The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Review

So here we are, one year after attending the special press screening for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, we're now attending the second film, THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG with a bonus treat.

It's still the same creative and production team that's behind this. Still Peter Jackson directing with some help from Guillermo Del Torro, still Martin Freeman as Bilbo, Richard Armitage as Thorin and Ian McKellen as Gandalf.

We get some new additions to the cast too. LOTR alum Orlando Bloom returns here as Legolas, Luke Evans and Evangeline Lily are first timers here playing Bard and Tauriel respectively. The big character here is the dragon Smaug which is now voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock fans huzzah!). Still J.R.R. Tolkien's book as the source of inspiration and finally it's still Lee Pace here playing the role of Thranduil, that smug elf-king that rides a fricking reindeer to battle.

Evangeline Lily as Tauriel

Lee Pace as Thranduil

Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman

So what's different from this film from An Unexpected Journey. First the tone shifts to a darker, serious tone.  This new movie focuses on more darker stuff. That darker stuff? It also happens to be the meatier parts of the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Things like the Necromancer and Smaugh himself serve to really give our heroes a tough challenge. If you need further proof of this tonal shift I'm talking about, check out the dialogue that Beorn the Skinwalker provides about the Defiler and his torture. It's grim as grim can be.

Don't fret because much like Galadriel's phial of light, there's still some great things to expect from the film. There's a new love story element here between Tauriel (Lily) and Kili; which also becomes a love triangle thanks to Legolas. Bard's role is fleshed out better here and even Thranduil.

The scenes with the barrels were both funny and awesome. Keep your eyes peeled for that one.

In a nutshell, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is everything that you'll need for your epic fantasy adventure fix. It's already a great novel and it being translated for the big screen with lots of new bells and whistles shows just how much love director Peter Jackson has for the project. Tons of adventure and action but with very little fantastical creatures which is considerable since they focused more on Smaug the dragon. There's also a lot of complexities for most of the characters in this one. Thorin Oakenshield is one of the primary example. 

The ending is definitely STAR WARS Empire Strikes Back with the execution.

If there's any problem that I might have encountered here in the film, it's too much Orlando Bloom. Yes I acknowledge we need Legolas but we don't need him that much. The Kili-Tauriel was also half-baked but that's understandable since we're paying to see some action and dragon slaying hi-jinks and not "how we sired a dwarf-elf hybrid". 

For a movie that follows a high pedigree, I'm also impressed that The Hobbit: TDOS isn't as long as what I was anticipating, rather short film if I can say so myself. Also I highly recommend you see the film in a specific format - HFR IMAX 3D. Why? so that you'll freak out at the sight of huge spiders and get creeped out by giant honeybees that's why! 

The movie is perfect for my taste. It's packed tight with everything and it follows the book closely (well to some extent anyway, I don't need it to follow everything). The acting is superb and as always, the visual effects and musical scoring is practically begging for an Oscar Award. 

I'd like to thank Warner Bros. Pictures and the SM Mall of Asia IMAX for this wonderful screening. Until next year. Oh and the film is NOW SHOWING.

Martin Freeman Back as Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit" Sequel

Like all Hobbits, Bilbo Baggins is fond of his comfortable existence; all he needs to be happy is a full pantry and a good book. When the Wizard Gandalf and 13 Dwarves unexpectedly appear on Bilbo’s doorstep and invite him to join them on a dangerous adventure, Bilbo’s life changes forever. Initially skeptical of the invitation, Bilbo’s spirit of adventure leads him to join the Company of Thorin Oakenshield and become the “burglar” required to complete their quest to outwit a ferocious dragon and reclaim the Dwarves’ stolen treasure. To everyone’s surprise, including his own, Bilbo’s wit and courage prove that there is indeed more to this Hobbit than meets the eye.

British actor Martin Freeman returns as Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

As the second film begins, Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Bilbo, Thorin (Richard Armitage) and the Company are shaken and exhausted ... but not broken.

Perhaps most changed of all is Bilbo Baggins himself. “I think, as the journey continues, Bilbo is able to look at the world a bit more square on,” says Freeman of the Hobbit at the center of the tale. “He is still the person he was; he is still frightened. He’s not a fighter or adventurer by nature, but to be among different species that want to kill him or eat him ... it doesn’t need to be said how huge a change that is. And Bilbo finds a bravery that he didn’t know he had, and, more importantly, that none of the others knew he had.”
From his encounter beneath the Goblin Tunnels in the cave of the emaciated and conniving creature known as Gollum, Bilbo has emerged with something more than his courage. He has managed to steal Gollum’s “precious” ring with the power to make its wearer invisible.

“Bilbo is beginning to have a strange relationship with this gold ring,” say screenwriter and producer Philippa Boyens. “He’s beginning to have a sense that there’s something off about it. It’s a tough choice for him to put it on and disappear, and he takes it off as soon as he can. Having such a great actor as Martin Freeman helps you find your way through this idea that this is not just a magic trinket that turns you invisible. Not every choice he had to make was a good choice down in those holes beneath the mountain.”

Bilbo chooses to conceal this new information from Gandalf, and, for McKellen, Freeman’s portrayal of Bilbo in this moment illustrates the art the actor brings to his performance. “Martin has a palette of subtlety, and it’s often unpredictable,” McKellen observes. “He doesn’t like to do the same thing twice in front of the camera, so with a multitude of takes, in every one of those takes, Martin will give you a different nuance, a different color, a different aspect of the character he’s playing. You don’t know quite what’s going to happen next, which makes your reaction all the more real. With each take, I discovered something new about Bilbo.”
A production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” will be released in 3D, 2D and IMAX theaters in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures on Dec. 11, 2013.

A By-The-Numbers Look at "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"

Are you curious as to what it took to make “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” a reality? Here's a by-the-numbers look on the fun facts surrounding the production of the Peter Jackson film.

Number of crew member whose sole job on set was to look after prosthetic hands: 1

Years the textures department at Weta Digital worked on Smaug’s skin: 25

Average days shooting on a single set: 26

Inches that 15-year-old actor John Bell (Bain) grew over the length of production: 4

Tons of silicon used to generate the facial prosthetics: 4

Hours to complete hair, make-up, prosthetics and wardrobe for each of the 13 Dwarves: 5

Average number of doubles used for each main character, including scale, stunt and riding doubles: 5

Length of toupe tape used to attach beards to faces: 7 km

Weeks of location filming on the Trilogy: 9

Human hair for wigmaking: 10kg; Wigs created for the Dwarves: 91

Average days it took to renew a studio with a new set: 104

Tons of silicone used to mold all of the armor and weapons for all cultures: 14

Polystyrene trees, used in various configurations, to make the Mirkwood set: 32

People it took—including actors, doubles and stunt men—to portray 13 Dwarves: 65

Age of the oldest vintage microphone used to record the score: 80 years

Microphones used in the film’s scoring session: 88

Musicians in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra recording the film’s score: 95

Studio sets built for the Trilogy: 99

Hobbit feet for Bilbo: 100+

Drivers needed to transport the cast and crew to New Zealand locations: 115

Approximate population of the Trilogy’s art department: 250+

Beards made for the production: 263

Bottles of spirit gum used in the production: 300

Traveling weapons for the 13 Dwarves: 547

Crew traveling on location between two units: 800

Bottles of isopropyl alcohol used to remove prosthetics: 860

‘Extras’ that needed to be cast for the Trilogy: 1200

Hand-spun goblets created for Smaug’s Lair: 2000

Props recorded in the furniture catalogue for Lake-town: 3000

Approximate number of continuous hours the art department worked to build, decorate, and tear down sets. This involved different crews working 24/7: 8900 hours

Prosthetics made for the Trilogy: 11,862

Cups of coffee made by craft services throughout production: 140,000+

Punched aluminum gold plated coins trickled over Smaug’s Lair: 170,000

From Academy Award®-winning filmmakerm Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The three films tell a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on an epic quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

Having survived the beginning of their unexpected journey, the Company continues East, encountering along the way the skin-changer Beorn and a swarm of giant Spiders in the treacherous forest of Mirkwood. After escaping capture by the dangerous Wood-elves, the Dwarves journey to Lake-town, and finally to the Lonely Mountain itself, where they must face the greatest danger of all—a creature more terrifying than any other; one which will test not only the depth of their courage but the limits of their friendship and the wisdom of the journey itself—the Dragon Smaug.

A production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” will be released in 3D, 2D and IMAX theaters in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures on Dec. 11, 2013.

Seven New Posters for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Seven brand new character posters for Peter Jackson's “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” have been launched by Warner Bros., New Line Cinema and MGM Pictures. The one-sheet artworks individually showcase the characters Bard (Luke Evans), Bilbo (Martin Freeman), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly), Thorin (Richard Armitage) and Thranduil (Lee Pace).

From Academy Award®-winning filmmakerm Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The three films tell a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on an epic quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

Having survived the beginning of their unexpected journey, the Company continues East, encountering along the way the skin-changer Beorn and a swarm of giant Spiders in the treacherous forest of Mirkwood. After escaping capture by the dangerous Wood-elves, the Dwarves journey to Lake-town, and finally to the Lonely Mountain itself, where they must face the greatest danger of all—a creature more terrifying than any other; one which will test not only the depth of their courage but the limits of their friendship and the wisdom of the journey itself—the Dragon Smaug.

Luke Evans as BARD

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins

Orlando Bloom as Legolas

Evangeline Lily as Tauriel

Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield

Lee Pace as Thranduil

A production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” will be released in 3D, 2D and IMAX theaters in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures on Dec. 11, 2013.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" Gets Main Poster

The main one-sheet for Peter Jackson's “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” has just been released by Warner Bros., New Line Cinema and MGM Pictures.

From Academy Award®-winning filmmakerm Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The three films tell a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on an epic quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

Having survived the beginning of their unexpected journey, the Company continues East, encountering along the way the skin-changer Beorn and a swarm of giant Spiders in the treacherous forest of Mirkwood. After escaping capture by the dangerous Wood-elves, the Dwarves journey to Lake-town, and finally to the Lonely Mountain itself, where they must face the greatest danger of all—a creature more terrifying than any other; one which will test not only the depth of their courage but the limits of their friendship and the wisdom of the journey itself—the Dragon Smaug.

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, with Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield. The international ensemble cast is led by Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, and Orlando Bloom. The film also stars (in alphabetical order) John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O’Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner.

A production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” will be released in 3D, 2D and IMAX theaters in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures on Dec. 11, 2013.

Classy Fanart for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Really wicked cool. When I first saw this, I was totally floored.

I'm gonna update when I find out who the artist is. In the meantime, here are the other photos. Which could've made J.R.R. Tolkien a proud poppa.

Thranduil

Thorin Oakenshield

Oh and why does the humanized Smaug look so much like Benedict Cumberbatch. Oh yes, because Khan is going to be voicing that terrible dragon.

New Banners for The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug

Check out the three new banners for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug featuring our new favorite hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thranduil and Bard.

Here's the full look at the Bilbo Baggins banner:



Then here's Lee Pace as Thranduil (Legolas' daddy)



I wonder if we get to see him riding that reindeer like a fucking bad ass again. That scene totally made the whole deer zord thing look like a welp.

Oh and by jove Luke Evans, the bad guy in Fast and Furious 7 and No One Lives is Bard.



Do watch out for the new trailer which will be released tomorrow or probably this afternoon. Oh and I also hear that Benedict Cumberbatch will be lending his voice as the dragon Smaug in this picture, teaming up once again with his Sherlock co-star Freeman. 

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG is directed by Peter Jackson and will be distributed locally by Warner Bros. Pictures in cooperation with New Line Cinema.

First Teaser Trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Here's the first official trailer for Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG!

Synopsis: The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

Watch the teaser trailer after the break.

The Hobbit: There and Back Again Changes Playdate to December 17

Burbank CA, February 28, 2013 — “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” the final film in Peter Jackson’s trilogy adaptation of the timeless classic The Hobbit, will now be released on December 17, 2014 (including the Philippines.) The joint announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

The film moves from its previous summer slot, and now follows the holiday release pattern of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” which went on to become a billion-dollar global blockbuster, as well as the three films in “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy. The second film in “The Hobbit” Trilogy, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” is next to be released, on December 13, 2013. All three films in the Trilogy are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM).

Preview: S.H.MonsterArts King Kong

It’s a new frontier for the S.H.MonsterArts series, which up to now has focused on Toho kaiju. King Kong, from director Peter Jackson’s 2005 remake of the classic “King Kong,” represents the first foreign monster in the lineup. How did we go about creating the first mammalian creature in the S.H.MonsterArts? Le’s take a look at the impressive sculpting work!

 Eighty years ago, in 1933, the film King Kong introduced the concept of a giant gorilla captured on a South pacific island rampaging through New York City. This is why it is considered the “ancestor of all kaiju movies” today.

Richard Armitage is Thorin in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"

British actor Richard Armitage (“Captain America: The First Avenger”) is on the verge of Hollywood stardom as he portrays the legendary Dwarf warrior Thorin Oakenshield, in Peter Jackson's “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.”

Thorin is the direct descendent of the line of Durin, the Dwarf Kings of Middle-earth. He is also King-in-waiting to the throne of Erebor, who witnessed the kingdom’s destruction under the dragon Smaug’s terrifying onslaught, losing both his father Thráin and grandfather Thrór in the aftermath.

“Thorin inherited a quest of vengeance from his father, to reclaim what’s theirs and take his people back to Erebor,” Armitage says. “And that burden is quite a lonely thing to carry. Thráin disappeared trying to do the same thing a hundred years ago. So Thorin feels like it’s now or never. I think he’s like a dying ember. He has the potential to reignite into a huge furnace, but if he doesn’t do it now, that ember will die.

Adventure Beckons in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"

Embark on an epic adventure as Peter Jackson, Academy Award®-winning director of The Lord of the Rings trilogy unveils The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of a series of three films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Set 60 years before The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows the titular Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), as he is recruited by the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by the legendary Dwarf warrior Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage). With little more than a map they can’t completely read and Thorin’s consuming drive to reclaim his homeland and legacy, Bilbo is swept up in an epic journey through the treacherous and wondrous Wild on a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf city of Erebor, which was long ago raided and conquered by the dragon Smaug.

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" Character 101

Get to know the characters in director Peter Jackson’s eagerly anticipated “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” the first of a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.



BILBO BAGGINS (Martin Freeman). Like all Hobbits, Bilbo Baggins is fond of his comfortable existence; all he needs to be happy is a full pantry and a good book. When the Wizard Gandalf and 13 Dwarves unexpectedly appear on Bilbo’s doorstep and invite him to join them on a dangerous adventure, Bilbo’s life changes forever. Initially skeptical of the invitation, Bilbo’s spirit of adventure leads him to join the Company of Thorin Oakenshield and become the “burglar” required to complete their quest to outwit a ferocious dragon and reclaim the Dwarves’ stolen treasure. To everyone’s surprise, including his own, Bilbo’s wit and courage prove that there is indeed more to this Hobbit than meets the eye.

Peter Jackson's Long Awaited Adaptation of the Hobbit Now Becomes a Trilogy

New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Warner Bros. Pictures Announce Third Film in The Hobbit Trilogy

It Feels like 2001 All Over Again with the Trailer for The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey

The new trailer for The Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit has been officially released and it looks awesome. Suddenly I feel like its 2001 all over again with us geeking out over this movie just like how LOTR Fellowship of the Ring did when it was released.

The new movie is directed by Peter Jackson with a complete title "The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey". The film stars Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, the uncle of LOTR lead Frodo Baggins (played by Elijah Wood).