An Extremely Enjoyable Epic.

Rating: 7/10 (9 January 2014)

Peter Jackson's second installment in his highly controversial Hobbit trilogy sees the addition of some new and exciting characters, as well as some stunning never before seen locations. A multitude of elements combine to make this film a marked improvement on the much maligned first part.
The Desolation of Smaug is the second leg of Bilbo, Gandalf and the company of 13 dwarfs' quest to reclaim the lost kingdom of Erebor and slay the dragon Smaug. They encounter many complications in the form of Azog's vengeance seeking band of orcs, the distrustful elves of the woodland realm and the formidably cunning and terrifying dragon Smaug.
What makes The Desolation of Smaug significantly better than its predecessor are its gorgeously ambitious and executed action set-pieces. Highlights include a typically Jacksonian river barrel chase and a beautifully choreographed fight scene which takes place in the center of the scenic Laketown. These types of set-pieces ensure that the pacing problems of the at times lethargic first film aren't repeated, as the film furiously jumps from one action scene to another, ticking many of the boxes of what an epic blockbuster should be.
The new characters blend in seamlessly with the world and the already established characters, mainly due to the skill of the actors playing them. Evangeline Lilly's Tauriel adds some much needed oestrogen into such a testosterone fueled world, making love rivals out of the handsome dwarf Kili and returning fan favourite Legolas. Lee Pace is very convincing as the extremely inward looking leader Thranduil, who Richard Armitage's Thorin has every right to distrust. Benedict Cumberbatch really nails the sinisterness and underlying intelligence in Smaug's personality, more than playing his part in the creation of one of the greatest CGI creations in cinematic history. However, it's newcomer Luke Evans who steals the show as family man and people's champion Bard the Bowman, giving him the steely resolve that Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn was imbued with.
From the established characters, Martin Freeman's Bilbo is still undergoing his fascinating character transformation that will span the full trilogy and will ultimately see him become a true hero. Freeman is a bit short changed in terms of his screen time but still manages to show off his talent, in particular his impeccable physical comedy. Ian McKellen once again lends his experience and gravitas to the role of Gandalf the Grey, while Richard Armitage does well in conveying the dark turn in lead dwarf Thorin's personality. The same few dwarfs that distinguished themselves in the first film play an important role, particularly Ken Stott's Balin who is quietly becoming the heart of this trilogy, constantly reminding everyone about the significance of the quest at hand.
Thematically The Desolation of Smaug feels very similar to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, as it deals with how wealth and power corrupt, as is evident in the cases of Bilbo and Thorin. The interesting thing about this film is that many of its themes derive form the source material and the inter-war period in which Tolkien wrote the book. The inward looking elves are clearly meant to represent the isolationist America that existed in this inter-war period and refused to join The League of Nations. Furthermore, the totalitarian society created by Stephen Fry's dictatorial master of Laketown, is almost certainly meant to represent the totalitarian societies being created by dictators Hitler and Mussolini in this inter-war period, with the suppression of elections and public participation being alluded to in the film.
The new locations Laketown and Mirkwood are like rich tapestries, as is befitting of Jackson's Middle Earth legacy. Their beauty is complimented and magnified by the typically excellent score from Howard Shore, which gives the whole production an epic feel.
The only problems in this cinematic milestone, stem from the source material and Jackson's wild ambition and limitless love for the franchise. Devoting enough screen time to all of the characters was never going to be possible given the nature of the source material, with only half of the dwarfs being established characters two thirds of the way into the franchise and the increasing feeling that Bilbo may no longer be the lead protagonist of the franchise. Jackson's ambition causes the final climatic action sequence to feel needlessly long and his love for the characters. means that the returning Legolas is given a ridiculously large amount of screen time.
Ultimately, Jackson has put his ambitious Hobbit trilogy back on track, with a far more confident and exciting middle film. While the heights of the Lord of the Rings trilogy can never be reached, this film comes as close to reaching them as is possible.