Review 2013 by RD Clark
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug
Written by: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro — Based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Starring:Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Sylvester McCoy, Evangeline Lilly, Orlando Bloom, Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry
Full cast is here at the IMDB
Rated PG-13
Running time: 161 mins
Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf companions continue their quest to the Lonely Mountain, where they must confront the dragon, Smowg Smaug.
First off, this did look good, except for the Laketown, which looked like something from the Popeye movie. The acting and costumes were all fine. Yada, yada yada.
However, if you were looking for an honest adaption of Tolkien’s novel, go find the TV movie and watch that. This thing is so padded with extra irrelevant plot that is barely resembles the novel. Beorn is given short shrift, in favor of a weird flirtation between an Eleven guard and one of the “dreamy” dwarves. Instead of a cunning ploy by Bilbo to rescue the his comrades from the spiders of Mirkwood, the Eleven cavalry shows up. And much of the action is reduced to Rube Goldberg type machinations. So much is cut from the book in favor of questionable story decisions that I sometimes wondered what movie I was watching.
In my opinion, Vermithrax Pejorative is still the best dragon, ever.
In case you didn’t get it from my comments so far, I do not, in any way, condone this movie. Tolkien is spinning in his grave. Also, this is one of the most vioent films I have seen this year, with beheadings and murder in abundance, so be warned before taking the kids; I have no idea how it got a PG-13. There are no post-credit scenes after the nearly fifteen minutes of credits, so feel free to travel.
Flytrap rating: 3/10
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