MOVIE REVIEW: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

GENRE: 3D Adventure fantasy

RUNNING TIME: 161 minutes

STARRING: Martin Freeman (Sherlock, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey), Ian McKellen (X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey), Richard Armitage (Spooks, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey), Orlando Bloom (Pirates of the Caribbean, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)

DIRECTED BY: Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)

RATING: 8/10

Currently screening at Ster-Kinekor Northgate.

PLOT: The second instalment of The Hobbit trilogy, the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) persuades the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) to journey to the Misty Mountains to obtain the Arkenstone, which will allow Thorin to reclaim the thrown of the dwarf kingdom Erebor.

Gandalf instructs Thorin to take along Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who must steal the Arkenstone from the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch). The party, comprised of Bilbo, Gandalf and thirteen dwarves, sets off.

Towards the beginning of their journey they are chased by Orcs and take refuge in a skin-changer’s home. The skin-changer Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt) assists the party by providing them with horses so they can outrun the Orcs. Soon they arrive at Mirkwood forest, where Gandalf leaves them. He instructs them to cross the forest and wait for him before entering the mountain.

The party enters the forest, becomes lost, and is ttacked by giant spiders. Bilbo, using the One Ring, escapes the deadly creatures and saves his friends, but they are then captured and imprisoned by Elves. Again, using the ring, Bilbo and the dwarves are able to escape.

They are again attacked by Orcs. They bribe a man called Bard (Luke Evans) to smuggle them into the town of Laketown. They are captured by the Master of the Town ( Stephen Fry) but are soon released after Thorin agrees to share the riches he will gain after obtaining the Arkenstone. The party enters the mountain and attempts to kill Smaug. They fail and the dragon takes to the air, headed for Laketown.

THE GOOD: The film is very well done, full of action and suspense and beautiful scenery. It is a feast for the eyes and the effects are incomparable. Seeing it in 3D means you feel very much a part of the action, as if you are walking with the party across fields and mountains. The giant spiders almost crawl towards you, and the fearsome Orcs are absolutely frightening. Armitage’s character Thorin develops wonderfully and Fry’s brief appearance is an added bonus.

THE BAD: The movie is long and complicated and it is difficult to keep track of who is who.

VERDICT: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a good movie, but certainly not a family movie. It is violent and the Orcs are nightmare material. The length means people who are not die-hard fans will become bored and lost in the action. However the spectacular effects make it worth it. The effects have come a long way since the first Hobbit film and everything you expect from Peter Jackson is present in this movie.

*Thanks to Ster-Kinekor Northgate for making the review possible.