The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Review

Oh. Heck. Yes. Yeah, Peter Jackson is still awesome. With Desolation of Smaug (do you say it “Smowg” or “Smog”), Peter Jackson is once again in top form. I loved nearly everything about this movie. LORD OF THE RINGS IS BACK BABY. I know, I’m such a fangirl. I apologize. Seriously though, this movie nails everything. Yeah, fine. I’ll get on to the review.

So, as you can tell, I like this movie. A lot. Like, a heck of a lot. Everything An Unexpected Journey did wrong, this movie gets right. The formula from the first movie remains largely unchanged, but it is significantly improved upon. We still don’t get to see a lot about the personalities of the dwarves. But we get to see a few of their personalities, and that technically constitutes character development. Right? Right. Don’t get freaked out, it’s okay. I answer myself all the time. The emotional depth is there this time. It’s FINALLY THERE. The movie tries to tie itself to Lord of the Rings in even more dramatic ways this time. But it works this time. Oh, how beautifully it works.

It’s a prequel in all the right ways this time. A lot of people despise this movie because of how it differs from the book. Honestly, I. Just. Don’t. Care. It’s not like any major story points are changed. Heck, if you ask me, the book was improved upon. It was just never that deep or even exciting. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the book. But the story is just so much better in this movie. While An Unexpected Journey ultimately just felt a little like a slightly dull CGI-fest, this movie is involving in nearly every way. It’s funny when it needs to be, exciting constantly, emotionally moving at the right moments, and ultimately it’s just a far stronger entry. It’s the Empire Strikes Back of the Hobbit trilogy, if you will. It’s far darker, and there’s just so much more at stake this time. The actors still continue to impress, with Martin Freeman still delivering in the role of Bilbo. Richard Armitage also gets a bit more of a chance to shine in this movie, as Thorin’s personality becomes a bit deeper. Howard Shore continues to greatly impress, his score this time around being even more impressive than his previous one. It’s just a very well-made film, and even those who hate it would probably not deny this. If this movie has a flaw, it’s that it begins to drag on a bit when the dwarves finally confront Smaug. However, this sequence is still astoundingly well executed, and ultimately, this is the only problem I have with the movie. It’s worth suffering through the first one to get to this one. Trust me. 4.5/5 stars. Nearly perfect.

Also. SMAUG THOUGH.

Comments

Wonder Woman

Ah, Wonder Woman: the anomaly of the DC Extended Universe is the movie that most of us expected to continue the trend of mediocre or even atrocious films. We were all shocked when it became one of the best-reviewed superhero films of all time. Spoiler alert: I’m about to discuss the ending in detail. The plot is a fairly standard, straightforward origin story. It’s given more depth than usual by the fact that the film is set during World War 1. The pacing of the film’s first act is absolutely impeccable, setting up everything to follow with great efficiency. We’re given time to get to know the characters, understand their motivations, and we’re told the backstory that will play into the film later early on in a completely organic way. After Steve and Diana leave Themyscira, the plot begins to move quickly. After a bit of discussion, they decide to join the war with a small band of men. This is the point at which Diana truly comes...

Incredibles 2

Incredibles 2 picks up right where the first left off: superheroes may be illegal, but the world’s greatest superhero family is still fighting crime uninhibited. Until, of course, they’re forced to stop. Soon, however, Elastigirl gets an offer that allows her to fight crime and fight for the legalization of superheroes. All is well. Incredibles 2 was the sequel everyone wanted, but no one expected. Arriving in theaters 14 years after the original, it might have been easy for the world to assume Pixar simply had nothing else of substance to offer from the world of the Incredibles. The world would have been very wrong. The film sees Brad Bird, director of the original film, make his triumphant return to the series. He wrote the film as well, ensuring the film’s singular, streamlined vision. Bird directs the film spectacularly, maintaining a consistent tone throughout and establishing an effective blueprint for the world the Incredibles inh...

Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War is the cinematic event of a generation, an unparalleled and previously un-attempted 10-year gamble that paid off. The film is the first part of the culmination of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, masterfully and efficiently tying every previously established story thread into one movie. I’m sure you’re already familiar with the story, but I’ll hit some of the story’s high points just in case you’ve been living under a cultural rock for the last decade. Thanos, one of the universe’s most powerful beings, sets out to attain ultimate power by collecting all six Infinity Stones, each of which grants him a specific type of power. All that stands in his way are the Avengers. Infinity War was always destined to feel more like an event than a film, and those are expectations it easily lives up (or down) to. However, perhaps that’s more of a testament to the MCU’s excellent storytelling than to Infinity War’s preoccupation wi...

SkyWorld

Search This Blog