The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (3D)

If, like me, you grew up with fond memories of JRR Tolkien’s epic fantasy adventure stories, then you should get a big kick out of this film. Even if you haven’t read the books, or seen the films, it shouldn’t matter. The Hobbit, Part 2 is a complete and satisfying piece of entertainment in itself, containing almost all of the great action scenes from the novel and matching it for pace.

Unlike the first film which, from what I've read, seems like an extended AD&D-themed episode of Come Dine With Me, this film keeps the scene-setting mercifully brief. We’re given just enough time to acclimatize to the fantasy costumes and hair-pieces*, then it’s straight into a gleefully ripsnorting Saturday-matinee-style adventure, running full-tilt through to the cliffhanger ending.

The cinematography and action direction are turbo-charged throughout. The much-publicised and controversial high frame-rate (48fps) here enrich a bravura mix of CGI, 3D effects and traditional techniques to create an atmosphere that's both immersive and hyper-real – allowing Tolkien’s resonantly mythic world to suspend your disbelief enough to forgive any epic-ham dialogue, slightly distracting prosthetic make-up - and Sylvester McCoy. The orcs are as menacing as you could want, the elves are just the right side of Doctor & the Medics, and Smaug is magnificent on the big screen.

To keep to the fantasy-adventure theme, you could say The Hobbit, Part 2 is the Empire Strikes Back of the trilogy. As such, things can only get worse from here. The final scene takes us almost to the end of Tolkien's adventure, so if you’re considering going to see this film, I urge you to watch it in a good 3D cinema – and then borrow the book from the library. This way you could enjoy the conclusion to the classic original story while avoiding the excesses of the third film.


*752 wigs were made for this movie, fact fans.