This is arguably the largest upgrade for any movie franchise in 2013, and not only does it all but eliminate the snooze factor that plagued An Unexpected Journey, but The Desolation of Smaug features possibly the best action sequence of the year: the river barrel scene.
Let’s start by talking about that sequence a little bit. At last, it seemed, the number of dwarves to keep track of in this story was used to an exciting effect rather than a dulling one. Yes, they make a sizeable singing ensemble, but watching them eat and do dishes is too reminiscent of excruciating Thanksgiving dinners past. Having them hurling down a river, escaping their elvish quarters and running into an attack by their Orc pursuers, is in itself a recipe for delight. The execution, though, is perfection—it ends up being a weird mishmash of the Ewok battle in Return of the Jedi with the single shot sequence of The Avengers, a feast for slapstick action and sight gag lovers.
Lovers of the book, of course, may not be as enthused by the deviations from the text, but from the involvement of the elves to the interaction with Smaug the dragon, all the way to the introduction of the people of the Lake-town, there is a sense that pieces are being moved into position, but their placement is far more enjoyable to watch this time around.
For more on The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, check out our coverage of the film’s world premiere below.
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