Misguided and overlong, yet fun and impressive

Rating: 7/10 (20 December 2013)

Each decade Hollywood gives us a middling series of prequels to a cultural phenomenon, and the innate problem with prequels is our lack of surprise because of the knowledge of the fate of the characters. The latest Hobbit isn't immune to these problems, but at least its prequels are more successful than others (ahemStar Wars), and it's difficult to deny the pull this world has on my attention. Jackson's fabulous realization of Middle Earth, the impressive spectacle, and fun set pieces are enough to recommend this otherwise misguided and overlong epic. Like the other Middle Earth movies, "Desolation" is essentially a road trip movie in which nothing is easy and every turn is filled with a ubiquitous "darkness". The themes of power and pride are still potent, but other than a few moments of much-needed humor, the dialogue is mostly either expositional and boring, or completely pointless and boring. On top of that, it is filled with drive-you-crazy moments of cheesy happenstance coincidences. However, the casting is strong as ever, especially Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin, and the perfectly realized Smaug. Even if most of these characters are too often either quiet or totally absent in this chapter, their presence is still felt and needed. The biggest problem is the editing; not because of the length, but just to trim the fat a bit (a love triangle? Really?) But honestly, reviews are pointless. You are either going to see these films or you aren't; fans will like them, haters won't. For me, there is enough to like in this world to keep me coming back for morebut barely.