Another excellent instalment

Rating: 8/10 (13 June 2014)

Another really excellent instalment from the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit franchise. They've got the formula right and they just keep on churning out movies that I love.
The Desolation of Smaug has a number of sequences that really stand out. The capture of the dwarfs by the wood elves and their subsequent escape in barrels down the river is glorious - a relatively minor event in the book but here a long sequence packed full of quirky action scenes and fast-paced special effect fun.
The other excellent sequence is the scenes in Smaug's lair. The dragon is brought to life brilliantly and the cave full of treasure is absolutely immense. It all makes for great viewing.
The performances from the likes of Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and Richard Armitage were spot on. I thoroughly enjoyed watching The Desolation of Smaug.