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HOBBITFAN13
Lorien
Nov 22 2016, 11:46pm
Post #1 of 42
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Movie Marathon Review: The Desolation of Smaug Review
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So I finally finished watching DOS after a short hiatus cause of sadly I was busy. This movie totally rocks! It used to be my least favorite ME movie but over the years I've come to love it. As much as I enjoyed AUJ, DOS just knocks it off by a long shot. It is the best of the trilogy in my opinion yet AUJ comes close and we'll see if my BOFA EE re-watch will change that (highly doubt it). I'm of course doing a marathon of the Extended Editions because those, in my opinion, are the real movies not the TE.
The Desolation of Smaug is a fast paced movie that just flies by even though it is almost three hours long. The movie has great acting and visuals. The CGI is worse than the first but it doesn't really matter because Smaug was the best CGI effect like Gollum in AUJ. The movie is more focused on Thorin than Bilbo which I think was very clever. It is like Frodo in The Two Towers, the hobbit are pushed a little off the spotlight. But yet there are issues in the movie like the following: slapstick humor but not as much as the other two in the trilogy, the ending chase scene was a bit overlong, and the CGI is like a video game in very minor spots.
Overall really I enjoy this movie. This is the best of the Hobbit trilogy and this is the only Hobbit film that comes close to LOTR. I give an 8.2/10.
What do you guys think? I know there has been tons of reviews of this movie but really it is time for another ME marathon again right?
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DainPig
Gondor
Nov 23 2016, 12:19am
Post #2 of 42
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Didn't you find the film, hm, a little boring? Like, 3 hours long, subplots distracting us from the quest, terrible ending... uh?
Not that I deslike the film, but, what?
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Ardamírë
Valinor
Nov 23 2016, 3:56am
Post #3 of 42
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Especially the EE. I don't like the gold statue, the orc attack on Laketown, or the portrayal of the Master, but everything else is good. The pacing works for me, and the bits in Mirkwood are fantastic. Dol Guldur is interesting, especially the parts with Gandalf and Thrain. And most of all, Smaug's reveal is utterly fantastic as bit by bit we see him emerge from the gold pile.
Also, I think this movie finds the best balance between the Hobbit book and the LOTR films that I don't think the other two films quite got. AUJ flip flops between being too childish and too dark. And BOFA is rated R for goodness sake. But DOS is perfectly even, IMO (except for the testicle eating).
"Behold! the hope of Elvenland,
the fire of Fëanor, Light of Morn
before the sun and moon were born,
thus out of bondage came at last,
from iron to mortal hand it passed." -The Lay of Leithian
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Silmaril
Rohan
Nov 23 2016, 8:41am
Post #4 of 42
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Smaug Chase and Barrel escape...
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are the lowlights of The Hobbit movies for me. I was shocked by the forges/golden statue stuff.
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Noria
Gondor
Nov 23 2016, 1:21pm
Post #5 of 42
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DOS is not seem overlong to me and I like the way the story has been made more complex by the exploration of existing and additional characters. I like the Woodland Realm and Laketown subplots because they pay off in TBOTFA.
I thought the barrel chase scene was a lot of fun and gave us moments for several of the characters. We also saw a little progression in the Thorin/Legolas relationship as well as Tauriel and Kili. It was long though.
As for the Smaug chase, the Dwarves of these movies were more like Gimli in LotR than their Hobbit book counterparts and would not have sat shivering on the doorstep. In DOS, there needed to be a confrontation between the Dwarves and the dragon. I could believe that a huge creature like this dragon would have trouble catching the much smaller Dwarves, who were on their own turf and could make use of Smaug’s size and the maze of passageways. I could believe that the Dwarves, who obviously had some magic of their own (as in magical doors), could do what they did in the forge. Again, the sequence was long and Thorin standing on Smaug’s nose always makes me roll my eyes.
But I loved the golden statue and seeing Smaug come face to face with the image of a greed that matched his own and be mesmerized by it. I loved the gilded Smaug spiraling up into the sky and shaking loose that beautiful rain of golden drops of greed.
As far as I am concerned, almost all the book – the fundamental story of Bilbo’s rise from selfish everyman to altruistic hero – is present in these movies. They cover pretty well all the plot points but the story has been embellished by the addition of other characters and the development of several that were in the book but whom we hardly knew. Tolkien didn’t write these embellishments and maybe would have hated them but IMO the story as presented in the films is richer for them.
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OldestDaughter
Rohan
Nov 23 2016, 3:16pm
Post #6 of 42
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It's probably my favorite Hobbit movie,
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and I put probably as my second favorite Tolkien movie.(The Two Towers will always be my favorite)
I loved the golden dragon in it, takes your breath away. I also really liked Tauriel and Kili.(Might be a bit unpopular, but I really loved their love story! )
I also love the more story to Bard and his family.(I thought his family was a great addition, and I love the whole family!)
But I love this movie, and I think it has some really awesome moments, and I enjoyed seeing it in theaters with my mom, brother, and my best friend and her sister.
I will never forget talking about it with my mom after we saw it.( I am lucky that my mom loves the Tolkien films as much as I do!)
Trying not to rant, but I love this movie!
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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dormouse
Half-elven
Nov 23 2016, 3:21pm
Post #7 of 42
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This isn't the book, it's a retelling of the story for film.
And the sequences you describe contain what are for me two of the most breathtaking images in the films: Smaug entranced by the golden statue and the enraged dragon circling upwards, shedding gold into the night sky.
For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood and every spring
there is a different green. . .
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Kilidoescartwheels
Valinor
Nov 23 2016, 3:26pm
Post #8 of 42
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For the most part, IMO the two movies are virtually tied. I go back & forth on whether I like AUJ or DOS better; I like them both for different reasons. Yeah, DOS was fast-paced, and some of the visuals were so spectacular - I AM referring more to set design and scenic backdrops than CGI, specifically Beorn's house and Laketown. Smaug was SPECTACULAR, but some of Leggy's fight scenes did look like video game characters, and it was pretty painfully obvious when they switched from live actor to CGI. That's probably why my favorite fight scene is Leggy & Tauriel in Bard's house - totally sets & actors in Orc costumes, plus some pretty interesting close-quarters fight choreography. (In fact, I sometimes think that is the REAL reason they replaced Billy Connelly with CGI Dain, because the comparison between live & CGI is just too stark - but I digress.) The barrel escape is pretty terrific, right up to Leggy standing on the dwarves' heads - really? Bard's entrance was very cool. Didn't care much for the fish scene or the toilets, but Thorin's speech in Laketown more than made up for that. Alfrid was just about right in this one, unlike BOT5A. The entire opening the door sequence was also fantastic, and then there's Smaug! Best. Dragon. Ever! I agree with another poster that the way the Dwarves were written, they wouldn't have been cowering in fear, but would make a stand. Really loved that scene where they found the bodies, and Thorin's "If this is to end in fire" speech, but yeah the forges scene was problematic. But there are still a few things I liked about it - really, the gold statue was kind of a prelude to what happens to Thorin in BOT5A - the worship of gold. And then Smaug spinning around, flicking off all that gold before flying to Laketown - I know not everyone liked that cliffhanger ending, but I LOVED IT! And did I mention Thorin?
'Course I did! 
I'd say I've entered my second childhood, but I never left the first!
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Ingwion
Lorien
Nov 23 2016, 5:51pm
Post #9 of 42
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"I am Fire. I am.... death."
"What have we done?"
And cut. Fabulous ending.
It was a foggy day in London, and the fog was heavy and dark. Animate London, with smarting eyes and irritated lungs, was blinking, wheezing, and choking; inanimate London was a sooty spectre, divided in purpose between being visible and invisible, and so being wholly neither. - Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens.
It is said by the Eldar that in water there lives yet the echo of the Music of the Ainur more than in any substance that is in this Earth; and many of the Children of Ilúvatar hearken still unsated to the voices of the Sea, and yet know not for what they listen. - The Silmarillion, J. R. R. Tolkien
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Ingwion
Lorien
Nov 23 2016, 8:33pm
Post #11 of 42
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Care to elaborate?
It was a foggy day in London, and the fog was heavy and dark. Animate London, with smarting eyes and irritated lungs, was blinking, wheezing, and choking; inanimate London was a sooty spectre, divided in purpose between being visible and invisible, and so being wholly neither. - Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens.
It is said by the Eldar that in water there lives yet the echo of the Music of the Ainur more than in any substance that is in this Earth; and many of the Children of Ilúvatar hearken still unsated to the voices of the Sea, and yet know not for what they listen. - The Silmarillion, J. R. R. Tolkien
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HOBBITFAN13
Lorien
Nov 23 2016, 10:38pm
Post #12 of 42
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There we very small moments I was bored...
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Like Laketown or the ending could've been shorter.
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DainPig
Gondor
Nov 24 2016, 12:27am
Post #13 of 42
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It is just a big punch in our face. We wait the whole film to see Fire and Water and we don' get it. The forge battle, although I like, it is useless. The black arrow arc seems incomplete. Something there is not right!
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Noria
Gondor
Nov 24 2016, 1:31am
Post #14 of 42
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The ending of DOS worked for me.
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The climax of DOS for the Dwarves and Bilbo was their battle with Smaug. That ended in a draw but that part of the story, Smaug and the Dwarves in Erebor, was over. The dragon's attack on Laketown was the beginning of a new chapter. Though it ended in the death of Smaug, this new part of the story was about the dragon, Laketown and Bard. It sets in motion everything that was set up in DOS and finishes in TBOTFA.
It probably helped that I was aware that the attack on Laketown would not be in DOS but I really liked the way it all turned out anyway.
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No One in Particular
Lorien
Nov 24 2016, 2:29am
Post #15 of 42
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The way that happened was inevitable, based on
1. the fact that the book was split into a trilogy and
2. the death of Smaug was not the end of the story as written by JRRT.
If there had only been two movies (or even one!) then the entire scenario would have been different, but given the choice to make an entire movie out of the Battle, that means Smaug has to either die at the end of movie 2 or the start of movie 3.
While you live, shine
Have no grief at all
Life exists only for a short while
And time demands an end.
Seikilos Epitaph
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Eruonen
Half-elven
Nov 24 2016, 6:17am
Post #16 of 42
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I will have to do the same and revisit them again for a fresh opinion...EEs of course.
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For me, I still enjoy all of LOTR more...but we are dealing with a meatier book that did not allow as much PJ invention. There are things I like about all of the The Hobbit movies plus some things I wish were different. AUJ had the necessary task of being the opening film and I enjoyed the beginning nostalgia with Bilbo and Frodo and Gollum but was disappointed in Goblin Town. For the movie plotting, I can live with the company being chased. Radagast...well, I would have preferred a bit different take on him. I am ok with Tauriel and Legolas. The pine tree seen...well, it is ok...meh.
DOS....I wanted more Beorn....Smaug was good but I wanted a bit richer jewel encrusted dragon. Again, to flesh out Bard
I am ok for the movie with his character. I am ok with The Master and even the controversial Alfrid...to a point. The chase sseen....ok, I understand for the movie but in all of the action scenes in all of these movies PJ simply goes too far with some things. It is clear he is in charge and only rarely is he swayed.
It was hard having the film end as it did - when we had to wait another year - now, since we can play them one after the other iit not a big deal. BOFA....once again, things I liked a lot, some things not so much and other things...meh. The EE versions help immensely in my opinion,
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dormouse
Half-elven
Nov 24 2016, 9:19am
Post #17 of 42
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We wait the whole film to see Fire and Water
Why? Sorry, I'm not being funny. Put yourself into the mind of someone who hasn't read the book - which is the mindset the filmmakers have to think of first. They're telling a story to someone who doesn't know it. Would that person really sit through the film expecting Smaug to attack Laketown? AUJ is about setting up the quest and the company who attempt it. DOS is about getting to the Mountain and overcoming difficulties they meet on the way. So getting to the Mountain and facing the dragon is the right climax for the film - isn't it? And if you like the forge battle, why is it useless? Isn't it doing what it's supposed to do? Bilbo and the dwarves have done it - they've got past every obstacle and reached the Mountain. They've even succeeded in chasing the dragon out - Hooray, they've won! .... Oh no - wait.... And that sets up the third film, which shows us the consequences of the quest.
Like you, I do know the story so I expected the attack on Laketown to be the climax of the second film. I wasn't surprised that it wasn't because the cliffhanger had been talked about here before the film was released. I didn't like the idea, but when I saw the film it felt right to me. The attack on Laketown is the beginning of a new story - one that will draw men, elves and orcs to the Mountain. The attack on Laketown is the first act in the Battle of Five Armies - I think that's why they put it where they did.
For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood and every spring
there is a different green. . .
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Arannir
Valinor
Nov 24 2016, 11:39am
Post #18 of 42
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... DoS suffers the most from the chaotic storylines and how they are interwoven.
You have Gandalf travelling all over the place to find the empty tombs which doesn't really lead anywhere... what does he learn there that wasn't already established before? It also takes away from the Sauron revelation. Knowing what he knows after that, he still ventures into DG alone.
You have the change of Bolg and Azog as lead-hunter during the Beorn episode that always felt clumsy to me. Leading to Bolg and his pack in Laketown which is totally uninteresting to me and only sets up that useless (and in Five Armies really damaging) feud between Legolas and Bolg.
You have that windlance storyline that will never lead anywhere in Five Armies.
And you have the ending which I understand was a hard thing to figure out once they went with three movies... but what they came up with as substitutes just did not measure up. The chase is no satisfactory sbstitute for Fire and Water, Gandalf being captured by Sauron is no substitute for a bigger Dol Guldur battle with the White Council. I understand that in a three movie scenario both had to be in Five Armies... but maybe there simply should not have been three movies to begin with, then.
Anyway, what I really do love about DoS (especially the EE) is everything at Beorn's house, the characters of Thranduil and Tauriel and especially the atmosphere of the locations (Beorn's House, Woodland Realm, Laketown and Erebor). I also loved the expanded Bard family, the prophecy, as well as the fantastic Smaug/Bilbo riddle sequence. I also liked the Master and Alfrid for the most part and Thorin's scene in front of the people of Lake-town is one of the few scenes I do not regret Thorin not being older. DoS also has the best music of the three Hobbit movies.
All in all, it suffers as well as the whole trilogy from a lack of purpose and goal but also shows - occasionally - that the magic was still there (but did not shine through often enough).
Again, all IMHO.
"I am afraid it is only too likely to be true what you say about the critics and the public. I am dreading the publication for it will be impossible not to mind what is said. I have exposed my heart to be shot at." J.R.R. Tolkien
We all have our hearts and minds one way or another invested in these books and movies. So we all mind and should show the necessary respect.
(This post was edited by Arannir on Nov 24 2016, 11:42am)
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DainPig
Gondor
Nov 24 2016, 2:14pm
Post #19 of 42
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Now put yourself into the mind of someone who didn't read the book and is seing the film for the second time. Would you like to see an incomplete story? You already know how it ends, and it is not in fire
By the way, this is my 1000th post!!! 
(This post was edited by DainPig on Nov 24 2016, 2:15pm)
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dormouse
Half-elven
Nov 24 2016, 4:00pm
Post #20 of 42
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If I haven't read the book and I'm seeing it for the second time, I don't suppose I'll mind how it ends, I'll know...
As for an incomplete story, that's true, it is, but I don't think there's any way round that in a three-part adaptation, is there? The story can't be complete if there's another part to come.
"The Battle for Helm's Deep [or possession of the Mountain] is over: the battle for Middle-earth is about to begin."
For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood and every spring
there is a different green. . .
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Ingwion
Lorien
Nov 24 2016, 4:14pm
Post #21 of 42
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PJ absolutely had to have a suspenseful ending
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Here's the two scenarios - which one is going to make people come back in a year to see more?
1. Oh, cool! Bard just killed that dragon! The End. I guess the dwarves get their treasure now. Who cares about the ins and outs of it.
2. What have they done?!? All those poor people are probably going to die! Bard's trapped! They're all doomed! How on earth or under it are the dwarves going to get their treasure?
#2, personally.
It was a foggy day in London, and the fog was heavy and dark. Animate London, with smarting eyes and irritated lungs, was blinking, wheezing, and choking; inanimate London was a sooty spectre, divided in purpose between being visible and invisible, and so being wholly neither. - Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens.
It is said by the Eldar that in water there lives yet the echo of the Music of the Ainur more than in any substance that is in this Earth; and many of the Children of Ilúvatar hearken still unsated to the voices of the Sea, and yet know not for what they listen. - The Silmarillion, J. R. R. Tolkien
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LSF
Gondor
Nov 24 2016, 4:22pm
Post #22 of 42
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That any multi-part series that has one overarching storyline cannot be complete in any part that is not the final one? I would say that each part for this series does have it's own story, and by that, I would say the story of DOS of them reaching the mountain is complete.
As a person who did not read the book, seeing it a second or however many time, I definitely did not mind, since I now know how it ends. I also did not feel cheated out of a complete ending, because of what I said above.
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Eruonen
Half-elven
Nov 24 2016, 4:41pm
Post #23 of 42
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Agree, in retrospect it makes sense, especially when you can watch them back to back
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.......it was just an issue for some who were not familiar with the books and for those of us who knew it would be another year of waiting. Today, it is not an issue.
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Ingwion
Lorien
Nov 24 2016, 4:48pm
Post #24 of 42
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I know what you're saying.
It was a foggy day in London, and the fog was heavy and dark. Animate London, with smarting eyes and irritated lungs, was blinking, wheezing, and choking; inanimate London was a sooty spectre, divided in purpose between being visible and invisible, and so being wholly neither. - Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens.
It is said by the Eldar that in water there lives yet the echo of the Music of the Ainur more than in any substance that is in this Earth; and many of the Children of Ilúvatar hearken still unsated to the voices of the Sea, and yet know not for what they listen. - The Silmarillion, J. R. R. Tolkien
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KW
Rivendell
Nov 24 2016, 8:04pm
Post #25 of 42
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Are those the only two options, though?
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Personally, with these sorts of divided stories I kind of like turning the corner at the end and letting a sort of new story start. By that I mean it is a continuation but each part is a sort of new permutation (I might be using that wrong). So couldn't they have Bard defeat the dragon to resolve the main issue of the 2nd part but then bring forward the new conflict that will be the center of part 3 (and that they hopefully have been laying track for)? Like oh, Smaug is gone but Laketown is trashed and the residents are none too happy about it, the elves are reacting and the orcs are on the march.. This is a whole new mess! Where are things going to go now? Tune in next year!
Smaug is the big bad of film #2 but in #3 it is "Smaug Who?" Turning his resolution into a cliffhanger just turns his defeat into something that has to be dispensed with in order to get to the main story of #3. It's sort of messed up as a structural progression. If it works for folks it works for them. It doesn't work for me (but since I'm not a fan of the movies overall I guess that isn't a big worry ;)) But when these conversations pop up I often feel like fans are too quick to set up a sort of false choice.
Even the premise of option #1 seems faulty because if no one cares about what happens next (and the storyteller is incapable of exciting their interest) then there should have never been a Bofta since the whole thing is about something nobody cares about. Even more reason to shorten it down to two films. Talk about a bait and switch! "Oh that thing I was excited about was just wrapped up at the beginning? Now I'm spending my time and money on this other superfluous aftermath?!"
(This post was edited by KW on Nov 24 2016, 8:06pm)
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