12 Sep The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Review

Bilbo Baggin’s Journey Continues

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the second film in the famed trilogy from visionary director Peter Jackson, is this week’s FridayFlix feature. Picking up where the first Hobbit adventure left off, Smaug follows Bilbo Baggins as he unites with wizard Gandalf the Grey and exiled dwarf king, Thorin, to recapture the land of Lonely Mountain from the evil dragon, Smaug. Bilbo, this time with the magical golden ring in tow, faces in Smaug his greatest foe yet. As the middle piece of the Hobbit franchise, the film acts as a bridge between the exposition of the first and the epic finale of the third.

Staying true to the sweeping cinematic style that he popularized with The Lord of the Rings films, Jackson once again draws on the natural beauty of the New Zealand countryside to create his fantastical realm of wizards and warlocks. In Smaug, the production design, special effects, and computer generated imaging are something to behold. While diehard Tolkien fans may not always approve of the extraneous characters and subplots that stray away from the original Hobbit text, those who appreciate the genre will enjoy the elements of imagery and escapism that Jackson and his team so skillfully create. With the final installment of the Hobbit trilogy slated for a December 2014 release, audiences will want to catch up on all their favorite Middle Earth characters.

Watch The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on FlixFling now.

This guest blog was written by Colleen Shields.