THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
New Zealand, 2013, 161 minutes, Colour
Ian Mc Kellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Luke Evans, Evangeline Lilly, Orlando Bloom, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kate Blanchett, James Nesbittt, Ken Stott.
Directed by Peter Jackson.
We are now in the middle of the story, a year since we were invited to enter the world of the hobbits, pre-Lord of the Rings, and it will be another year until we reach the grand finale and the final credits. In the meantime, we have this sequel-prequel, sometimes an uneasy middle film in a series of three. However, this part of the story is far more straightforward, less unnecessarily complicated than the first in the trilogy. We have become used to the characters, especially the dwarves with Bilbo tagging along to help them on their quest to regain their kingdom.
This is a story of the dwarves, encouraged by Gandalf to go on a quest to reclaim their kingdom, taken over by a monstrous, but very articulate and rhetorical Dragon, Smaug. As they go on their adventures, continually pursued by villainous and deadly Orcs, Bilbo has been seconded again to the group to infiltrate the Treasury and find the jewel that will lead to success.
Ian Mc Kellan as Gandalf is always welcome in these films. But he tends to disappear for long times, going on his own quest, finding an ally who will enable him to enter the dark caves to confront Smaug. The dwarves have a detour on the way, going into the kingdom of the elves, a dialogue with the King, meet Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) and Legolas (Orlando Bloom again), who are willing to help the dwarves and who slaughter a great number of Orcs along the way. So, plenty of action adventure for those who like this kind of thing.
The dwarves come into their own in this film, a rowdy bunch in the first film causing mayhem in Bilbo’s home. This time they are more differentiated in character for the audience to appreciate many of them but, especially their leader, Thorin, with Richard Armitage coming into his own as the core of the film rather than Bilbo (Martin Freeman ever reliable). Not the Bilbo doesn’t have plenty of things to do, especially at the end, though it is difficult to understand why he didn’t actually keep the jewel when confronted by Smaug.
Another detour on the way to the kingdom is a visit to Laketown, helped by a trader, Bard (Luke Evans) and his family. He is something of a revolutionary in Laketown, a target of the Lord of and his sinister accomplice. This is one difficulty in the film. The Lord is played by Stephen Fry, looking like Stephen Fry, sounding like Stephen Fry, and making the audience focus on Stephen Fry rather than his character. Nevertheless, there are plenty of adventures in Laketown.
In fact, there are several entertaining adventure sequences, especially when the dwarves escape from the kingdom of the elves in barrels and find themselves not only falling into the water but being carried down river until rescued by Bard.
But the climax of this film is having the dwarves outside the caves, then finding the key (Bilbo does that), getting in, but relying on Bilbo to confront Smaug. As noted, Smaug is a highly articulate Dragon, not lost for a word, speaking in a very cultivated accent – and all this courtesy of Benedict Cumberbatch. He has a great deal of aggressive dialogue with Bilbo while breathing out great gusts of fire. (A pleasure for film buffs is that Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman worked together in the telemovie sereis, Sherlock, Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr Watson.)
This tends to be a very masculine piece of storytelling except for the very vigorous warrior, Tauriel, no slouch in her role of protecting the towards.
This episode finishes with a question in the form of a deadly exclamation, indicating that Smaug is on the rampage, that Laketown is under threat, and the dwarves regaining their kingdom seems less likely… Audiences now have a year’s anticipation!
1. The story of Middle Earth, the quest of the dwarves? Gandalf, Bilbo, Thorin? The obstacles? The pursuit of the Orcs? A new mission, enemies, the elves, Laketown, Smaug?
2. A middle story in the trilogy? Less complex? Audiences following it more easily than the first film? Identifying the characters? Response to Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin? The journey and quest?
3. Middle Earth, the villagers, the Indians, forests and mountains, the kingdom of the elves, the Lake and Lake town, the desolation of Smaug?
4. The special effects, the action, fantasy? The musical school?
5. The dwarves, as a group, the particular characters, Thorin as leader, his father, nephew, the injured dwarf, the Irish-accented dwarf? Thorin as leader, meeting Gandalf in the inn, Gandalf’s proposal, Thorin believing him? The journey and the pursuit by the Orcs? Coming to the kingdom of the elves, caution, in the cells, Tauriel and her attraction to the injured dwarf? her help, the escape in the barrels, in the river and the falls? The encounter with Bard, his supporting them, taking them to the town, the barge, the barrels, hiding, covered in fish? The Lord of Laketown and his assistant? The escape from the town, going to the mountain, Bilbo and the search for the key, the last light, of the moon and Bilbo finding the key, entering, the difficulties, the confrontation with Smaug?
6. Gandalf, grey, giant, himself, talking to Thorin, the proposal, his trek, meeting his ally, entering the cave, his wizardry? His role for the future?
7. Bilbo, with the group of dwarves, relying on his help, sharing the dangers, going to the cave, is mission to search for the jewel, finding it, being quiet for Smaug, Smaug awakening, the pursuit, the conversation, the rhetoric, the fight, the dragon fire? Bilbo and his looking at Laketown and his final exclamation in question?
8. The Orcs, ugly, deadly? Legolas and Tauriel fighting them?
9. King of the elves, his audience, with Legolas, Tauriel, assisting them on their way?
10. The Lord of Laketown, Stephen Fry, the response to Stephen Fry as a performer? His fear of revolt, his speeches to the people, wary, the insinuations of his assistant? His suspicions of Bard and imprisoning him?
11. Bard, meeting the dwarves, his help, the barge, the trusting him, the difficulties, his family, his place in the town, revolution, the confrontation with the Lord?
12. Smaug, in the cave, the confrontation with Bilbo, awakening, his power, size, breathing fire, pursuit of Bilbo, their arguments, the pursuit of Thorin and the dwarves? The fight and the escape? The spectacle of the dragon, fire, the cave? Smaug going to Laketown?
13. The audience and the middle story in the trilogy, sense of anticipation?
