The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013), directed by Peter Jackson, continues the journey of Bilbo Baggins and the dwarves as they press towards the Lonely Mountain. Martin Freeman plays Bilbo, who must face the dragon Smaug alone.

The company passes through Mirkwood, a dark forest full of spiders and elves who do not welcome strangers. They reach Lake-town, a settlement of men living in the shadow of the mountain. Benedict Cumberbatch voices and performs Smaug, the dragon who has slept on a hoard of stolen gold for over a century. Richard Armitage plays Thorin, whose obsession with reclaiming his homeland grows darker. Ian McKellen plays Gandalf, who leaves the group to investigate a rising evil in the south. The film runs two hours and 41 minutes.

Why You Should Watch

Smaug is the reason to watch this film. Benedict Cumberbatch gives the dragon a voice that fills the screen with menace and vanity. The conversation between Bilbo and Smaug inside the mountain is the best scene in the trilogy. A small hobbit standing before a creature the size of a cathedral, using only his wits and words to stay alive. The scale of it is breathtaking.

Martin Freeman continues to grow into Bilbo. You can see the ring changing him. Small moments where his hand reaches for it without thinking, where his face hardens for a second before softening again. The film moves faster than the first. Mirkwood, the barrel escape, and Lake-town each bring their own feel. Peter Jackson keeps the pace tight, and the ending, which cuts off mid-action, leaves you wanting the rest.

Favourite Quote

"I am fire. I am death."

Smaug says this as he rises from the mountain. Two short sentences and you believe every word. The dragon has waited generations for this moment and speaks with the certainty of something that cannot be stopped. Benedict Cumberbatch delivers the line with a weight that shakes the screen.

Takeaway

Greed corrupts anyone it touches, whether dragon or dwarf. The film teaches that gold and power promise everything and deliver ruin. Courage means entering the dark room when you know what waits inside. The things that change you slowly are harder to resist than the things that hit you at once. And the cleverest weapon against a monster is not a sword but a steady voice.

Enjoyed this post?

Well, you could share the post with others, follow me with RSS Feeds and/or send me a comment via email.

Tags