.
A final comment on this movie (and the series so far): The one thing I DO remember about the "Hobbit" book is that it is very much more light-hearted than LOTR and almost more of a children's book. However, these movies (with their horrifying creatures and graphic battles) are not marketed for the kiddie set. Thus, I can understand why Peter Jackson would want to incorporate more mature themes into the storyline. Too much of "book Hobbit" is childish (for better or worse).
Overall, "The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug" was one of my favorite cinema experiences of the year. Like I said, I could have EASILY sat through the entire third segment the same night!