Jackson's Return to Form

Rating: 9/10 (31 January 2014)

It took Peter Jackson two films to finally get back to the Middle-Earth we know and love. Let's just be grateful he did. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug silences all contenders as this season's rollicking, enormous spectacle, one which must be seen in the intended 3-D to appreciate in its fullness.
And about that 3-D. Oh, what glorious stuff it is. Better than perhaps any film this year (save Alfonso Cuaron's groundbreaking Gravity), Smaug uses its 3-D to enhance the story rather than simply embellish it. Even if you tend not to plunk down an extra few bucks for the surcharge, you'll be glad you shelled out for this one. More about the technical specs later, though. Let's talk story.
For those who have seen the first entry into the Hobbit trilogy, An Unexpected Journey, you know the story: a rather reclusive hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (played with wonderful quirks by Martin Freeman) is practically forced into a dangerous mission by his friend, the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan). The mission involves traveling with a group of a dozen dwarfs, led by the hot-tempered man who would be king, Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), to reclaim their homeland under the faraway Lonely Mountain, a kingdom ruled now by the destructive dragon Smaug. Bilbo's task is to sneak into the dragon's layer to retrieve a precious stone, the wielder of which holds the right to reign under the mountain.
Running concurrently with the journey to the mountain is a subplot involving a disembodied evil force which has taken refuge in a very scary CGI ghost town. It seems this force is a Necromancer, threatening to come to life and conjure a dark army for himself.
An Unexpected Journey ended with the Lonely Mountain in sight for our heroes, and the second leg of their journey proves to be the more exciting adventure thus far. The first film was a disappointment for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the faithfulness to the book's tone. The Hobbit is lighter fare than The Lord of the Rings, with happier songs and a bit more comedy. It works well on the page, but the film suffered for it. With Smaug, Jackson returns to the darker, more somber tone of the Rings films. He also proves that he is still a master of pacing: the numerous action sequences are at turns terrifying and comical, but always entertaining and hardly ever superfluous.
Being less faithful to the source material may get one into hot water with Tolkien purists, and I imagine that the addition of a newly- invented character will incur the ire of many. Tauriel (Evangeline Lily), a female warrior elf, serves basically as the object of both dwarf Kili's (Aidan Turner) and elf prince Legolas' (Orlando Bloom) affections. Nonetheless, the addition adds another layer to the story and gives Legolas' father, King Thranduil, plenty of opportunities to inform Tauriel she is beneath is son. As Thranduil, Lee Pace provides a performance so campy and outrageous it would make Tim Curry proud, but for some reason, it works.
With Smaug, everything works. The acting and direction are still top- notch, but the scripting has finally caught up to them. All the teasing of the first film pays off when we finally get a glimpse of the terrible dragon Smaug in all his glory, and it is truly a thing to behold. Not since Jurassic Park has a reptilian creature been so downright awe- inspiring, and with a voice by Benedict Cumberbatch ( in full "Khan" mode), Smaug should rival Gollum as a fan-favorite.
There is so much to say about The Desolation of Smaug. The new characters, locations, and plot revelations are handled exceptionally well by Jackson. The score, again by the brilliant Howard Shore, is back to par with the Rings films (try listening to the Lake Town theme and not be impressed). The 161-minute run time flies by, and leaves us on a cliffhanger almost as fulfilling as that of The Two Towers. In short, The Desolation of Smaug is simply one of the best times you will have at the Cineplex all year. It is smart entertainment, and great popcorn fare is hard to come by these days.