‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ review
By Julia Siedlanowska, Staff Writer
3/5
I must admit, I’m not a fan of the literature upon which The Hobbit films are based. Not because I don’t like the book, but simply because I haven’t read it. Somewhere around the third Harry Potter book, I left the fantasy fiction realm behind and haven’t looked back since. However, I have seen The Lord of the Rings movies and, by comparison, The Hobbit: the Desolation of Smaug has an apparent lack of consistency and arc.
The awkwardness of doing a sequel to a prequel sets the stage for major disappointment or further fan enthusiasm—either way, it’s a guaranteed box office hit. I unfortunately feel that the fans were slightly abused with this film.
The first film in the series, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, left me excited to see the next film and hoping for a conclusion; this is something I didn’t get. My greatest disappointment with the film is that nothing happens! Stretching one book into three movies in this case seems to be completely unnecessary.
Full of little Hobbits and nerdy (at times very endearing) humour and not a whole lot of substance, the film strings together a plot that is easy to forget and lose within the constant action. Stories and relationships with the characters are barely engaging enough to string together the series of fights and miraculous recoveries by the team of characters.
You sucked me in once, Peter Jackson, but I won’t come along for the third instalment.
There is no comparing Jackson’s earlier endeavour, The Lord of the Rings, to The Hobbit. If you want some light entertainment and are a huge fan, then go see it. But I warn you to significantly lower your standards first.
